rogerroger
New member
Do I get a reminder to renew my VHF licence like car tax - or have I got to fill out more forms etc?
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
VHF licence renewal
- Thread starter rogerroger
- Start date
toad
New member
Yes just received mine.
muchy_
New member
Just recieved mine as well.
G
Guest
Guest
I do mine on Direct Debit to RA. That way you don't even have to remember!
G
Guest
Guest
Isn't it time the question was asked again: just what do we get for our £22.00 (?) per annum. Compared to the use we get from the roads at £155.00 (?) the radio licence is very poor value for some people. On one of my boats the radio was virtually unused last year, and for local coastal and estuary sailing it seems that a mobile phone (plus flares of course) will be perfectly adequate and much cheaper to run. If there is any safety advantage in having a VHF (for local pottering and racing, which is probably what many of us do) then the question arises of what would be the overall effect on coastal safety if loads of people simply gave up on VHF and used mobiles?
I don't know the answers, all I know is that I find the VHF licence the most galling tax I have to pay.
I don't know the answers, all I know is that I find the VHF licence the most galling tax I have to pay.
robp
Active member
Last year all I got was a curt final reminder. I called them and had a go. They admitted that mailings sometimes failed. Guess it shows that there is a long stop, although it still annoyed me.
rogerroger
New member
I don't think it's a question of what we "get" for the money - it's just like everything in the UK, if you want to do ANYTHING some b*gger sticks his hand in your pocket for something.
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
oldharry
Well-known member
Re: Life jacket tax....?
I agree with Bargee: I used my VHF transmitter less than half a dozen times last season - the mobile phone being a much quicker and easier option at a few pence a minute rather than the net cost of around £2.00 a call for the priviledge of having it!
Howver I would not be without it, as it is the quickest way of a) alerting HMCG if you or someone else is in trouble, and b) contacting a lifeboat during SAR operations: I am always haunted by the death of a friend 10 years ago when his boat sank in poor visibility. I had no way of knowing he was in trouble as I had no VHF then. But I knew where he was - and the Lifeboat which passed me on the way to look for him did not.
Should there be a charge for installing what is primarily Life saving equipment? Perhaps we will have an annual life jacket tax next? seems to me much the same thing....
I agree with Bargee: I used my VHF transmitter less than half a dozen times last season - the mobile phone being a much quicker and easier option at a few pence a minute rather than the net cost of around £2.00 a call for the priviledge of having it!
Howver I would not be without it, as it is the quickest way of a) alerting HMCG if you or someone else is in trouble, and b) contacting a lifeboat during SAR operations: I am always haunted by the death of a friend 10 years ago when his boat sank in poor visibility. I had no way of knowing he was in trouble as I had no VHF then. But I knew where he was - and the Lifeboat which passed me on the way to look for him did not.
Should there be a charge for installing what is primarily Life saving equipment? Perhaps we will have an annual life jacket tax next? seems to me much the same thing....
david_e
Active member
Wonder what happens if you do not renew, do they come round with a detector ship? How do they know if you have used it at all, especially if you have only used it a few times I would imagine it pretty difficult to monitor.
gtmoore
New member
Apparently there are RA inspectors walking around marina's looking for antenna and a valid license disc although I've not seen any. Perhaps the presence of the equipment on it's own would be enough to secure a fine.
G
Guest
Guest
The offence is failing to display the ship's licence disc in the appropriate position. I understand that every so often Enforcing Officers tour marinas and if they see a VHF antenna unsupported by a licence disc investigations begin. If you happen to be aboard at the time they can ask to see your
operator's licence as well. Raise your right arm in the correct salute and you might get away with it!
operator's licence as well. Raise your right arm in the correct salute and you might get away with it!
G
Guest
Guest
Where else will the funding for the coastguard come from? Its not just a case of when you use the set but knowing support is there. Very few people have a fire in their house in any year but do you resent funding the Fire Brigade? Not when you need them!
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Here! Here! nm
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rogerroger
New member
Surely the fee goes to the government agency responsible for radio coms ? not the coast guard?
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
Peter_the_Grate
New member
Quite.
When this was aired before, the response from Wray Castle was that the fee supports their administration and enforcement of the licence. We pay the licence fee to ensure that there is someone to ensure that we pay it.
Yet another circular that should be binned.
When this was aired before, the response from Wray Castle was that the fee supports their administration and enforcement of the licence. We pay the licence fee to ensure that there is someone to ensure that we pay it.
