Marine MF/HF SSB Radio HF Antennas & Installation Which SSB?
Marine VHF radio
Most yachtsmen use the marine VHF radio and mobile (cell) phones for their main means of communications.
Mobile phone coverage is limited due to the ultra high frequency used (>700MHz) and location of base stations.
Marine VHF is the best way of summoning
help. You can contact the coastguard up to 50 miles off-shore and
talk to other yachts up to 15 to 20 miles on the open sea.
Yachtsmen wishing to communicate with each other or the
coastguard over a greater distance use MF or HF (SSB) radio which
gives far greater coverage.
Before you can transmit
using a marine VHF radio from your yacht, you require a VHF
marine radio operator's certificate which in the UK is issued
by the RYA.
VHF Communications
VHF radio range is governed by the height of the antenna, the higher the antenna is above ground the greater the range. Obstructions like building and hills and mountains will reduce the transmission range of VHF. On the open sea the curvature of the earth restricts the range.

Height to the horizon in metres
-
Height of antenna
above sea levelRange in
Nautical Miles2 metres
4 NM
5 metres
6 NM
10 metres
8 NM
15 metres
10 NM
20 metres
11 NM
25 metres
13 NM
35 metres
15 NM
50 metres
18 NM
75 metres
22 NM
100 metres
26 NM
Using
the above table you can calculate the range from your boat to a
coast radio station.
If the antenna on a ship is 10 metres
above sea level and the coast radio station has an antenna 100
metres above sea level the theoretical range on the open sea will
be 35 NM.
Marine VHF channels
Marine VHF radio is a channelized system making the radios relatively easy to use.
Channels
go in a sequencing number from channel 1 to 28 and then 60 to 88,
between 28 and 60 are private channels.
Some channels
are simplex, meaning the radio transmits and receives on the same
frequency. Simplex channels are used for ship to ship and ship to
shore communications.
Some channels are duplex, meaning the
radio receives on one frequency and transmits on another. Duplex
channels are only used for ship to shore communications, you will
not hear another ship station on a duplex channel, only shore
stations.
Here
in the UK marinas use channel 80 which is a duplex channel, which
means you only hear the marina.
There are International
channels and USA channels, US channels are only used in US waters,
international channels are used elsewhere.
Marine VHF primary channels
-
Calling channel
(distress working)Navigation & Safety
(Bridge to Bridge)Digital Selective Calling
DSCVHF channel
16
13
70
Frequency
156.800MHz
156.650MHz
156.525MHz
Marine VHF ship to ship working channels
-
VHF channel
06
08
72
77
Frequency
156.300MHz
156.400MHz
156.625MHz
156.875MHz
Secondary channels (shared)
-
VHF channel
09
10
15
17
67
73
Frequency
156.450MHz
156.500MHz
156.750MHz
156.850MHz
156.375MHz
156.675MHz
Marine VHF Ports & Harbours channels
Channels (simplex)
VHF channel |
11 |
12 |
14 |
68 |
71 |
74 |
Frequency |
156.550MHz |
156.600MHz |
156.700MHz |
156.425MHz |
156.575MHz |
156.725MHz |
Channels (duplex)
VHF channel |
01 |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
07 |
Ship transmit |
156.050MHz |
156.100MHz |
156.150MHz |
156.200MHz |
156.275MHz |
156.350MHz |
Shore transmit |
160.650MHz |
160.700MHz |
160.750MHz |
160.800MHz |
160.850MHz |
160.950MHz |
Channels (duplex)
VHF channel |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
|
Ship transmit |
156.900MHz |
156.950MHz |
157.000MHz |
157.050MHz |
157.100MHz |
|
Coast transmit |
161.500MHz |
161.550MHz |
161.600MHz |
161.650MHz |
161.700MHz |
|
Channels (duplex)
VHF channel |
78 |
79 |
80 |
81 |
82 |
84 |
Ship transmit |
156.925MHz |
156.975MHz |
157.025MHz |
157.075MHz |
157.125MHz |
157.225MHz |
Coast transmit |
161.525MHz |
161.575MHz |
161.625MHz |
161.675MHz |
