VHF Radio licence

[Mark-1]

Do you think the call would have been better with no training? Because that's what you seem to be arguing for.

The guy on the radio in an emergency is going to be the crewmember least useful in dealing with the problem. On that basis unlikely to be qualified. Plus there's no legal requirement to be qualified to use VHF in an emergency.

I've heard the CG coax the information out of casualties who had clearly never been on a boat (or a radio) before in their lives, it's part of their job.

 

[ylop]

£10 seems reasonable. And yeah, I do think 40 minutes a year taken out of a spare time when it's raining and dark would be way better than commiting to a full day as a one off. And it would keep everyone vaguely current. But it could be 5 years or a one off, if you prefer.

If I was designing a training scheme where I wanted currency as a priority - I would indeed do as you suggest. As a "participant" a one off, just like an ICC or a driving license for those who need those things is actually preferable. If I administered a scheme that required annual renewal I'd be delighted to have a cash cow to milk - be grateful that they haven't.

 

[Roberto]

The course will hopefully also teach people not to use 25W when hailing a marina 100m from the entrance (here for example all marinas are on ch9, people using 25W disrupt comms with dozens of other marinas), have an idea what the alarm they hear from the radio might be, to register their Epirbs/beacons and add contacts or what to do in case they press the wrong button to test it, why choosing a duplex channel is a bad idea if one wants to keep in touch with other fellow boaters, etc etc.
Ok maybe not a mandatory examination, but a lot of people often pretend to know but simply have no idea what maritime comms are. It's a system that works if every participant makes a little effort, just one person ignoring the basics can annoy a lot of other ones.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

... Some are emerging which are designed to pair with phones ...

I have used these in the desert of Saudi Arabia. We had a rig camp that was many kilometres from the drilling rig and a dispersed work force building new drilling pads and roads. We had various VHF masts and the handhelds were both VHF and mobile phones that you could dial up, then get the sat link out, or just dial up and get the rig office via the VHF and everything in-between. I could be hundreds of miles away and dial up the site supervisor on his VHF radio and talk to him via sat link, then through VHF link. It was a device we hired from the local cell service provider. That was back in 2009, so been around for a while now.

 

[ylop]

The guy on the radio in an emergency is going to be the crewmember least useful in dealing with the problem.
On that basis unlikely to be qualified.

dgadee said HE has made a call recently. Its actually a reason why more of your crew should be trained and experienced - not just "the husband" as is often the case!

Plus there's no legal requirement to be qualified to use VHF in an emergency.

I've heard the CG coax the information out of casualties who had clearly never been on a boat (or a radio) before in their lives, it's part of their job.

They do - but I've heard plenty of calls that took 10-15 minutes to coax the information our with multiple back and forths when a clear, concise, confident discussion would have achieved it in 90 seconds. Sometimes 10 minutes will be the difference between life and death.

 

[ylop]

I have used these in the desert of Saudi Arabia. We had a rig camp that was many kilometres from the drilling rig and a dispersed work force building new drilling pads and roads. We had various VHF masts and the handhelds were both VHF and mobile phones that you could dial up, then get the sat link out, or just dial up and get the rig office via the VHF and everything in-between. I could be hundreds of miles away and dial up the site supervisor on his VHF radio and talk to him via sat link, then through VHF link. It was a device we hired from the local cell service provider. That was back in 2009, so been around for a while now.

Ah I wasn't meaning anything as complex as that - I meant things like the Icom M510 which have a traditional marine VHF but an app and bluetooth which essentially allows your smartphone to be used as a remote mike / control when on the boat. I assume dgadee has ordered one given how high priority he finds improving the user interface.

 

[st599]

In essence, yes. There is no international exam standard.

There is, Iinked to it in #181

 

[dgadee]

Which parts of law do you want a quick off the cuff answer for? I would love to know.

In a chaotic situation the formality goes out the window. I am certain my call was totally "wrong" according to my day's training all those years ago.

 

[Mark-1]

If I was designing a training scheme where I wanted currency as a priority - I would indeed do as you suggest. As a "participant" a one off, just like an ICC or a driving license for those who need those things is actually preferable. If I administered a scheme that required annual renewal I'd be delighted to have a cash cow to milk - be grateful that they haven't.

Well, I agree that's what would happen.

My point wasn't really about currency, I was just offering a compromise to placate people who prefer the status quo. A one off £10 online exam would suit me fine.

 

[dgadee]

Nah. I just u

Ah I wasn't meaning anything as complex as that - I meant things like the Icom M510 which have a traditional marine VHF but an app and bluetooth which essentially allows your smartphone to be used as a remote mike / control when on the boat. I assume dgadee has ordered one given how high priority he finds improving the user interface.

Nah. I just buy them for 16,12, GPS and AIS. I have evidenced that's all you need.

