VHF radio channel reductions

[RAI]

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.

Thanks for the clarification. I wonder if pleasure craft will get to use the VDES or digital channels.

 

[RAI]

Anyway, advice to anyone about to buy a new VHF radio- get the channels sorted.

 

[Plum]

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.
.

Yes, Ch31 "simplex" is a private channel used by the RNLI. Ch31 "duplex" is used by marinas in the Netherlands (and Belgium?) so if you want to get Ch31 added to your VHF make sure you get the correct frequencies.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[NorthUp]

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.

Also used by CalMac ferries for crew coms.
Did the CG not stop using ch99 a few years ago?

 

[Juan Twothree]

Did the CG not stop using ch99 a few years ago?

No, still very much in use.

 

[st599]

Ch31 is Private, so it's up to individual governments who gets to use it and for what.

It doesn't look like Ch 31 is in the list of VDES frequencies published by ITU.

 

[thalassa]

Anyway, advice to anyone about to buy a new VHF radio- get the channels sorted.

...having made enquiries for some friends and myself in NL and BE... Ranging from free (for recent ICOM radios), to 35 EUR for fairly recent models. Inevitably, my Navman 7200 is a 'problem radio' and will cost 70 EUR plus VAT...

 

[RAI]

...having made enquiries for some friends and myself in NL and BE... Ranging from free (for recent ICOM radios), to 35 EUR for fairly recent models. Inevitably, my Navman 7200 is a 'problem radio' and will cost 70 EUR plus VAT...

I now have a quote, 35 euro for the SH GX 1500 and 95 euro for the Sailor RT144B.

 

[mattonthesea]

I'm a bit confused. Are they saying that we mustn't use channels that are not on the usual leisure yacht's list anyway? Or are all radios going to be illegal overnight?
My SH is only about four years old - ironically, it is set up for Ch 31 as we were in Belgium last year. It's one of those " press buttons A and B simultaneously while turning on and off" operations!

Or is this like the Ofcom nonsense last year?

 

[RAI]

I'm a bit confused. Are they saying that we mustn't use channels that are not on the usual leisure yacht's list anyway? Or are all radios going to be illegal overnight?
My SH is only about four years old - ironically, it is set up for Ch 31 as we were in Belgium last year. It's one of those " press buttons A and B simultaneously while turning on and off" operations!

Or is this like the Ofcom nonsense last year?

BIPT and its Dutch equivalent are demanding existing and new maritime VHF stations be modified so they cannot transmit on the new digital and VDES re-allocated frequencies. They have demanded that stations licensed in BE and NL be modified by end 2023. I don't know how they will treat foreign and unmodified transceivers after that. I presume Ofcom will put out a similar demand at some point.

 

[st599]

I presume Ofcom will put out a similar demand at some point.

Why? It's a private frequency, not a VDES frequency. Ofcom can do as they like, radios sold in the UK should not automatically have channel 31 as it requires a Notice of Variation to your licence. They'll just stop issuing NoVs to UK sailors.

 

[westhinder]

BIPT and its Dutch equivalent are demanding existing and new maritime VHF stations be modified so they cannot transmit on the new digital and VDES re-allocated frequencies. They have demanded that stations licensed in BE and NL be modified by end 2023. I don't know how they will treat foreign and unmodified transceivers after that. I presume Ofcom will put out a similar demand at some point.

I do not expect they will take any action against foreign unmodified sets. For years they haven't done anything against non-ATIS sets that were used on rivers and canals. This will be a similar case

 

[RAI]

Why? It's a private frequency, not a VDES frequency. Ofcom can do as they like, radios sold in the UK should not automatically have channel 31 as it requires a Notice of Variation to your licence. They'll just stop issuing NoVs to UK sailors.

I think Chapel 31 is a different issue for Belgian radios.
The main changes are the digital channels and the satellite VDES channels. These need to be global. I don't suppose any action against existing radio stations beyond proving changes before license renewal.

 

[RAI]

I do not expect they will take any action against foreign unmodified sets. For years they haven't done anything against non-ATIS sets that were used on rivers and canals. This will be a similar case

Yes, as long as a radio station doesn't make a nuisance of itself, no action is likely to be taken. As these channels are redundant from a pleasure craft viewpoint, it hardly justifies any action beyond license renewal.

 

[Bilgediver]

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

There have been frequent mentions of utilising some of the old duplex channels for data purposes. If you check out your new hand held and scroll through the channels you will see that on some channels stick on the same channel for several button pushes. That radio probably complies.

 

[st599]

Does anyone have access to the latest CA Inland Waterways newsletter? I can only see the front page, but it seems to suggest new criminal offences in Belgium and Germany for having a non-VDES set on board.

 

[RAI]

Yes, VDES is mandated for starting next year. It probably will be enforced in the RAINWAT countries. So Netherlands and France too.
VDES FAQ | e-Navigation Netherlands
VDES - VHF Data Exchange System - IALA AISM

 

[st599]

Yes, VDES is mandated for starting next year. It probably will be enforced in the RAINWAT countries. So Netherlands and France too.
VDES FAQ | e-Navigation Netherlands
VDES - VHF Data Exchange System - IALA AISM

Could be interesting for visitors from regions which haven't yet adopted VDES. It looks like marinas, locks and bridges are heading to the new narrow bandwidth telephony channels - so a) non compliant set and b) don't have channels required to contact them.

 

[RAI]

Could be interesting for visitors from regions which haven't yet adopted VDES. It looks like marinas, locks and bridges are heading to the new narrow bandwidth telephony channels - so a) non compliant set and b) don't have channels required to contact them.

Spot on. I just checked. My modified radios have channels 27 and 28 changed to the split channels 1027 and 1028 also know as 27L and 28L.

 

[Alicatt]

Checking yesterday for a radio for my boat, I did not find any that were VDES compliant, and the dealers did not seem to know what VDES was.