Yet another circular that should be binned.
HaraldS
New member
Shocked!
Just read this thread and I'm not usre if I'm surprised, puzzled or what.
What jumps at me is the amount of talk about licenses, fees, certificates you name it, and of course the price for these.
I realise that this is a largely UK based forum, but I was brought up thinking that the UK was this pardise of REAL sailors that didn't get patronized by their government and other institutions and had all this genuine freedom of sailing.
I was also brought up with the notion that Germany is one of the most regulated places where you would have to have to be registered to breath.
Having been with this forum for a good half year, it now seems I have to through over some 50 years of misconception.
I'm truley shocked.
This thread is just one more of many that I read in true disbelief. And sorry if I can't make any contribution to this particular thread, I just had to air my feelings.
(reagarding ships stations licenses: Germany: about 9 Euros a year, there are no "disks", staff is very friendly, anual licence covers any equipemnt you have, not just VHF)...........................
Just read this thread and I'm not usre if I'm surprised, puzzled or what.
What jumps at me is the amount of talk about licenses, fees, certificates you name it, and of course the price for these.
I realise that this is a largely UK based forum, but I was brought up thinking that the UK was this pardise of REAL sailors that didn't get patronized by their government and other institutions and had all this genuine freedom of sailing.
I was also brought up with the notion that Germany is one of the most regulated places where you would have to have to be registered to breath.
Having been with this forum for a good half year, it now seems I have to through over some 50 years of misconception.
I'm truley shocked.
This thread is just one more of many that I read in true disbelief. And sorry if I can't make any contribution to this particular thread, I just had to air my feelings.
(reagarding ships stations licenses: Germany: about 9 Euros a year, there are no "disks", staff is very friendly, anual licence covers any equipemnt you have, not just VHF)...........................
rogerroger
New member
Not forgetting the AirWaves magazine thing - found that this morning when having a clear out, realised it was where I'd bunged it without reading when it arrived so moved it straight to the bin...
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
rogerroger
New member
which re-iterates my point made earlier - if you want to do anything in the UK you have to pay someone. You even have to pay £120 a year for having a TV set !
Believe me, when they find out how to tax / regulate the wind they will.
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
Believe me, when they find out how to tax / regulate the wind they will.
Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk
david_bagshaw
Well-known member
Re: A MOBILE PHONE IS NOT AS GOOD AS VHF
A MOBILE PHONE IS NOT AS GOOD AS VHF
I shout for good reasons!
• When you are sinking and phone the coast guard on the mobile NO ONE ELSE KNOWS!
• Mobile coverage can go miles out to sea what happens if you are on the rocks at the bottom of a cliff? No coverage
• Search & Rescue can’t take a DF on your phone call they can and DO on Mayday calls.
• Transmission distance is substantially lower on a mobile
So you are relying on others to carry VHF to hear your mayday broadcast from the coast guard & come to your rescue.
I hope that convinces you the need to carry VHF, as well as the mobile.
David
www.euroboating.net
A MOBILE PHONE IS NOT AS GOOD AS VHF
I shout for good reasons!
• When you are sinking and phone the coast guard on the mobile NO ONE ELSE KNOWS!
• Mobile coverage can go miles out to sea what happens if you are on the rocks at the bottom of a cliff? No coverage
• Search & Rescue can’t take a DF on your phone call they can and DO on Mayday calls.
• Transmission distance is substantially lower on a mobile
So you are relying on others to carry VHF to hear your mayday broadcast from the coast guard & come to your rescue.
I hope that convinces you the need to carry VHF, as well as the mobile.
David
www.euroboating.net
mtb
New member
Re: keeping in the dark
I use the vhf to listen out for shipping movements and weather and mariners notices .You cant do this with a mobile yes you can if you pay a fortune get weather reports but not the up todate warnings and so on .
I also firmly believe we all have or should have the responsibility to monitor 16 incase some poor sod gets in trouble .
One point though why not get a scanner which will then once you programme it monitor the frequencies ,my one a radio shack pro 26 gets every thing !!!.
Mick
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug
I use the vhf to listen out for shipping movements and weather and mariners notices .You cant do this with a mobile yes you can if you pay a fortune get weather reports but not the up todate warnings and so on .
I also firmly believe we all have or should have the responsibility to monitor 16 incase some poor sod gets in trouble .
One point though why not get a scanner which will then once you programme it monitor the frequencies ,my one a radio shack pro 26 gets every thing !!!.
Mick
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug