VHF channels

[DavidP]

Hi,

Lets assume we all know what Ch 6,8,72,77,80,12,16,67 are used for ,but what are all the other channels for ????

Dave.

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[snowleopard]

most of them have specific designations not relevant to yotties, e.g. 15 for bridge to foredeck crew, 13 for inter-ship. several are used by coastguards for broadcasting, 0 is for emergency services and so on.

look through reeds and you'll see lots of channels designated for port operations etc.

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[Cornishman]

I guess you have not yet done the conversion course to DSC working. Annex B to RYA publication G22 lists them all, but the important ones you should know are:
13 - Bridge to Bridge Working between ships
70 - Digital Selective Calling ONLY
75 & 76 are Guard Band frequencies either side of Ch 16
The rest are either Intership, Port Operations or shared between these two - but in practice you should not use the shared channels for intership around the UK.
Annex B also includes the use of VHF channels in the USA
Time is running out for Channel 16 as the Distress and Urgency alert channel - soon it will be DSC only.

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[Cornishman]

Strictly speaking Channel 15 is a shared intership and port operations channel, but along with Channel 17 when either is selected on a type approved set it will only transmit at 1 watt

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[LadyInBed]

Try http://www.radio-scanning.fsworld.co.uk/marine_band.html is more the thing.
Or maybe at the bottom of this page <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.merseyshipping.co.uk/maritimeinformation/marineradio/MarineFreq1.htm>http://www.merseyshipping.co.uk/maritimeinformation/marineradio/MarineFreq1.htm</A>

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[DavidP]

Thanks guys

I guess i should look into DSC and get up to speed on that now .

Thanks again
Dave.

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[Twister_Ken]

Good qustion.

I actually think this is something of a sacred cow. Yes, every channel has some sort of dedicated use, but if you scan through them you'll find very little traffic on anything other than the 6, 8, 72, 77, 80 and 16, and whatever is your local CG correspondence channel (67 in the Solent) and your local port ops channel.

I'm sure it would be possible to allocate more channels for public correspondence, evn if these were local in nature. In fact a local calling channel on the S Coast to leave 16 clear for urgency traffic would be a Good Thing.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[ccscott49]

"4,25,26, I think used to be for ship to shore telephone type thingy, now basically defunct, couldn'rt they be now reallocated to ship to ship channels? The are duplex, so I'm not sure if thats possible, Mike Martin would know.

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[Mike_Martin]

As a starter for ten have a look here http://www.radio.gov.uk/topics/maritime/maritime-index.htm

Use of International Maritime VHF Channels is covered in the RA 264 Information sheet of the same name.

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Manager,
Aeronautical & Maritime Services Section,
Radiocommunications Agency

 

[snowleopard]

following on from that, the tables of channels are <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.radio.gov.uk/publication/ra_info/ra264/ra264.htm>here</A>

note that the channels described as two-frequency (duplex) can't be used unless talking to shore stations.

in less regulated waters people use whatever channel occurs to them, so you'll frequently hear people switching to 15 or 17 because it's quicker to get to them.



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