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Amateur bands

Radio amateurs transmit Morse code, data including email, slow scan TV pictures (SSTV) and phone messages to each other. Radio amateurs are not allowed to transmit any business type information. In the UK amateurs are allowed to transmit third party greeting messages.

Many yachtsmen use amateur radio as way of keeping in touch with each other. Information exchaged includes weather reports, exchange messages and give you passage plan details to someone ashore.
Net Frequency Times GMT
Weather & Cocktail Net - Caribbean 7086 kHz 0730 & 1630 local time
UK maritime mobile net 14303 kHz 0800 & 1800
European maritime mobile net 14297.5 kHz 1900
Pacific Seafarer's net 14313 kHz 0325
Amateur band frequencies
Band Morse Data Phone SSTV
160 1810 - 1838 1838 - 1842 kHz 1842 -2000 LSB  
80 3500 - 3580 3580 - 3600 kHz 3620 - 3800 LSB 3730 - 3740
40 7000 - 7035 7035 - 7045 kHz 7045 - 7200 LSB  
30 10100 - 10140 10140 - 10150    
20 14000 - 14070 14070 - 14112 14112 - 14350 USB 14225 - 14235
17 18068 - 18100 18100 - 18109 18111 - 18168 USB  
15 21000 - 21080 21080 - 21120 21151 - 21450 USB 21335 - 21345
12 24890 - 24920 24920 - 24929 24931 - 24990 USB  
10 28000 - 28199 28050 - 28150 28200 - 29200 USB 28675 - 28685

Short Wave Broadcast Stations

There are a large number broadcast stations on the HF bands, most countries seem to transmit at some time of the day on the HF bands in one language or another.
The most popular broadcast station is the BBC World Service which transmits to various parts of the world at different times of the day.
Band Frequency kHz BBC world service
120 metres 2300 - 2495 kHz  
90 metres 3200 - 3400 kHz 3255 kHz
75 metres 3950 - 4000 kHz 3955 kHz, 3915 kHz
60 metres 4750 - 5060 kHz
49 metres 5850 - 6200 kHz 5975 kHz, 6195 kHz
41 metres 7100 - 7350 kHz 7160 kHz, 7325 kHz
31 metres 9400 - 9900 kHz 9410 kHz, 9740 kHz
25 metres 11600 - 12050 kHz 12095 kHz
21 metres 13570 - 13870 kHz 13700 kHz
19 metres 15100 - 15800 kHz 15100 kHz, 15310 kHz, 15360 kHz, 15400 kHz, 15575 kHz
16 metres 17480 - 17900 kHz 17640 kHz, 17760 kHz, 17830 kHz, 17885 kHz
13 metres 21450 - 21850 kHz 21470 kHz, 21660 kHz
11 metres 25500 - 25670 kHz  
Stations are 5 kHz a part and all transmissions are AM

Marine SSB

The frequencies used for marine communications are internationaly agreed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Below you will find a list of HF frequencies. In the main most frequencies are Duplex and intended for ship to shore use. Some bands do have simplex channels which can be used for either ship to shore or intership working.

Marine Distress Frequencies (Radio Telephone (R/T) & DSC)

Band R/T Frequency DSC Frequency Day Time Range Night Time Range
MF 2182 kHz 2187.5 kHz 150 nm 500 nm
HF4 4125 kHz 4207.5 kHZ 300 nm 1000 nm
HF6 6215 kHz 6312 kHz 600 nm 1500 nm
HF8 8291 kHz 8414.5 kHZ 1000 nm 2000 nm
HF12 12290 kHz 12577 kHz 2500 nm  
HF16 16420 kHz 16804.5 kHz    
VHF 156.800 MHz (Ch16) 156.525 MHz (Ch 70) 30 nm 30 nm

NOTE: Range is for guidance only and will depending on your operating conditions.

4 MHz simplex ship to ship HF frequencies, shared with fixed services C-1

4000 kHz 40003 kHz 40006 kHz 4009 kHz 4012 kHz 4015 kHz 4018 kHz
4021 kHz 4024 kHz 4027 kHz 4030 kHz 4033 kHz 4036 kHz 4039 kHz
4042 kHz 4045 kHz 4048 kHz 4051 kHz 4054 kHz 4057 kHz 4060 kHz

8 MHz simplex ship to ship HF frequencies, shared with fixed services C-2

8101 kHz 8104kHz 8107 kHz 8110 kHz 8113 kHz 8116 kHz 8119 kHz
8122 kHz 8125 kHz 8128kHz 8131 kHz 8134 kHz 8137 kHz 8140 kHz
8143 kHz 8146 kHz 8149 kHz 8152 kHz 8155 kHz 8158 kHz 8161 kHz
8164 kHz 8167 kHz 8170 kHz 8173 KHz 8176 kHz 8179 kHz 8182 kHz
8185 kHz 8188 kHz 8191 kHz        

Primary HF ship to ship frequencies

ID 2 MHz 4 MHz 6 MHz 8 MHz 12 MHz 16 MHz 18 MHz 22 MHz 25 MHz
A 2065.0 kHz 4146 kHz 6224 khz 8294 kHz 12353 kHz 16528 kHz 18825 kHz 22159 kHz 25100 kHz
B 2079.0 kHz 4149 kHz 6227 kHz 8297 kHz 12356 kHz 16531 kHz 18828 kHz 22162 kHz 25103 kHz
C 2093.0 kHz   6230 kHz   12359 kHz 16534 kHz 18831 kHz 22165 kHz 25106 kHz
D 2096.5 kHz       12362 kHz 16537 kHz 18834 kHz 22168 kHz 25109 kHz
E 2214.0 kHz       12365 kHz 16540 kHz 18837 kHz 22171 kHz 25112 kHz
F           16543 kHz 18840 kHz 22174 kHz 25115 kHz
G           16546 kHz 18843 kHz 22177 kHz 25118 kHz

Listening times

The best time to listen is early morning 0600 to 0930 and in the evenings 1800 to 2100 local time, this is when radio conditions are ideal. You should hear a number of yachtsmen talking to each other although in Northern Europe it is not so popular compared to the the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
Net Areas frequency Times GMT
Mediterranean Net 8122 kHz 0530
Yachtsmens calling channel Caribbean Net Safety Net 8104 KHz 1215
Atlantic Net (Herb) http://hometown.aol.com/hehilgen/myhomepage/vacation.html 12359 kHz 2000
Caribbean Weather Center http://www.caribwx.com/ Watch Times UTC/GMT
4045 kHz 1030 to 1100 & 1200 to 1230 UTC
6221 kHz 1330 to 1345 UTC
8104 kHz 1230 to 1300 UTC
8137 kHz 1100 to 1200 UTC  
12350 kHz 1300 to 1315 UTC  
16526 kHz 1315 to 1330 UTC  

Coast Radio Stations frequencies

You can make link calls (telephone calls) from your yacht via the following Europen coast radio stations.

Duplex ship to shore ITU channels

Station

Callsign

4MHz

6MHz

8MHz

12MHz

16MHz

18MHz

22MHz

25MHz

WX

ITU Channels

401 to 429

601 to 608

801 to 837

1201 to 1241

1601 to 1656

1801 to 1815

2201 to 2253

2501 to 2510

 

DISTRESS Channels

 

421

606

821

1221

1621

1806

2221

2510

Olympia, Greece

SVN

424

806

1232

1640

2217

Lyngby, Denmark

OZX

418

808

1203

1214

Monaco Radio

3AC

403

602

804

1224

1607

1808

2225

Hefa radio Israel

4XO

810

1617

Istanbul, Turkey

TAH

417

811

Lisboa, Portugal

CUL

802

1203

1615

Madrid Spain

EHY

804

1201

1637

Rijeka, Croatia

9AR

408

810

1229

Roma, Italy

IAR

412

831

1221

1621

2202

Shipcom - USA

KLB

417

815

1209

1624

1200 utc

Shipcom - USA

WLO

405

607

824

830

1212

1226

1607

1641+

1807

2237

2503

0600, 1300, 1800, 000 utc

Barbados

8PO

816

1213

Jamaica

405

605

812

1224

USA coastguard working channels

424

601

816

1205

Brunei Bay Radio

V8V2222

428

608

835

1239

1804

2229

WX = Weather reports. TL = Traffic list

MF Coastguard (MRCC) frequencies

MF Coastguards, Daytime range 100 to 150 miles , nighttime range up to 1000 miles.

Station Frequency USB Times GMT
Aberdeen Coastguard, UK 2226 kHz 0130, 0430, 0730, 1030, 1330, 1610, 1930, 2210
Clyde Coastguard, UK 1883 kHz 0210. 0510, 0810, 1110, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2310
Falmouth Coastguard, UK 2226 kHz 0110, 0410, 0710, 1010, 1310, 1610, 1910, 2210
Humber Coastguard, UK 2226 kHz 0150, 0450, 0750, 1050, 1350, 1650, 1950, 2250
Shetland Coastguard, UK 2226 kHz 0110, 0410, 0710, 1010, 1310, 1610, 1910, 2210
Stornoway Coastguard, UK 17430 kHz 0110, 0410, 0710, 1010, 1310, 1610, 1910, 2210
Valentia Radio, Ireland 1752 kHz  
Oostende Radio, Belgium 2761 kHz  
Netherlands Coastguard 3673 kHz  
French MRCC 1696 kHz &
2677 kHz
0833/2033
0815/2015
Madeira 2843 kHz  
Horta & Monsanto, Portugal 2657 kHz  
US Coastguard 2670 kHz  

US Coastguard HF frequencies

US Coastguard Weather Transmissions
Station and Callsign Frequencies Times (GMT)
USCG Chesapeake (NMN) 4426 kHz, 6501 kHz, 8764 kHz, 13089 kHz, 17314 kHz 0330, 0515, 0930, 1115, 1530, 1715, 2130, 2315
USCG Pt Reyes (NMC) 4426 kHz, 6501 kHz, 8764 kHz, 13089 kHz, 17314 kHz 0430, 1030, 1630, 2230
USCG New Orleans (NMG) 4316 kHz, 8502 kHz, 12788 kHz, 0330, 0515, 0930, 1115, 1530, 1715, 2130, 2315
USCG Honolulu (NMO) 6501 kHz, 8764 kHz, 13089 kHz 0005, 0600, 1200, 1800

Australian HF weather frequencies

Australia Coastguard Weather Transmissions
Station and Callsign Frequencies Times (CST)
Wiluna W. Australia (VMW) 2056 kHz, 4149 kHz, 6230 kHz, 8113 kHz, 12362 kHz, 16528 kHz 0300, 0700, 1100, 1500, 1900, 2300
Charleville S. Australia (VMC) 2201 kHz, 4426 kHz, 6507 kHz, 8176 kHz, 12365 kHz, 16546 kHz 0200, 0600, 1000, 1400, 1800, 2200

Distress and Safety (SAR) communications

Frequency Comments
2182kHz MF International distress frequency for ship, aircraft and survival craft.
3023kHz Intercommunications between mobile stations engaged in coordintion of search and rescue.
4125kHz Distress and safety traffic by radiotelephone
5680kHz Intercommunications between mobile stations engaged in coordintion of search and rescue.
6125kHz Distress and safety traffic by radiotelephone
8364kHz Designated for use by survival craft stations.

Weather Broadcasts (speech, WXFAX & Data)

Weather Information is transmitted by speech, text and fax on the HF bands. If you have access to a low cost SSB receiver you should have no problem receiving any of these transmissions.
To decode weather fax and text message you will need to have a computer and appropriate software which can be down loaded from the Internet.

Speech Weather Transmissions Weather information is transmitted on the Aeronautical band and gives the current weather conditions at airports around Europe.

Frequencies are:-

VOLMET Frequency Times
Shannon Volmet 3413 kHz
5505 kHz
8957 kHz
11306 kHz
13264 kHz
On the hour and half hour :-
  • 0:00 Frankfurt, Brussels, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Bonn, Munich
  • 0:05 London, Amsterdam, Manchester, Shannon, Prestwick
  • 0:10 Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, Dublin
  • 0:15 Madrid, Lisbon, Athens, Paris, Lion
  • 0:20 Rome, Milan, Zurich, Geneva
RAF Volmet 5450 kHz
11253 kHz
24 hours service
New York Radio 6604 kHz,
10051 kHz,
13270 kHz
24 hours service
Information and format of transmition for each airport includes:-
  • Station & Time recorded
  • Wind speed & direction
  • CAV OK = Visibility, weather and cloud good.
  • Visibility
  • Weather
  • Cloud height in feet.
  • Temperature & Due Point
  • QNH = Air pressure
  • NO SIG = No significant change.

