VHF radio

[Mouldz]

We are fairly new to this offshore boating ,having bought the boat in Jan,and my mate getting his skippers in March and me in May,anyway the boat came with a VHF radio,but nobody has shown us how to work it as the instructor says not to bother everyone just uses cellphones,but I would like to know how to use it and if it works
1.How do I test if it works ,It comes on and when you tune the squelch button you can hear static.
i dont want to call out over the radio to test it

2.What channels should we use

 

[Stephen.JG]

generally you wanna be on channel 16.

 

turn the squelch until you hear static, then slowly turn it back until the static goes quite, thats the radios most sensitive.

 

by all means give a call out stating the name of the boat and simply say you doing a radio check, can someone please confirm your signal.

 

someone will come back saying they hear you..

 

then you set -.

 

[JFE]

Mouldie search your model on Google and download the manual. But if you turn the knob and the statics comes on and off I would say it is working.
You need to have a licence for your VHF as well, you have to do the course and exam and register with ICASA. Search sealine, there is a lot of discussions on the VHF registration and licence.

PS, call / emergency canal is 16

V.H.F. Channels
14 for contacting Port Control only
16 initial contact & receiving purposes, and distress ONLY

NOT to be used (Pilot / Port working frequencies) 9 12 13 14 25 26 27 67 74

more useful info:
Maritime Safety Information

Radio Weather Bulletins & Navigational Warnings: 10h15 UTC & 18h15 UTC daily.

Transmission on 4375 kHz, 8740 kHz, 13146 kHz and on the following VHF channels:

Alexander Bay
04
Pearly Beach
85
Mazeppa Bay
28
Port Nolloth
01
Struisbaai
84
Port St Johns
24
Hondeklipbaai
25
Albertinia
86
Port Edward
27
Doringbaai
03
Knysna
23
Port Shepstone
26
Elandsbaai
23
Kareedouw
24
Bluff (Durban)
26
Saldanha Bay
27
Botha's Hill
25
Richards Bay
28
Milnerton
25
Botha's Hill
27
Cape St Lucia
25
Constantiaberg
26
Governorskop
83
Sodwana
03
Hermanus
04
East London
26
Kosi Bay
01
The presentation comprises distress or urgency messages when present, gale warnings when present, and the latest weather forecasts for the following coastal and adjacent areas:
Orange River to Cape Agulhas;
Cape Agulhas to East London;
East London to Maputo;
Cape West;
Cape East;
Durban East;
Mozambique Channel.

 

[Fanie]

Call the land radio (where you launch) and ask them to talk to you on cha XX. This way they know who you are and you will know your radio works.

There is radio silence every one minute after the half hour, do not call then. Also make sure there is no other conversations going on you may interfere with - especially on cha 16 which is reserved as the emergency frequency.

If your radio has the 1W fearure, use that instead of bombing them with 25W, they may swear at you.

The format is as follows.

Klipkop this is Sinking Snake, over

Wait for a response
Call again if no response.

If they answer

Sinking Snake this is Klipkop, go ahead, over

Klipkop this is Sinking Snake, hello, I am testing my radio. How do you receive me ? over

Sinking Snake this is Klipkop, receive you loud and clear, over

Klipkop this is Sinking Snake, thank you, have a nice day, over and out.


It's no use you are out there somewhere just to discover the radio isn't working - doesn't do any good then !


Also think along the lines of getting a sat phone. Cost is ~ R5000 and talk at 1$ per minute. Talk to any where in the world without problems.

You can even send SMS's with it, like this one to the wife

Will be home in an hour
If I'm not home in an hour,
Please read this SMS again ;-)

 

[hamco]

The radio silience periods is for 3 (three) minutes on the hour and half hour and it is not good to use "OVER AND OUT", as in the movies as it is contradicting, as OVER means - your time to speak and OUT means the radio traffic is over and I am not listening any more!

 

Thus OVER at the end of each line and wait for reply, and just OUT at the end of the radio traffic to end it.

 

[Fanie]

You're right Hamco, us radio amateurs doesn't use over or out any more. Well why don't people just converse naturally... ? We do it on phones every day without problems.

Doesn't matter in any case, what is important is that the communication can take plece.

It is illegal to have a radio in your posession that requires a license if you are unlicensed, which is a bit silly as the legislators as usual dit not put mind to matter -

Many radio's nowadays cover the land channels as well as the marine channels - you are thus always illegal in posession of a radio if you don't have both licenses, which questions the owning a radio without a licnse.

In an emergency any unlicensed person can legally use a radio, but if you may not have a radio in your possession ? Isn't that what the radio is for in the first place - emergencies... so how can it be illegal.

Anyway. Most things concerning government works this way :-D

 

[FRITZABU]

The previous owner should have had a valid radio license. When sold to some one else, have the licensed transferred to the new owner .

Its all done with ICASA 0115663955

 

[Fanie]

Ikasa's licensing requires an examination written. It's about the procedure. Somehow the radio amateurs and marine procedures are different in how you end your conversation.

Had the argument before, it's like someone is scared they lose say over something...

 

[MichaelK]

Mouldie herewith please find the application form and ICASA VHF Guide book

 

[MichaelK]

Application form

 

[Mouldz]

Thanx for all the info.