Approved by DC-E USCG AuxA, Inc 1

Boating Skills & Boating Skills & SeamanshipSeamanship

Boating Skills & Boating Skills & SeamanshipSeamanship

Lesson 13Your Boat’s Radio

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Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives

• Types Of Marine Radios• Purpose & Use

• Licenses• Selection • Installation• Operation• Distress, Urgency & Safety Calls

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VHF-FM RadiosVHF-FM Radios

• FM - Static Free• Line Of Sight - 10-30 Miles• Used & Monitored By U.S. Coast Guard• 25 Watts Maximum Power• Relatively Inexpensive

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SSB RadiosSSB Radios

• Range• Day - 100 miles• Night - 1000 miles

• A Must For Ocean Operation

• Monitored By U.S. Coast Guard

• More Costly Than VHF-FM

• Must Have VHF-FM Radio

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Citizen Band (CB) RadioCitizen Band (CB) Radio

• Low power - 5 watts• Limited Range• Not Monitored By Coast Guard• Overcrowded• AM - Susceptible To Static• Channel 9 - Unofficial Emergency

Frequency• Inexpensive

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Other SystemsOther Systems

• Licensed Amateur Radio Operators (HAM)– Several Short Wave Frequencies Available

• Cellular Telephones– Not Monitored By Others– Cannot Be Located By RDF – Call Coast Guard

GTE-Mobilnet – “*CGS(247), SEND”Cellular 1 – “*CG(24), SEND”

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Purpose Of Marine RadiosPurpose Of Marine Radios

• Safety– Distress, Urgency & Safety Messages

• Operations– Call Lock Master, Bridge Tender, Marinas,

Boats, Radio Checks

• Commerce– Messages Between Commercial Vessels

And Stations

• Public Correspondence

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FCC LicenseFCC License

• Required If - – SSB Radio Is Installed

• Must Also Have VHF-FM Radio Installed

– Boat Is Over 65 feet In Length– Visit Foreign Ports– Make International Calls

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Selecting A Selecting A VHF-FM RadioVHF-FM RadioSelecting A Selecting A

VHF-FM RadioVHF-FM Radio• Sensitivity• Selectivity• Audio Output• Signal Strength• Signal Suppression• Type Of Tuner• Readouts• Current Usage

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• Height– Line-of-Sight

• Higher Is Better

• Gain– 3 db, 6 db, 9 db

• 6 db Practical Upper Limit

3 db

AntennasAntennas

9 db

6 db

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BroadcastAntenna

350 ft.

22.8 NM 6.1 NM

LINE - OF - SIGHT 28.9 NM

BoatAntenna

25 ft.

Curvature Of The Earth

Line - Of - Sight Transmission

Line - Of - Sight Transmission

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CallingCalling

• Select channel – usually 16• Listen – determine channel not in use• Press to talk (PTT) button

• Name Of The Boat You Are Calling

• “This Is (Name Of Your Boat)”• “Over”

• Release PTT button & listen• Change to working channel

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Calling on DSC RadioCalling on DSC Radio

• Digital Select Calling (DSC) radio– Select working channel– Press DSC button

• Choose or enter MMSI number to call• Radio changes to Ch 70 & calls• Radio reaches vessel you called• Both radios change to working channel• Radio sounds alert

– Press PTT & start communication. Working channel may be in use; pick another

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• OVER End My Transmission-Response Expected

• OUTEnd My Transmission – NO Response Expected

• I SPELL Phonetic Alphabet

• FIGURESLong CountShort Count

Procedure Words(Pro Words)

Procedure Words(Pro Words)

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Special Purpose ChannelsSpecial Purpose Channels

CH 16 - Distress, Urgency, Safety

CH 9 - Alternate Calling Channel

CH 12 - Port Operations

CH 13 - Navigation

CH 22A - Coast Guard Liaison

CH 68 - Non-Commercial Working

WX-1, WX-2, WX-3

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Calling Time LimitsCalling Time Limits

• 1st Call - 30 Seconds Maximum– Then - Wait 2 Minutes

• 2nd Call - 30 Seconds Maximum– Then - Wait 2 Minutes

• 3rd Call - 30 Seconds Maximum– Then - Wait 15 Minutes Before Additional

Calls To The Same Station

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Radio Usage CaveatsRadio Usage Caveats

• False Distress– $5,000 Fine Plus All USCG Costs

• Obscenity, Indecency, Profanity– $10,000 - 2 years

• Secrecy Of Communication– Applies To All But Distress

• Violation Of FCC Rules– Loss Of License, Fine, Prison

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During Distress CommunicationsDuring Distress

Communications• Stop All Other Communications

– “All Stations”

– “SEELONCE Mayday”

– “SEELONCE Distress”

• When Distress Is Over

– “SEELONCE FEENEE

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Distress SignalDistress Signal

• Use When IMMINENT Danger Exists

• Call On Channel 16

• Call Format:– “Mayday Mayday Mayday”– “This Is (Name Of Your Boat)”– State Location, Nature Of Problem, Number

Of POB, Describe Boat And Condition– “This Is (Name Of Your Boat), Over”

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SUMMARYSUMMARY

• Type Of RadiosType Of Radios• Function Of Marine RadiosFunction Of Marine Radios• FCC LicenseFCC License• Selecting VHF-FM RadiosSelecting VHF-FM Radios• Calling ProceduresCalling Procedures• Distress CallsDistress Calls• Urgency CallsUrgency Calls• Safety CallsSafety Calls