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.

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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 level	Range in Nautical Miles
2 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.

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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.

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Marine VHF primary channels

	Calling channel (distress working)	Navigation & Safety (Bridge to Bridge)		Digital Selective Calling DSC
VHF 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

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Marine VHF channels

International VHF Channels	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 channel	National 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