VHF Radio licence

[oldharry]

I'm curious. Has anyone on here ever been asked for their vhf license? in 40-odd years, I've never been asked, either in the UK or elsewhere in the world.

Neither have I, but I do know someone who was done by the regulatory people when wifey went shopping and used the handheld to check with hubby back on the boat on the state of onboard stores! So clearly they do check, and I have from time to time heard CG asking for a call sign, just to alert "Radio check please" customers.

But I agree the lack of correct procedural knowledge on SOloent CHF channels is deplorable, specially as it can save vital minutes in an emergency. In particular the twats who overspeak a distress call for radio checks.

 

[oldharry]

Radio checks in busy areas aren’t all idiots, there are just a lot of people on a lot of boats. On any given day in the Solent there are probably 100 people installing or fixing an installation. There are likely 500 charter boats going out with uncertain quality sets, and there are literally thousands of RIBs and the like going out where the radio and antenna might have been removed for transport.
You can debate the channel being used, who they call and the way they ask but it’s likely most of them genuinely need to check the radio.

Really...? I dont dispute there is sometimes a genuine need to check a radio, but evey few minutes on a peak summers day?

 

[lustyd]

Really...? I dont dispute there is sometimes a genuine need to check a radio, but evey few minutes on a peak summers day?

It’s not one person checking g every few minutes though is it? You’re just underestimating how many people there are.

 

[capnsensible]

It’s not one person checking g every few minutes though is it? You’re just underestimating how many people there are.

I wonder why it is that there are places around the world that are quite busy and one nevers hears a radio check being requested? Seems Lake Solent gets the prize for more than, say, 2.

 

[Mark-1]

I wonder why it is that there are places around the world that are quite busy and one nevers hears a radio check being requested? Seems Lake Solent gets the prize for more than, say, 2.

I'm sure I've heard there are countries that have dedicated automated radio check channels that play back a recording of the transmission.

So does Lake Solent have a problem with needless radio checks or is our problem that our mechanism for handling radio checks needlessly requires using 16, 67, 65 or perhaps 80? A dedicated automated radio check channel would solve the problem. In 1985 there might not have been a spare working channel. Since mobile phones, traffic has reduced to a point where there certainly is.

 

[Pye_End]

I'm curious. Has anyone on here ever been asked for their vhf license? in 40-odd years, I've never been asked, either in the UK or elsewhere in the world.

Yes. Dutch police off Ijmuiden. Pre-pandemic, but not too long before. Both ship's and operator's licence.

 

[capnsensible]

I'm sure I've heard there are countries that have dedicated automated radio check channels that play back a recording of the transmission.

So does Lake Solent have a problem with needless radio checks or is our problem that our mechanism for handling radio checks needlessly requires using 16, 67, 65 or perhaps 80? A dedicated automated radio check channel would solve the problem. In 1985 there might not have been a spare working channel. Since mobile phones, traffic has reduced to a point where there certainly is.

I used to sail a lot in the Solent. Many tides ago. It was always a problem then for needless radio checks all the time on ch 16. Often heard the same boats, week in, week out. I've sailed in loadsa places since and you simply never hear them. It's a frequent thread starter on here. I wonder why?

Do people hear one request and feel they are missing out if they don't join in??

Never heard of this playback thing.

 

[dunedin]

Neither have I, but I do know someone who was done by the regulatory people when wifey went shopping and used the handheld to check with hubby back on the boat on the state of onboard stores! So clearly they do check, and I have from time to time heard CG asking for a call sign, just to alert "Radio check please" customers.

Wow. How would any "regulatory people" be able to do that- unless they were regularly doing extended domestic chat on Ch16.
When using the handheld to communicate with mother ship we use a plausible (but made up) "station name", and stick to ship to ship channels not Ch16.

 

[oldharry]

From what I know it sounded as though they were having extended discussions on next weeks menus, probably still on Channel 16, and the Regulators happened to be around with a Detector van. It was quite a few years ago. My favourite VHF 'blooper' was on the Western Welsh Coast many years ago: Holyhad Coastguard were having a major exercise with various mobile units involved. One mobile was a young lady who clearly had difficulty in keeping in touch with her base:

"Holyhead Coastguard Holyhead Coastguard, this is Holyhead Mobile - I cannot receive you in this position" an unknown male voice immediately came in: "Which position would you like then, dear?"

There was a lengthy pause in the proceedings.......!

 

[awol]

Wow. How would any "regulatory people" be able to do that- unless they were regularly doing extended domestic chat on Ch16.
When using the handheld to communicate with mother ship we use a plausible (but made up) "station name", and stick to ship to ship channels not Ch16.

Aye, wasting bawbees on your pay-as-you-go phone would be a travesty!

 

[Rappey]

. I've sailed in loadsa places since and you simply never hear them.