 

[Daydream believer]

Yes you were definitely correct, but for some reason this stuff isn't considered as serious as, say, an electric scooter where we come down hard on those 8 year old criminals before they get out of hand

Perhaps we should ask the 45 people who have been killed since 2019, in scooter accidents, if scooter accidents are not serious

 

[capnsensible]

Which parts of law do you want a quick off the cuff answer for? I would love to know.

In a chaotic situation the formality goes out the window. I am certain my call was totally "wrong" according to my day's training all those years ago.

You should do a course designed to the requirements given to you in #181.....

 

[Daydream believer]

I was asked for my radio licence in Boulogne by immigration. But as they were giving me the third degree & wanted everything, bar my inside leg measurement, It was not surprising. 4 of them were on the boat for 1 hour 5 mins & searched every part of the boat inc my bedding. There were 6 UK boats in the harbour. They arrived soon after I docked. They did not inspect any other boat & left after they checked me out.

 

[ylop]

Which parts of law do you want a quick off the cuff answer for? I would love to know.

Well anything where the lawyer is standing on their feet doing advocacy or cross examination - whether criminal or civil certainly seems like there's no time to check the text book or phone a friend (at least in the first instance of knowing whether to ask for time / challenge what was said done). But my experience in commercial legal meetings is that the lawyers need to be pretty quick thinking or the other side will run rings around them in negotiations too.

Nah. I just u

Nah. I just buy them for 16,12, GPS and AIS. I have evidenced that's all you need.

Presumably you never go anywhere else, never listen to a maritime safety information broadcast, never have "routine traffic" with HMCG where they ask you to switch to their working channel, never receive DSC broadcasts on Ch70, or go to any marina or sailing club.

 

[HERMES_M]

The UK requires a one day course and then an exam (RYA money making scheme?). It looks as though the German exam is just an exam (though probably a long and proper one) and costs less. Is that the case?

I organised one years ago for about 20 people. The instructor must have made a fortune that day.

It's all overkill. And radio protocol is observed by it's absence.

There is a German VHF course at my sailing club, 10 x 90 min. lesson incl. exam, about 50 pounds. It is very reasonable, I think our club funds this course for members.

 

[HERMES_M]

Germany not recognising the RYA SRC

The RYA courses on Electronics are out of date and are being updated. With VDES rolling out across the rest of Europe (but not UK), there'll be a few countries shouting at Ofcom to ensure that UK vessels don't transmit on the new digital frequencies.

There are many German sailors criticise German VHF exam. They say it is far too theoretical and less meaningful for practical use of VHF later.

I thought I better do RYA SRC than German one, but I’ve just read the official statement of German authority from 2020 (Thanks @st599) It says the German SRC is needed if a boat runs under German flag. So I’ll do it in Germany, but I’m gonna read a good English VHF book and watch English training videos, because I like English way to teach things - simple and straightforward

 

[HERMES_M]

I am Scottish, now resident in Belgium, I did the SRC course in Scotland in 2023 as well as doing the Powerboat Level 2 and CEVINI and got the International Certificate of Competence for costal and inland waterways.

I contacted BIPT the Belgian telecoms governing body and asked them first before I did anything, they informed me that the UK/RYA SRC would be valid for me to use a radio on a Belgian flagged boat on the Belgian waterways. When we got the boat inspected the Waterweg Politie also said that the ICC and the SRC were perfectly valid for me to pilot a boat capable of over 15km/h and up to 20m in water line length.

The boat I had then I did not need a licence to sail it, it was 7.5m and could do less than 15km/h, however, it's length meant that it had to have a VHF radio, so I did the PB2 course mainly to encourage my Belgian wife who knew nothing about boats, she did the PB2 course and passed,
The boat I have now is 11.6m and capable of 30km/h

The other BIG factor was that in Belgium the radio licence is 2 tier, first you do a course and exam for a non DSC radio and then another for DSC, the courses and exam are over €300 to do and as a Scotsman with short arms and deep pockets... the £69 for the course and exam when coupled with the PB2 course was the way to go.

It seems the regulation in Belgium is really reasonable, compared to that in Germany…

Is that non DSC exam for using radio on inland canals in Belgium?

 

[st599]

I think the one thing missing from the VHF course is how to test your install is working. Unlike the phones being discussed, the antenna is not internal and requires the correct installation of antenna, cabling, plugs, linkage at the bottom of the mast etc. In the book it suggests calling someone - but that's not fool proof. I once helped a friend - radio was outputting a bit under 25W measured - measure again at the masthead and there's nearer to 0.25W

 

[dgadee]

You should do a course designed to the requirements given to you in #181.....

You pay. Put your money ....

 

[lustyd]

Perhaps we should ask the 45 people who have been killed since 2019, in scooter accidents, if scooter accidents are not serious

Or the 30,000 KSIs involving cars in 2022? We can all pick random facts to support our views. How many of those 45 were killed by a car? Scooters are not the issue.