vhf radio etiquette...RADIO CHECKS.....

[vandy]

Thanks to calm f1-2 wind as we managed to spend nearly 18 hrs in two days in the solent and had the VHF radio on at all time on CH16... heard two Mayday calls (one apparently someone relaying a Mday I think) and numerous Radio checks with CG and the person in the CG station responding everytime reminded boaters to use Channel 67 and not the 16... but again 50 seconds later another person on Ch16 asking for radio check...

I remember when I did a VHF course many years ago we were reminded that the CH16 although is used for calling other ships but even this should be used in special occasions and ONLY be used for emergency calls...

I can see why many people prefer the CG station to do the radio check with other than the marina office as even my fixed radio without antenna in the marina will send/receive with the marina office but not to the CG station - but surely there should be better ways of doing this -

Just wondered, do VHF radio instructors cover this as part of their course or not? how should people be reminded not to use the CG as a radio check station? and how do you check your phone ?! do you call 999 and ask for line check?!!!

 

[prv]

Just wondered, do VHF radio instructors cover this as part of their course or not?

Yes, mine had this to say:

• There's no need to check every time you go out, start of season or after changing any equipment should be plenty
• If you do do a check, better to do it with a marina or some other station
• If you must check with Solent Coastguard, do it on 67.

The trouble is, all these things are inaudible to the radio-check numpties. All they hear is other numpties checking on 16, and they think "ooh, I'd better do that too". Half of them probably don't have licenses, or they did an SRC thirty years ago and have forgotten everything they ever learned. My personal theory is that Sunsail are partly to blame as well, as they (used to?) require you to do exactly this kind of check with their beach office when you take a day yacht out from one of their Med beach clubs. I suspect the reason is simply to make sure you have the radio on, so that they can call you back in again if needed. But quite a lot of their beach club punters probably go on to charter a boat in the Solent at some point, and they've had the "radio check and taxi" habit burnt into them by then.

I listen to ch12 (VTS) in Southampton Water and the central Solent, you get a better class of radio communication there

Pete

 

[colingr]

Heard one yesterday, gently rebuked by Solent then responded with, "Sorry new radio, errm, out"

So does a new radio also mean forgetting basic procedures?

 

[gravygraham]

Do the CG not ask/take vessen's name at the time of the radio check? If so, perhaps they could respond with said boat's name in a carefully worded name-and-shame type radio check. Just a thought.

 

[Mike k]

IIRC I rang the MCA on this matter and was advised at that time to use my DSC to call up the coastguard station. They radio back suggesting channel (actually I think channel on my set just changed to what he had suggested) and I ask for the check- all sorted.

 

[stuartwineberg]

+++++1

Oh yes - this drives me crackers for all the reasons you mention. I always call the marina office to let them know whether I will be back that day (since they might want to let the berth out to an overnighter if I am not) and that's a radio check - unless these numpties think that a call that works on Ch80 might not work on Ch16 in an emergency

Thanks to calm f1-2 wind as we managed to spend nearly 18 hrs in two days in the solent and had the VHF radio on at all time on CH16... heard two Mayday calls (one apparently someone relaying a Mday I think) and numerous Radio checks with CG and the person in the CG station responding everytime reminded boaters to use Channel 67 and not the 16... but again 50 seconds later another person on Ch16 asking for radio check...

I remember when I did a VHF course many years ago we were reminded that the CH16 although is used for calling other ships but even this should be used in special occasions and ONLY be used for emergency calls...

I can see why many people prefer the CG station to do the radio check with other than the marina office as even my fixed radio without antenna in the marina will send/receive with the marina office but not to the CG station - but surely there should be better ways of doing this -

Just wondered, do VHF radio instructors cover this as part of their course or not? how should people be reminded not to use the CG as a radio check station? and how do you check your phone ?! do you call 999 and ask for line check?!!!

 

[DAKA]

Are you sure you guys arnt missing the point of a radio check ?

Its the perfect way to broadcast to your mates that you are out and about that weekend.

 

[chanelyacht]

IIRC I rang the MCA on this matter and was advised at that time to use my DSC to call up the coastguard station. They radio back suggesting channel (actually I think channel on my set just changed to what he had suggested) and I ask for the check- all sorted.

When we acknowledge a DSC call, we determine the frequency you go to for the working part.

Yes, we do log all vessels calling us.

Personally, I don't have a problem with RCs at all - as long as its not the same vessel every 10 minutes.

 

[vandy]

Just to be clear, I am not suggesting NOT to do the radio check... but I rather using common sense and some guidance on how this should be done...

The CG transmitters are usually mounted higher than a marina antenna and if one was going to check his radio better off checking with the marina when he/she is about a Nm far and if that's acknowledged then surely it will work.

When I am in Hythe I can send/receive to Cowes Yacht Haven marina which only has a small antenna mounted on the roof (2 floor building) - that's nearly 8 nautical miles (straight line) so never did radio check with CG...

Not sure if you were sitting on a weekend in the CG station, you would appreciate lots of RCs come and on Channel 16.... and more importantly keeping Channel 16 busy...

 

[chanelyacht]

Not sure if you were sitting on a weekend in the CG station, you would appreciate lots of RCs come and on Channel 16.... and more importantly keeping Channel 16 busy...

I do that!

RCs are bread and butter... quick acknowledgement and move on. Only Solent have the dual 16/67 calling, so I can understand people from out of the area not getting it. Likewise, when I was at a neighbouring station, we got a lot calling on 67 who didn't appreciate we don't monitor it.

 

[Bubblegtt]

I was listening in to one of the many incidences going on channel 16 over the weekend, though I can't now remember which one and in the middle of it, someone asked for a radio check!!