Weather Fax transmissions Weather Fax transmissions are broadcast

RN Northwood (GYA) England Offenbach (DDH), Germany Halifax (CFH), Canada US Coastguard (NMF) Boston
2618.5 (2616.6) kHz* 3855 (3853.1) kHz 4271 (4269.1) kHz 4235 (4233.1) kHz*
4610 (4608.1) kHz 7880 (7878.1) kHz 6496.4 (6494.5) kHz 6340.5 (6338.6) kHz
8040 (8038.1) kHz 13882.5 (13880.6) kHz 10536 (10534.1) kHz 9110 kHz (9108.1) kHz
11086.5 (11084.6) kHz   13510 (13508.1) kHz 12750 (12748.1) kHz
18261 (18259.1) kHz*      
(USB frequency) Tune to the frequency in () on a USB receiver. * NOT 24 hour operation

Text Weather Transmissions

World-wide
NAVTEX
US Coastguard
using Sitor (NBDP)
German weather
service Hamburg
490 (488.1) kHz 8416.6 (8414.7) kHz 4583 (4581.1) kHz
518 (516.1) kHz 12579 (12577.1) kHz 7646 (7644.1) kHz
4209.5 (4207.6) kHz 16806.5 (16804.6) kHz 10100.8 (10098.9) kHz
  22376 (22374.1) kHz  
International NAVTEX is transmitted on 518 kHz. Transmittions from more then 1 location. RTTY
Speed = 50 Baud

(USB frequency) Tune to the frequency in () on a USB receiver.

To receive both weatherfax and text broadcast on a USB receiver you may have to tune 1.9 kHzlow of frequencie.

E.G. For RN Northwood on 8040 kHz tune to 8038.1 kHz, NAVTEX on 518 kHz tune to 516.1kHz.


Aeronautical SSB Frequencies

Aircraft crossing the Atlantic still use SSB to communicate with the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) in Shannon, Ireland and Gander, Canada.
Band NATS frequencies in kHz
2850 kHz - 3025 kHz 2872 kHz, 2899 kHz, 2971 kHz, 3016 kHz
3400 kHz - 3500 kHz 3413 kHz, 3476 kHz
4650 kHz - 4700 kHz 4675 kHz
5450 kHz- 5730 kHz 5610 kHz, 5670 kHz, 5598 kHz, 5616 kHz, 5649 kHz
6525 kHz - 6685 kHz 6622 kHz
8815 kHz - 8965 kHz 8831 kHz, 8864 kHz, 8879 kHz, 8891 kHz, 8906 kHz, 8957 kHz
10005 kHz - 10100 kHz  
11175 kHz - 11400 kHz 11279 kHz, 11336 kHz
13200 kHz - 13360 kHz 13291 kHz, 13306 kHz
17900 kHz - 18030 kHz 17946 kHz
21924 kHz - 22000 kHz  
23200 kHz - 23350 kHz  
Air Rescue 3020 kHz, 4718 kHz, 5680 kHz, 9001 kHz

SSB Email To use SSB Email your require a SSB radio such as the ICOM IC-M710, a radio modem and a computer running Mircosoft Windows with Microsoft Outlook Express.
YachtCom can supply the radio modem and all the contecting leads to go from the ICOM IC-M710 to the radio modem and your PC.

