YachtCom 01489 565100
[ Home Page ] [ Amateur Radio ] [ Broadcast ] [ Coastguard ]
[ Marine VHF ] [ Satellite ] [ SSB Email ] [ Weather ]
YachtCom the yacht communications resource on the web

* Why marine SSB

Marine SSB (Single Side Band) is a popular means of communications for the independent cruising yachtsmen and a must if you are planning to do bluewater cruising to the Caribbean, Pacific or Mediterranean. The range of SSB is up to several thousand miles and calls between yachts are free. There are stations around which will let you make link calls (telephone calls) and even email is available over SSB radio. Having an SSB MF/HF transceiver on board your yacht offers communication independence, you are not tied into any contracts or connection charges and you are able to use the radio for the following :-

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 and HF radio propagation conditions.

Marine SSB frequencies

The frequencies used for marine communications are internationally 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.

Simplex ship to ship HF frequencies, shared with fixed services

In the Caribbean 8104 MHz is the Safety, Information and Calling frequency used by yachtsmen.
Best time to monitor is from 07:30 to 0930 local time.
4000 kHz 4024 kHz 4048 kHz 8101 kHz 8125 kHz 8149 kHz 8173 kHz
4003 kHz 4027 kHz 4051 kHz 8104 kHz 8128 kHz 8152 kHz 8176 kHz
4006 kHz 4030 kHz 4054 kHz 8107 kHz 8131 kHz 8155 kHz 8179 kHz
4009 kHz 4033 kHz 4057 kHz 8110 kHz 8134 kHz 8158 kHz 8182 kHz
4012 kHz 4036 kHz 4060 kHz 8113 kHz 8137 kHz 8161 kHz 8185 kHz
4015 kHz 4039 kHz   8116 kHz 8140 kHz 8164 kHz 8188 kHz
4018 kHz 4042 kHz   8119 kHz 8143 kHz 8167 kHz 8191 kHz
4021 kHz 4045 kHz   8122 kHz 8146 kHz 8170 kHz  

Primary HF ship to ship frequencies

Ch 4 Mhz 6 Mhz 8 Mhz 12 Mhz 16 Mhz 18 Mhz 22 Mhz 25 Mhz
A 4146 kHz 6224 khz 8294 kHz 12353 kHz 16528 kHz 18825 kHz 22159 kHz 25100 kHz
B 4149 kHz 6227 kHz 8297 kHz 12356 kHz 16531 kHz 18828 kHz 22162 kHz 25103 kHz
C   6230 kHz   12359 kHz 16534 kHz 18831 kHz 22165 kHz 25106 kHz
D       12362 kHz 16537 kHz 18834 kHz 22168 kHz 25109 kHz
E       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
Caribbean calling frequency and safety net 8104 kHz 1215 (0815 AST)
Atlantic Net (Herb) 12359 kHz 2000
Bahamas weather net 4003 kHz 7:00 am AST
Caribbean weather net 4045 kHz
8104 kHz
8137 kHz
from 07:00 AST
Cruiseheimer's net (East coast and Bahamas): 8152 @ 8:30 am ET 8152 kHz 08:30 AST
Northwest Caribbean 8188 kHz 08:00 AST
   

Telephone Link Calls via coast radio stations (CRS)

There are caost radio stations around the world which offer link calls service, telephone calls from your yacht.
  • Methods of Billing
    • Coast Radio Station charge by Accounting Authority Identification Code (AAIC), details of companies offering a AAIC service can be found in the back of the ships licence booklet.
  • Details the Coast Radio Station will need before connecting you are:
    • Vessels name and International callsign,
    • Telephone number you require
    • Billing details (AAIC)
Here is a list of coast radio stations offering link call service, all in ITU channel numbers.

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

Cyprus Radio

5BA

406

807

1208

1603

Lyngby, Denmark

OZX

418

808

1203

1214

Monaco Radio

3AC

403

804

1224

1607

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

WLO

405

414

607

824

830

1212

1226

1607

1641

1807

2237

2503

Shipcom - USA

KLB

417

805

1209

1624

1200 utc

Shipcom - USA

WLO

406

606

806

810

815

1205

1211

1605

1615

1810

2215

2510

1800 utc

Barbados

8PO

816

1213

Jamaica

405

605

812

1224

USA

405

421

605

606

821

816

1213

1224

Brunei Bay Radio

V8V2222

428

608

835

1239

1804

2229

Yacht Communications

[TOP of PAGE]

[Home Page]

[www.yachtcom.co.uk] [www.sailcom.co.uk] [www.seasurvival.co.uk] [www.yachtcom.info] [www.seacom.co.uk]

Copyright Bob Smith 1998 - 2007