VHF channels, ship-to-ship (bridge-to-bridge

[paulears]

It must have taken hours to make that list - but it is now 3 years since the last update.

Does ANYBODY maintain an official list of channel allocations? I mean channels which are definitely and unequivocally allocated to a specific use like 16, 65, etc.? A list which would answer my original question authoritatively?
I made a list based on the RNLI website to keep in my pilotage handbook - it's attached - but I suspect it isn't very accurate, especially with all the "Public Correspondence" entries.

Tomorrow when I'm in the office I can share the one I use here - again, not dead certain it's amazingly accurate, but it works for me here. It is a bit odd OFCOM don't have something - but I suspect now the old telephone links have gone, people have found their own solutions and it doesn't annoy anyone. I found a group of people yesterday on ch 80 - I didn't expect that.

Ch 6 is certainly used quite a bit for ship to ship in my area. Never heard an aircraft using it so far.

 

[Mark-1]

Tomorrow when I'm in the office I can share the one I use here - again, not dead certain it's amazingly accurate, but it works for me here. It is a bit odd OFCOM don't have something - but I suspect now the old telephone links have gone, people have found their own solutions and it doesn't annoy anyone. I found a group of people yesterday on ch 80 - I didn't expect that.

Ch 6 is certainly used quite a bit for ship to ship in my area. Never heard an aircraft using it so far.

Isn't CH80 duplex? They had modified radios? Scanners to RX?

 

[paulears]

80 should be but I guess of they have radios that have 80A they might have found it a quiet place to have a private chat. I suppose the same applies to any of the old coastal station pairs.

 

[prv]

80 should be but I guess of they have radios that have 80A they might have found it a quiet place to have a private chat.

I think selecting the USA band plan might get you the other side of ch80, but around here at least that’s hardly a quiet place for a chat. Can’t get a word in edgeways this year especially at weekends ?

Pete

 

[TwoHooter]

80 should be but I guess of they have radios that have 80A they might have found it a quiet place to have a private chat. I suppose the same applies to any of the old coastal station pairs.

Free for all, isn't it? Lots of empty unused channels which people use for chit-chats?

Time for a bit of refreshed guidance from OFCOM I think.

My suggestions:
1. An alternative to 16 for radio checks. I propose Ch.65 when in range of NCI stations, and a published chart of the range of each of their stations. Outside NCI coverage something else is needed. Ch.16 does not make sense for routine radio checks.
2. Clear guidance on the channels that recreational boaters should NOT be using. Obviously Ch.0, but are there others which should be no-go for us?
3. An official answer to my original question when I started this thread: Which channels should recreational boaters use for ship-to-ship other than genuine Ch.13 traffic (bridge-to-bridge navigational safety, implicitly for when talking to big ships).

 

[Mark-1]

1. An alternative to 16 for radio checks. I propose Ch.65 when in range of NCI stations, and a published chart of the range of each of their stations. Outside NCI coverage something else is needed. Ch.16 does not make sense for routine radio checks.

IMHO, if radio checks are regarded as useful it should be automated on a dedicated channel. The request transmission should be recorded and Tx'd back after a few seconds.

 

[PilotWolf]

IMHO, if radio checks are regarded as useful it should be automated on a dedicated channel. The request transmission should be recorded and Tx'd back after a few seconds.

Thats exactly how it’s done here at least in California.

W

 

[AntarcticPilot]

IMHO, if radio checks are regarded as useful it should be automated on a dedicated channel. The request transmission should be recorded and Tx'd back after a few seconds.

I haven't used it, but isn't there a DSC option to do exactly that?

 

[Sandy]

IMHO, if radio checks are regarded as useful it should be automated on a dedicated channel. The request transmission should be recorded and Tx'd back after a few seconds.

How would that reply 'loud and clear' or 'barely readable'? The test is how a transmission is received not recorded and played back; with a possible issue in you receiving that.

I've been sat on my berth in Plymouth and heard another boat ask the CG for a radio check on the Rame Head antenna, I cold hear them loud and clear, but clearly the CG could not.

 

[paulears]

Coastguard really don't like giving radio checks when one controller covers miles of coastline - like Humber Radio. Our local Port do it reasonably happy but their voice is a giveaway sometimes when people ask. I was with a skipper, and his audio level was really low - holding the mic in the hand he steers with - yet our port told him he was loud and clear with some noise. Hardly helpful. Listening on another radio with an ear piece in, he was very quiet compared to other vessels, and the noise was clearly two Volvos burbling in the background. So many marine people do not have even basic discrimination. Noisy - for example can mean weak, and lots of hiss, or wind noise, or engine noise, or a hum/buzz. You will either get noisy or loud and clear. That doesn't help very much at all improve things.

 

[prv]

I haven't used it, but isn't there a DSC option to do exactly that?

No.

Pete

 

[prv]

Time for a bit of refreshed guidance from OFCOM I think.

Why do you imagine that anybody who might be causing problems would read it, or pay any attention if they did?

3. An official answer to my original question when I started this thread: Which channels should recreational boaters use for ship-to-ship

06, 08, 72, or 77.

Pete

 

[prv]

How would that reply 'loud and clear' or 'barely readable'? The test is how a transmission is received not recorded and played back; with a possible issue in you receiving that.

If you hear yourself back clearly, then you know that both your transmission and reception sides are good and can go about your day without bothering anyone else.

Only if you don’t hear yourself clearly do you need to conduct further investigations - which could include calling a harbour office or NCI station or whatever. Though you could still learn a fair bit with just the auto-responder, for example if you can hear everyone else clearly then your reception side is probably ok.

Pete

 

[Sandy]

If you hear yourself back clearly, then you know that both your transmission and reception sides are good and can go about your day without bothering anyone else.

Only if you don’t hear yourself clearly do you need to conduct further investigations - which could include calling a harbour office or NCI station or whatever. Though you could still learn a fair bit with just the auto-responder, for example if you can hear everyone else clearly then your reception side is probably ok.

Pete

I beg to differ.

Anyways I always use the local NCI station and they are always delighted to assist, usually confirm that they have you on AIS and radar and you can ask them for the wind strength and direction at the top of the hill.

 

[prv]

I beg to differ.

All right. Go on.

Anyway, it’s moot since auto-responders aren’t used in this country and that’s unlikely to change. The places that do have them seem to find them useful.

Pete

 

[paulears]

I'm pretty certain that autoresponders are not allowed here, as marine radio operation from unattended stations would be considered a safety risk, if they got stuck on. I re-read my various licences and OFCOM are surprisingly silent on the actual frequencies listed in them. For example - lots of lists take the channels and label them simplex or duplex, but some are labelled private. Coastguard Channel 0 is a good example of a private channel but there are some big blocks of channels simply labelled 'private'. 29 through to 59, for example - channel 37 in the middle is OK, but who exactly gets allocated those private channels. I left the analyser on yesterday and all activity was on the expected channels we've talked about. 67/69/72/73/77 were spasmodically used by different people. Humber MSI on channels 63. I didn't expect as much on ch 80. Clearly a few were also using 80A is they were both boats.