SSB Email frequencies for Kiel Radio (DA0)

Station: DAO      Location: Kiel Germany

PACTOR-III
Ship station dial frequencies in Khz.
Channel ID(Callsign given in morse code) Status
RX TX
2628.5 2550.0 DAO-2A ON AIR
2846.5 2547.0 DA02B OFF AIR
4242.5 4164.5 DAO-4A ON AIR
42635 4168.5 DAO-4B OFF AIR
6434.0 6257.5 DAO-6A OFF AIR
8510.4 8328.5 DAO-8A OFF AIR
8637.0 8336.5 DAO-8B ON AIR
12762.0 12412.5 DAO-12A ON AIR
12831.0 124165 DAO-12B ONAIR
16978.9 16613.5 DAO-17A OFF AIR
17046.5 16609.5 DAO-17B ON AIR

SSB Email frequencies for MarineNet Radio (WKS)

Station: WKS      Location: Jupiter, Florida.

Dial Frequency Khz.
Ship station dial frequencies in Khz.
Channel ID(Callsign given in morse code) Status
4451.3 WKS-4A OFF AIR
4593.3 WKS-4B ON AIR
5258.3 WKS-5A ON AIR
5283.3 WKS-5B ON AIR
7523.3 WKS-7A ON AIR
7568.3 WKS-7B ON AIR
9058.3 WKS-9A ON AIR
9158.3 WKS-9B ON AIR
12113.3 WKS-12A ON AIR
12163.3 WKS-12B ON AIR
13893.3 WKS-13A ON AIR
13908.3 WKS-13B OFF AIR
18188.3 WKS-18A OFF AIR
18288.3 WKS-18B OFF AIR
19808.3 WKS-19A OFF AIR
19833.3 WKS-19B OFF AIR
22868.3 WKS-22A OFF AIR
22898.3 WKS-22B OFF AIR
24508.3 WKS-24A OFF AIR
24538.3 WKS-24B OFF AIR

Sailmail - Global SSB Email service

Sation location Callsign Frequencies in kHz
Brugge, Belgium OSY 6330.0, 8422, 12580.5, 16808.0
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada XJN714 4805.0, 7822.0, 10523.0, 18234.0, 21866.0
Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA KZN508 2656.4, 5876.4, 7961.4, 7981.4, 1033.01, 13992.0, 13998.0, 18618.0, 18630.0
Daytona, Florida, USA WPUC469 2632.4, 2806.4, 5818.0, 5896.0, 7968.0, 8008.0
Friday, Washington, USA WHV382 2794.4, 5830.0, 7995.0, 10315.0, 13940.0, 18277.0
Corpus Christi, Texas, USA WPTG385 2632.4, 2806.4, 5818.0, 5896.0, 7968.0, 8008.0
Pedro Miguel, Panama HPPM2 2650.0, 5870.0, 10329.0, 10337.0, 13980.0, 13995.0, 18610.0, 18651.0, 22643.0, 22653.0
Palo Alto, California, USA WRD719 2661.4, 5881.4, 7971.4, 10343.0, 13971.0, 13986.0, 18624.0
San Luis Obispo, California, USA WHV681 2713.4, 2800.4, 5824.0, 5861.4, 8020.4, 10320.0, 10982.0, 13915.0, 13946.0, 18296.0
Pretoria, South Africa RC01 7857.4, 10335.0, 13930.0, 18264.0, 22212.0, 27880.0
Brunie V8V2222 5212.0, 10323.0, 13426.0, 14987.0, 20373.0
Honolulu KUZ533 2686.4, 5836.0, 7957.4, 10325.0, 13930.0, 18264.0
Firefly, New South Wales, Australia VZX1 5085.8, 6357.0, 8442.0, 10476.2, 12680.0, 13513.8, 14436.2, 16908.0

SSB Email frequencies for SailMail European Station

Station callsign: OSY
Location: Brugge, Belgium
Ship station dial receive frequencies in kHz. Ship station dial
transmit
frequencies in kHz.
Channel ID
(Callsign given in morse code)
Status
6329.0 6329.0 OSY ON AIR
8420.5 8420.5 OSY ON AIR
12579.0 12579.0 OSY ON AIR
16806.5 16806.5 OSY ON AIR

For further details on Sailmail visit www.sailmail.com.
For further details on Airmail client software visit www.airmail2000.com

Frequency List Notes:

  1. Dial Frequencies have a 1.7 kHz. offset if using pactor II, for new pactor III use a 1.5kHz offset Enter these into your radio.

  2. E-mail service is in Upper Sideband "USB"

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