VHF operator licence

[Nicholas123]

You have obviously not done much sailing outside the "nursery slopes" of the Solent?

Try using your mobile on the River Yealm which is only a stones throw from Plymouth or if you are really brave, you could try the west coast of Scotland where mobiles don't have a signal at all.

You know nothing about me & have just jumped to conclusions.I was'nt suggesting that a mobile is an alternative.I don't use one of those either.I was simply pointing out that in the high technology age where most school children use the internet & all the rest of it to communicate it can't be all that difficult.

 

[AHoy2]

I was simply pointing out that in the high technology age where most school children use the internet & all the rest of it to communicate it can't be all that difficult.

Taking the time and effort to understand the operating environement and necessary procedures seems to be difficult for many though! Then applying discipline to use of the radio even more demanding for them. The easy to get and casual to use mobile phone and internet approach is not what it is about. All new marine radio users should listen in to major port VTS radio traffic to understand the environment they are required to operate in.

 

[Nicholas123]

Taking the time and effort to understand the operating environement and necessary procedures seems to be difficult for many though! Then applying discipline to use of the radio even more demanding for them. The easy to get and casual to use mobile phone and internet approach is not what it is about. All new marine radio users should listen in to major port VTS radio traffic to understand the environment they are required to operate in.

Let me know when it becomes compulsory until then I prefer to do my thinking for myself mate

 

[Tranona]

Let me know when it becomes compulsory until then I prefer to do my thinking for myself mate

Well, it is compulsory if you intend using a VHF rather than just listening to it.

Perhaps if you understood how VHF works, the limitations on the one hand and the potential on the other you would appreciate why having a certificate of competence is necessary.

If you only wish to have means of informing others that you are in danger, get yourself an EPIRB or a PLB, neither of which need a licence although they do need to be registered so that the rescue services know who is in trouble when they are activated.

 

[prv]

Let me know when it becomes compulsory until then I prefer to do my thinking for myself mate

It is compulsory to have a license if you use the radio.

If you don't intend to use the radio, then you don't need a license. That's not at issue here. But the thrust of your argument, such as you've explained it, seems to be "modern technology has made radios easy to operate, therefore there's no need for licenses to use one". Sadly for you, the law disagrees.

Pete

 

[prv]

Also, even if you don't use the radio and therefore don't need an operator's certificate, simply having it installed requires a ship station license. In practice nothing's going to happen if you don't, but if you thought you were being legal without your certificate by not using the radio and keeping it "just for emergencies", well, you weren't.

Pete

 

[AHoy2]

Let me know when it becomes compulsory until then I prefer to do my thinking for myself mate

Seems others have already said it, but yes, it is compulsory. I'll leave you to find out what and why.

By way of example: Poole HM declaring the harbour was under Fog Routine operation when vis deteriorated badly on a busy weekend. A large proportion of "easy going" leisure boaties didn't know it had been declared because they didn't have their radios on or were not listening on the HM frequency (both requirements). As for what "Fog Routine operation " meant, well if people can't be assed to turn on or use a radio properly what chance of any knowing the harbour regulations.

Being a Solent skipper you will no doubt be fully conversant with the Pompey and Soton harbour regs as you fall under their jurisdiction most of the time

I will agree with you that having a radio fitted to the boat or portable carried is not a requirement, but it is common sense if you know and think about what you are doing (the technology age has not negated that requirement ).

 

[Reptile Smile]

One of the other key issues is that you, Nicholas123, apparently have not dealt with the idea of other, rather more responsible, members of the public may call in the coastguard because they are concerned for your welfare. How, then, will you respond to them?

This happened this weekend at my club - a couple came down the Severn in a Wayfarer (more power to them) and a concerned member of the public rang in the CG to check they were ok. The boat was carrying a handheld, correctly licensed, and therefore were able to avoid a callout unnecessarily.

It seems to me you want the right of our licensed boat ownership system without dealing with dealing with the responsibility. Whilst I celebrate our system, and am not in favour of more beaurocracy, I would rather have a system of licensed boat ownership then people like you out there putting other people at risk because of your attitude.

 

[prv]

This happened this weekend at my club - a couple came down the Severn in a Wayfarer (more power to them) and a concerned member of the public rang in the CG to check they were ok. The boat was carrying a handheld, correctly licensed, and therefore were able to avoid a callout unnecessarily.

Have to say, I don't think that's the couple in the Wayfarer's problem and it wouldn't be Nicholas's problem if the same happened to him.

Pete

 

[lustyd]

I don't wish to be pedantic but you don't actually need a TV licence if you don't listen to it live

Being pedantic you still do if you record it when it's broadcast and watch later regardless of the device. The only exception is catch up tv on the Internet which is not broadcast. Be careful here as the BBC are trialing broadcast for iplayer so you could inadvertantly break the law.

