vhf licence.

[mikemanor]

You have to take and pass a test to get the licence. The moneymaking fact is that most tests are appended to a course, so you have to take the course to take the test (doncha just luv RYA Capitalism).
.

All RYA training centres recognized to provide SRC courses are required to offer "Examination Only". The cost of the full exam is fixed by the RYA (not the school) and is currently set at £70. We can provide it on demand. Having said that, I have only ever been asked once for exam only.

 

[Nicholas123]

I went on to the Ofcom site, registered and applied. What a pain in the backside. Longwinded and slow. Filled all the required fields and after almost 30 mins it came back and told me there was a problem and to contract them by phone.......

Is it possible to do it the old way, Its a lot less hassle!

That is exactly the same experience I had applying for a passport!The morons tell you you can do it online & it usually takes less than three weeks (more £ if you want to "fast track it"). Nearly seven weeks later they still hav'nt supplied my passport but took money out my bank on the 2nd March.(after putting me through real hell asking me to fill in a completely new form & answer completely irrelevant questions as far as I can see + go through the whole counter signatory bit again). Sorry about the rant but we are told that the Continentals are the ones that are sticklers for bureaucracy
It is amazing that British Industry can compete at all with these petty minded bureaucrats & their empire building antics

 

[VicS]

That is exactly the same experience I had applying for a passport!The morons tell you you can do it online & it usually takes less than three weeks (more £ if you want to "fast track it"). Nearly seven weeks later they still hav'nt supplied my passport but took money out my bank on the 2nd March.(after putting me through real hell asking me to fill in a completely new form & answer completely irrelevant questions as far as I can see + go through the whole counter signatory bit again). Sorry about the rant but we are told that the Continentals are the ones that are sticklers for bureaucracy
It is amazing that British Industry can compete at all with these petty minded bureaucrats & their empire building antics

If you work the Ofcom site correctly it takes only a couple of minutes or less if you have all the info needed to hand. Then you print the licence yourself.

 

[ostell]

If you work the Ofcom site correctly it takes only a couple of minutes or less if you have all the info needed to hand. Then you print the licence yourself.

I agree with that.

 

[Tranona]

If you work the Ofcom site correctly it takes only a couple of minutes or less if you have all the info needed to hand. Then you print the licence yourself.

My experience as well.

 

[prv]

If you work the Ofcom site correctly it takes only a couple of minutes or less if you have all the info needed to hand. Then you print the licence yourself.

Yep. Unless they've changed it recently, I don't think it's the site that's the problem.

Pete

 

[[70521]]

That is exactly the same experience I had applying for a passport!The morons tell you you can do it online & it usually takes less than three weeks (more £ if you want to "fast track it")

It worked for me. Filled in the online bit, got the form back, signed and posted the same day. Passport arrived three days later. Simples.

 

[Nicholas123]

It worked for me. Filled in the online bit, got the form back, signed and posted the same day. Passport arrived three days later. Simples.

You obviously did'nt have a previous passport that went missing 30 years ago even though it was out of date!

 

[E.T.]

You could use Semaphore instead

 

[VicS]

You could use Semaphore instead

As you have mentioned semaphore you will be able to read this

A clue. It used to be my signature

 

[Mistroma]

No problem with Web-site either. I went through it with my new boat in 2009 to create the licence. It's been updated since then to record new equipment (AIS, Navtex, EPIRB etc.).

I've had my original VHF lic. since 1981 and only fitted a DSC just before selling my last boat in 2009. Family health problems restricted sailing in 2010 and part of 2011 so I didn't get around to upgrading my lic. to include DSC. It wasn't a high priority as I rarely use the VHF and read VHF manual and ran through a free American online training simulator.

I intend to go to France this year so have been asking about just taking the exam. One local centre said that they only did it as part of a 1 day course at ludicrous cost.

Finally found someone else who will try to fit me in to a half day course. Exam only £75 and 1/2 day course £70 so I'm taking the latter option (if I can get a date).

To be honest, I don't expect to learn anything I didn't pick up from current experience, reading several RYA booklets and downloading technical documents

Some from MCA & GMDSS are quite dry but meaning and intent reasonably clear (& probably well beyond knowledge required for the exam).

However, I can see that the course and exam would be of benefit to someone starting from scratch. It would have been nice to have a cheaper exam (including short practical element). But that isn't going to happen. I expect there's little demand, still needs a room, time to setup simulators and run exam.

 

[Sneaky Pete]

If you are intent on just taking an exam you could read through the RYA publication VHF radio booklet it has a RYA code G22 it includes an explanation of the GMDSS requirements it is a bit dry but full of very good info. Understand this and the exam will be a breeze.

 

[Monique]

....
Finally found someone else who will try to fit me in to a half day course. Exam only £75 and 1/2 day course £70 so I'm taking the latter option (if I can get a date).

To be honest, I don't expect to learn anything I didn't pick up from current experience, reading several RYA booklets and downloading technical documents
.......

I felt quite smug as well but I learned a lot reading the RYA booklets.

Now fully licensed with DSC too....

 

[Mistroma]

Not too smug (I hope), I just downloaded and read the syllabus for SRC and LRC. Then dowloaded or bought a variety of booklets and manuals to read.

I've installed most of the kit on my new boat and repaired a lot of bodges carried out by "professional" installers & builder. No worries using a SWR meter etc. to confirm all OK with main VHF, making & tuning an emergency VHF antenna.

I did go completely overboard and read quite a lot of a very large tome from one authority or another (poss. CEPT).

I came to the conclusion that the practical & technical side weren't exactly demanding. Only the DSC stuff was new but I read up on that thoroughly when I bought a new DSC in 2009. Did the same with AIS & Navtex when I bought them.

People with different needs & experience will have different requirements. However, I tend to be ridiculously thorough in reserach and implementation. So not being complacent as I believe I've over covered the subject already. I was stuck in Kinlochbervie for 2 weeks at end of last season so plenty of reading time.

However, you are correct that the RYA booklets were a good source of condensed information for a limited amout of subject matter. I'd covered it in more detail already but useful for a quick review, so def. a good idea for the exam even though it isn't rocket science.

PS I could have just taken the exam but it was marginally more expensive than 1/2 day course and harder to get a date.