161.725MHz |
161.825MHz |
Channels simplex
VHF channel |
1019 |
1020 |
1078 |
1079 |
||
Frequency |
156.950MHz |
157.000MHz |
156.925MHz |
156.975MHz |
VHF channel |
2019 |
2020 |
2078 |
2079 |
||
Frequency |
161.550MHz |
161.600MHz |
161.525MHz |
161.725MHz |
Marine VHF Public Correspondence channels (telephone)
Channels (duplex)
VHF Channel |
01 |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
07 |
Ship transmit |
156.050MHz |
156.100MHz |
156.150MHz |
156.200MHz |
156.275MHz |
156.350MHz |
Coast transmit |
160.650MHz |
160.700MHz |
160.750MHz |
160.800MHz |
160.850MHz |
160.950MHz |
Channels (duplex)
VHF Channel |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
|
Ship transmit |
157.150MHz |
157.200MHz |
157.250MHz |
157.300MHz |
157.350MHz |
157.400MHz |
|
Coast transmit |
161.750MHz |
161.800MHz |
161.850MHz |
161.900MHz |
161.950MHz |
162.000MHz |
|
Channels (duplex)
VHF Channel |
60 |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
Ship transmit |
156.025MHz |
156.075MHz |
156.125MHz |
156.175MHz |
156.225MHz |
156.275MHz |
156.325MHz |
Coast transmit |
160.625MHz |
160.675MHz |
160.725MHz |
160.775MHz |
160.825MHz |
160.875MHz |
160.925MHz |
Channels (duplex)
VHF Channel |
78 |
81 |
82 |
83 |
84 |
85 |
86 |
Ship transmit |
156.925MHz |
157.075MHz |
157.125MHz |
157.175MHz |
157.225MHz |
157.275MHz |
157.325MHz |
Coast transmit |
161.525MHz |
161.675MHz |
161.725MHz |
161.775MHz |
161.825MHz |
161.875MHz |
161.925MHz |
UK HM Coastguard channels
Working channels (simplex)
|
Working |
Secondary |
Secondary |
Private |
VHF channel |
67 |
10 |
73 |
0 |
Frequency |
156.375MHz |
156.500MHz |
156.675MHz |
156.000MHz |
Working channels (duplex) used for Maritime Safety Information broadcasts
VHF channel |
62 |
63 |
64 |
|
HMCG Receive |
156.125MHz |
156.175MHz |
156.225MHz |
|
HMCG Transmit |
160.725MHz |
160.775MHz |
160.825MHz |
|
UK National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) channel
VHF channel |
65 |
Duplex working channel |
|
|
NCI can be call on VHF channel 65 for radio checks, actual weather and sea state conditions and local information. |
||||
NCI Receive |
156.275MHz |
|||
NCI Transmit |
160.875MHz |
Marine VHF channels
International
|
Transmitting Frequencies (MHz) |
Transmitting Frequencies (MHz) |
|
Intership |
Port Operations and Ship Movement |
Public correspondence |
|
Ship Stations |
Coast Stations |
|
|
|
|
0 |
156.000 |
156.000 |
Private |
|
Used by UK HM Coastguard |
|
1 |
156.050 |
160.650 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
2 |
156.100 |
160.700 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
3 |
156.150 |
160.750 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
4 |
156.200 |
160.800 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
5 |
156.250 |
160.850 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
6 |
156.300 |
157.300 |
simplex |
intership |
|
|
7 |
156.350 |
160.950 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
8 |
156.400 |
157.400 |
simplex |
intership |
|
|
9 |
156.450 |
156.450 |
simplex |
intership |
x |
|
10 |
156.500 |
156.500 |
simplex |
intership |
x |
|
11 |
156.550 |
156.550 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
12 |
156.600 |
156.600 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
13 |
156.650 |
156.650 |
simplex |
intership |
x |
|
14 |
156.700 |
156.700 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
15 |
156.750 |
156.750 |
simplex |
intership |
x |
|
16 |
156.800 |
156.800 |
simplex |
DISTRESS, SAFETY AND CALLING |
||
17 |
156.850 |
156.850 |
simplex |
intership |
x |
|
18 |
156.900 |
161.500 |
duplex |
|
x |
|
19 |
156.950 |
161.550 |
duplex |
|
x |
|
20 |
157.000 |
161.600 |
duplex |
|
x |
|
21 |
157.050 |
161.650 |
duplex |
|
x |
|
22 |
157.100 |
161.700 |
duplex |
|
x |
|
23 |
157.150 |