Its a numbers thing. Its claimed 75% of englands boats are located in the solent area.
Chichester harbour alone states 12,000 boats !
Is there any other place in the world that has such a huge concentration of active leisure boats in a small area? If you're going to hear it then it will be heard in the Solent !
Solent radio chatter on 16 gets less each year, its not often you hear a boat hailing another. More use mobile phones to call for assistance than vhf/dsc
Solent cg request not using 16 for a radio check but 5 mins later someone will ask..
Roger, over and out and radio check is probably coppied by others due to hearing it so often.

 

[capnsensible]

Its a numbers thing. Its claimed 75% of englands boats are located in the solent area.
Chichester harbour alone states 12,000 boats !
Is there any other place in the world that has such a huge concentration of active leisure boats in a small area? If you're going to hear it then it will be heard in the Solent !
Solent radio chatter on 16 gets less each year, its not often you hear a boat hailing another. More use mobile phones to call for assistance than vhf/dsc
Solent cg request not using 16 for a radio check but 5 mins later someone will ask..
Roger, over and out and radio check is probably coppied by others due to hearing it so often.

There are places that are very busy on the Atlantic coast of France. There are huge marinas in the French West Indies. Peak season in Croatia is bonkers. No direct knowledge but harbours in New Zealand are famous for lots of yachts. And what about the USA?

I just reckon Lake Solent sailors seem to think they are somehow special. I know I did when I sailed there as a job!!!

 

[Chiara’s slave]

There are places that are very busy on the Atlantic coast of France. There are huge marinas in the French West Indies. Peak season in Croatia is bonkers. No direct knowledge but harbours in New Zealand are famous for lots of yachts. And what about the USA?

I just reckon Lake Solent sailors seem to think they are somehow special. I know I did when I sailed there as a job!!!

I:m not special enough for a radio check though. But no matter, I use mine every time I go to the boat. Even if I don’t leave the mooring, in winter I call the harbour taxi.

 

[SaltyC]

I used to sail a lot in the Solent. Many tides ago. It was always a problem then for needless radio checks all the time on ch 16. Often heard the same boats, week in, week out. I've sailed in loadsa places since and you simply never hear them. It's a frequent thread starter on here. I wonder why?

Do people hear one request and feel they are missing out if they don't join in??

Never heard of this playback thing.

I must be a few tides before you. No problems with radio checks.....BUT in the 70's far less boats and only a small percentage had a VHF - we didn't so never heard

 

[wonkywinch]

To bump this thread, saw this on the Ofom site, someone's FOI request ..

Your request :
How many persons per year for the last 10 years have been prosecuted and or fined for using a VHF marine radio, at sea, without a valid license? If there have been no prosecutions, in what year was the last person prosecuted or fined.

---

Our response :​

Please note that we only hold accurate information on cases from July 2016 as that is when our current. Case Records Management system was introduced.
According to our records, no person has been prosecuted and/or fined for using a VHF marine radio at sea without a valid license in those records.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets...sing-a-vhf-marine-radio-without-a-license.pdf

 

[Bobc]

To bump this thread, saw this on the Ofom site, someone's FOI request ..

Your request :
How many persons per year for the last 10 years have been prosecuted and or fined for using a VHF marine radio, at sea, without a valid license? If there have been no prosecutions, in what year was the last person prosecuted or fined.

---

Our response :​

Please note that we only hold accurate information on cases from July 2016 as that is when our current. Case Records Management system was introduced.
According to our records, no person has been prosecuted and/or fined for using a VHF marine radio at sea without a valid license in those records.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets...sing-a-vhf-marine-radio-without-a-license.pdf

I rest my case.

 

[Stemar]

Well, it must be said that it's something of a victimless crime. A sensible administration, assuming that isn't too much of an oxymoron, might think, we'd rather have them using them without a licence than not having them to call when it all hits the fan.

OTO, 10 years hard labour should be the minimum for calling CG for a radio check in the Solent, when Gosport NCI are happy to do it without cluttering up ch16

 

[Bobc]

Well, it must be said that it's something of a victimless crime. A sensible administration, assuming that isn't too much of an oxymoron, might think, we'd rather have them using them without a licence than not having them to call when it all hits the fan.

OTO, 10 years hard labour should be the minimum for calling CG for a radio check in the Solent, when Gosport NCI are happy to do it without cluttering up ch16

Ah yes, the joys of the Solent radio checks.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Ah yes, the joys of the Solent radio checks.

Still going on even at quieter times, it's a point of major irritation...!

 

[dgadee]

I'm curious. Has anyone on here ever been asked for their vhf license? in 40-odd years, I've never been asked, either in the UK or elsewhere in the world.

Back in the late 1980s I remember someone in a uniform nosing about my Belfast club boat yard. He asked me who had radios (you had to pay then). I told him to go away - judges and security people kept their boats there. Who would that have been?