VHF radio channel reductions

[RAI]

Has any one received an official requirement to modify their VHF radios to comply with new channel allocations? Or is it just Belgium?

 

[RivalRedwing]

news to me... more detail please

 

[RAI]

Introduction of the marine radiotelephone VDES channel plan | BIPT

 

[Petertheking1982]

Looking at the channels listed (on the document linked above) it would be easier to just not us those channels. It will probably be cheaper to get a new radio rather than get an old one re-programmed. I am interested if anybody else has more info though.

 

[RivalRedwing]

there is quite a bit in that document which is news to me...

I suspect the UK is a little bit behind

 

[RAI]

Actually, the UK was a leading light in pushing VDES for satellite AIS,
But maybe the UK policy is to ignore any analogue interference.

 

[RAI]

I also learn that channel 31 can be added to your VHF radio, for Dutch and Belgian marinas.

 

[westhinder]

Introduction of the marine radiotelephone VDES channel plan | BIPT

Yep, I got an official letter from BIPT requesting me to have my radio reprogrammed. I did not get the impression that it was just a Belgian regulation, but did not delve deeper into it. We have a year to comply

 

[RAI]

Any idea where we can get our radios fixed?
I have a Sailor RT 144B and a Standard Horizon GX1500, not to mention a cheap handheld.

 

[RivalRedwing]

Standard Horizon (in the UK) are historically good at supporting their kit.

One piece on the document that caught my eye - a 5 year validity of recent SRC certificates.
I also wondered about the expectation on visitors in Belgian waters

 

[Sandy]

I suspect the UK is a little bit behind

We are in a parallel universe ?

We will need to see what OFCOM have to say, after the rather silly 'RF Compliance Assessment' that we should have done in the last few years I wonder if they will say anything or how they would 'enforce' any change in channel usage.

Given that most leisure users use their mobile phone more than their VHF would it make any difference?

 

[RAI]

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/d...ata_Exchange_System_VDES_Overview_Dec2017.pdf
Read all about VDES

 

[lustyd]

Call me old fashioned, but I much prefer an analogue fuzzy signal to a digital silence. It still annoys me when the radio cuts out in the car after all these years when analogue FM worked flawlessly (and was in stereo!!).

edit: just read the second link. I feel like it was a mistake to open up big boy AIS to the masses if bandwidth was an issue. Surely removing voice comms to compensate isn't the answer?

 

[RAI]

I think the ITU uses a "use it or loose it" attitude to spectrum. So those now rarely used maritime duplex channels are up for grabs, if maritime doesn't use it for more modern communications. Even then, they might have to share it.

 

[RAI]

I got a very prompt answer from BIPT. They are leading the world because they and the Dutch are very short of spectrum capacity for both Antwerp and Rotterdam. They are in VHF range of each other so must share the limited resources. So they want the ether free from unwanted traffic from our transceivers.
So expect other countries to start demanding the changes before long.

 

[st599]

I think the ITU uses a "use it or loose it" attitude to spectrum. So those now rarely used maritime duplex channels are up for grabs, if maritime doesn't use it for more modern communications. Even then, they might have to share it.

ITU world radio conference happens later this year, so expect to see some changes, especially in little used frequencies with wide area coverage.

 

[Stork_III]

I also learn that channel 31 can be added to your VHF radio, for Dutch and Belgian marinas.

For a UK registered VHF you require a Licence Derogation for CH31, with the proviso it must not be used in UK territorial waters as CH31 is used by Coastguard on beach rescues.

 

[Juan Twothree]

For a UK registered VHF you require a Licence Derogation for CH31, with the proviso it must not be used in UK territorial waters as CH31 is used by Coastguard on beach rescues.

Close. It's actually used by the RNLI for communication between the lifeboat and shore during launch and recovery, to save blocking up Ch 0.

The CG use Ch 99 for cliff/beach/mud rescues.

 

[RAI]

ITU world radio conference happens later this year, so expect to see some changes, especially in little used frequencies with wide area coverage.

Yes, the spectrum wars continue to argue over a limited resource that can make some exceedingly rich.

 

[RAI]

For a UK registered VHF you require a Licence Derogation for CH31, with the proviso it must not be used in UK territorial waters as CH31 is used by Coastguard on beach rescues.

That's interesting. My Belgian registered radios have no channel 31, but will now get it for marina chat. Still using ch9 for that in Spain.