161.750 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
24 |
157.200 |
161.800 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
25 |
157.250 |
161.850 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
26 |
157.300 |
161.900 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
27 |
157.350 |
161.950 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
28 |
157.400 |
162.000 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
29 to 36 |
|
|
private |
|
|
|
37 (M) |
157.850 |
157.850 |
private |
Used by UK Marinas and Yacht Clubs |
||
38 to 59 |
|
|
private |
|
|
|
60 |
156.025 |
160.625 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
61 |
156.075 |
160.675 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
62 |
156.125 |
160.725 |
duplex |
|
UK Coastguard MSI |
x |
63 |
156.175 |
160.775 |
duplex |
|
UK Coastguard MSI |
x |
64 |
156.225 |
160.825 |
duplex |
|
UK Coastguard MSI |
x |
65 |
156.275 |
160.875 |
duplex |
|
UK NCI working channel - for radio checks and local information |
x |
66 |
156.325 |
160.925 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
67 |
156.375 |
156.375 |
simplex |
intership |
UK Coastguard |
|
68 |
156.425 |
156.425 |
simplex |
|
X |
|
69 |
156.475 |
156.475 |
simplex |
intership |
x |
|
70 |
156.525 |
156.525 |
simplex |
|
Digital Selective Calling (DSC) |
|
71 |
156.575 |
156.575 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
72 |
156.625 |
156.625 |
simplex |
intership |
|
|
73 |
156.675 |
156.675 |
simplex |
intership |
x |
|
74 |
156.725 |
156.725 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
75 |
156.775 |
156.775 |
simplex |
x |
|
|
76 |
156.825 |
156.825 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
77 |
156.875 |
156.875 |
simplex |
intership |
|
|
78 |
156.925 |
161.525 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
79 |
156.975 |
161.575 |
duplex |
|
x |
|
80 |
157.025 |
161.625 |
duplex |
|
UK Marinas |
|
81 |
157.075 |
161.675 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
82 |
157.125 |
161.725 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
83 |
157.175 |
161.775 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
84 |
157.225 |
161.825 |
duplex |
|
x |
x |
85 |
157.275 |
161.875 |
duplex |
|
x |
|
86 |
157.325 |
161.925 |
duplex |
|
|
x |
87 |
157.375 |
157.375 |
simplex |
|
|
x |
88 |
157.425 |
157.425 |
simplex |
|
|
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1019 |
156.950 |
156.950 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
1020 |
157.000 |
157.000 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
1078 |
156.925 |
156.925 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
1079 |
156.975 |
156.975 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
2019 |
161.550 |
161.550 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
2020 |
161.600 |
161.600 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
2078 |
161.525 |
161.525 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
2079 |
161.575 |
161.575 |
simplex |
|
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M2 |
161.425 |
161.425 |
private |
|
Used by UK Marinas and Yacht Clubs |
|
AIS 1 |
162.025 |
162.025 |
simplex |
|
Automatic Identification System (AIS) (data) |
|
AIS 2 |
161.975 |
161.975 |
simplex |
|
Automatic Identification System (AIS) (data) |
-
Primary intership working channels 06, 08, 72, 77
UK Coastguard use channels 67, 10, 73, 23, 84, 86
Note from late 2017 UK coastguard channels 23, 84, 86 no longer used and change to channels 62, 63 and 64.M1 & M2 used by UK Yacht Clubs
UK Marinas use channel 80 or 37
Channel 65
Duplex channelNational Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Working Channel.
Request radio checks and local sea conditions.The following channels are simplex in the USA:
1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 7A, 18A, 19A, 20A, 21A