 

[VicMallows]

Being even more pedantic, the terms 'broadcast' and 'iplayer' seem incompatible to me. I think you are referring to simultaneous streaming over the internet at the same time as it is being broadcast? (Surely that has been available for quite some time.).

 

[lustyd]

Technically it's a multicast but they have been experimenting. You're right the iplayer in its current form wouldn't suit broadcast at all. It won't be long now until online is included in the licensing though, and for £150 a year it's generally good value I think.

 

[Nicholas123]

I will agree with you that having a radio fitted to the boat or portable carried is not a requirement,

Well I'm glad to hear that but I am mystified why you needed to rabbit on throwing in so much nebulous information just to get to that point.

 

[Nicholas123]

One of the other key issues is that you, Nicholas123, apparently have not dealt with the idea of other, rather more responsible, members of the public may call in the coastguard because they are concerned for your welfare. How, then, will you respond to them?

This happened this weekend at my club - a couple came down the Severn in a Wayfarer (more power to them) and a concerned member of the public rang in the CG to check they were ok. The boat was carrying a handheld, correctly licensed, and therefore were able to avoid a callout unnecessarily.

It seems to me you want the right of our licensed boat ownership system without dealing with dealing with the responsibility. Whilst I celebrate our system, and am not in favour of more beaurocracy, I would rather have a system of licensed boat ownership then people like you out there putting other people at risk because of your attitude.

This sounds like neurotic drivel to me.I have sailed out of Portsmouth Harbour & around the Isle of Wight single handedly for the most part on numerous occasions & in most weather conditions & so far touch wood have never had to call out the emergency services once or put anyone to any inconvenience so what the devil are you rabbiting on about? If most people thought like you we would never get to do anything!

 

[Tranona]

This sounds like neurotic drivel to me.I have sailed out of Portsmouth Harbour & around the Isle of Wight single handedly for the most part on numerous occasions & in most weather conditions & so far touch wood have never had to call out the emergency services once or put anyone to any inconvenience so what the devil are you rabbiting on about? If most people thought like you we would never get to do anything!

Have some sympathy with that. In nearly 40 years of sailing have never used the VHF for anything other than listening and getting the weather forecast. So, could quite easily do without. However once the decision is taken to have one, it makes sense to learn how to use it properly and keep within the law. Unfortunately, if you don't use it regularly you forget the protocols, so useful to have the "book" alongside the radio to remind you.

 

[Nicholas123]

Technically it's a multicast but they have been experimenting. You're right the iplayer in its current form wouldn't suit broadcast at all. It won't be long now until online is included in the licensing though, and for £150 a year it's generally good value I think.

You only need a TV licence if you are watching television "as it is being broadcast" so if you check on the Iplayer that what you want to watch was broadcast say fore instance last Thursday (by clicking on the "more program information" button) you can save yourself 150 quid a year now rather than pay out for a whole lot of tripe that you hav'nt got the slightest interest in.
That is my understanding anyway.

& just for the record because I can see an argument coming here.I live on my own & very very rarely have the slightest inclination to watch anything other than the Antiques Roadshow.Sad I know

 

[Nicholas123]

Have some sympathy with that. In nearly 40 years of sailing have never used the VHF for anything other than listening and getting the weather forecast. So, could quite easily do without. However once the decision is taken to have one, it makes sense to learn how to use it properly and keep within the law. Unfortunately, if you don't use it regularly you forget the protocols, so useful to have the "book" alongside the radio to remind you.

Can you use one of those radio's for ordinary stuff like listening to the BBC Radio 4 Today Program? Just a thought.I know this probably makes me seem very naive but I do need a new radio & if that is the case then maybe (as my new boat already has an expensive one fitted) It may be worth my while considering going to all that trouble.

 

[diapason]

Marine VHF can only be used on preset channels 1-16 which are different from 'normal' radio frequencies. I use a cheap transistor radio (50p at the Scouts jumble sale!) for weather forecasts and entertainment.
N

 

[VicS]

Can you use one of those radio's for ordinary stuff like listening to the BBC Radio 4 Today Program? Just a thought.I know this probably makes me seem very naive but I do need a new radio & if that is the case then maybe (as my new boat already has an expensive one fitted) It may be worth my while considering going to all that trouble.

Not a VHF radio telephone . No

 

[VicS]

Marine VHF can only be used on preset channels 1-16 which are different from 'normal' radio frequencies. I use a cheap transistor radio (50p at the Scouts jumble sale!) for weather forecasts and entertainment.
N

A marine VHF RT can be used on many more channels than just 1-16.


http://www.ukseakayakguidebook.co.uk/short_articles/vhf_channels.htm


One of the benefits of a Marine VHF RT is being able to recieve the CG Safety Information Broadcasts , which include Shipping and inshore waters weather forecasts


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