VHF Basics
by Don Casey

The lowly VHF radio remains the most versatile communication device for a boat. It is the only communication device most pleasure boats carry, and it is required by law before you can put any other marine radio aboard. Due in part to its universality, the VHF is arguably the most valuable piece of safety gear aboard, delivering any call for assistance to dozens or hundreds of nearby listening ears.

Fixed-mount or hand-held?
Modern hand-held VHF radios are full featured and extremely convenient, and they have the significant advantage in an emergency of being independent of the boat's electrical system. Where maximum range and/or continuous use are more important, you will want a fixed-mount unit. If your budget allows, having both offers additional advantages, such as two-way communications with an excursion party (but transmissions from ashore are prohibited without a coast-station permit).

Not a telephone
Boaters also use the VHF much like a telephone to call other boats and shore stations to relay information, to make appointments, or sometimes just to chat. Before you join in, however, you should recognize the differences between VHF radio and telephone communication:

Radio conversations are not private. When you talk on the VHF, everyone within range tuned to that channel is listening.

Regulations require radio conversations to be for "operational" purposes, which is interpreted liberally by most pleasure boat operators. Sharing weather information, confirming a rendezvous, even obtaining a recipe for fish stew are defensible uses, but social chit-chat-say, talk about sports, movies, or shoreside activities-is not. This regulation is widely ignored in many areas, but if someone calls you down about it, he or she is right.

A radio conversation ties up the channel you are using. No one else within a 25-30 mile radius can use it until you sign off. This is significant because only five channels are legitimately available for pleasure-boat-to-pleasure-boat communication. Think of this situation as an airport terminal with a single bank of five pay phones. If callers are lined up three-deep while some blockhead drones on and on about the size of the mosquitoes in Maine, you can be sure he won't be the only unhappy camper. In high- traffic areas, keep calls short.

Radio etiquette
Using a VHF radio is as easy as announcing yourself on an apartment intercom. Turn the power on, set the channel to 16, and listen for a few seconds. If Channel 16 isn't in use, key the microphone-meaning squeeze the button on its side-and say the name of the boat you are calling twice, followed by the name of your boat, and then "over." Release the mike button. A typical call transmission would sound like this:

"Cowboy, Cowboy. Tambourine, over." You can say "this is Tambourine," but keeping calls as cryptic as possible is desirable. Since VHF licensing was eliminated (except for vessels traveling into foreign waters), you no longer need to announce your radio call sign. Cowboy will respond "Tambourine, (this is) Cowboy." If Cowboy doesn't respond, wait two minutes and try again. You are permitted three tries two minutes apart, but common sense should tell you that if Cowboy has failed to respond twice, the third transmission is just airwave pollution. Wait at least 15 minutes before you make another attempt. Few things will give your on-the-water neighbors a worse opinion of you than listening to you call over and over and over. They're not there, already; give it a rest. When Cowboy does respond, key your mike and say "Six eight?" Channel 16 is reserved exclusively for calling and distress. Once contact is established, you must switch immediately to a working channel. The five channels designated for non- commercial ship-to-ship communications are 68, 69, 71, 72, and 78A. Channel 9 used to be in this group, but has been redesignated as an alternate calling (but not distress) channel. Cowboy confirms your channel selection by repeating it. By either rotating a knob or pushing a button, you select channel 68 on your radio, key the mike, and say "Cowboy. Tambourine." When Cowboy responds, you have your conversation, ending each transmission with "over" so Cowboy will know when you are finished and it is time to respond. When your conversation is complete, your last transmission should be "Tambourine, out." Cowboy will likewise say "Cowboy, out." "Out" lets anyone waiting to use the channel know you are through with it. Sometimes when you switch to a working channel, you find it occupied. In that case, check the other four to find an empty one, then go back to 16 and say, "Cowboy. Tambourine. Seven one." If you and Cowboy speak regularly, saying just "seven one" may be adequate. Either way, Cowboy will respond "seven one." You both switch to Channel 71 and have your conversation.

Use low power
All fixed-mount VHF radios can transmit at either 25 watts or 1 watt. The maximum power from a handheld is typically 5 watts. With either type, if your radio contact is nearby, set the power setting to low (1 watt) to reduce the distance the signal carries beyond your target. Also watch your language; not only is profanity over the air against the law, it will be particularly offensive to other boaters with children aboard.

Making telephone calls
You can place telephone calls over the VHF radio. If you have subscribed to this service in advance, you simply call the nearest marine operator-using the appropriate channel, not 16-and tell him or her what number you wish to reach. If someone ashore wants to reach you, that person dials the marine operator, and notification that you have incoming "traffic" will be announced on Channel 16 at scheduled times. However, since to receive an incoming call you have to be monitoring Channel 16 when your traffic is announced, this service is more reliable for calls placed from the boat. Cost is a modest subscription fee (currently about $35 a year), and a flat-rate connect charge of about $1.50 per minute to any U.S. number.

Marine operators do not monitor Channel 16, so even though they call you on this channel, you must respond on the operator's working channel. And like all VHF transmissions, VHF telephone conversations are public to anyone who wants to listen in on the marine-operator channel, but regulations regarding the nature of your conversation do not apply.

Emergencies
There is a "procedure" for sending out a distress call, but all you really need to know is to turn your VHF to Channel 16 and high power, key the mike, and say "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. This is the Tambourine. Our position is 24¡33' north and 74¡56' west and we are sinking." Try to speak slowly and clearly, and repeat this information three times. The essential information is Mayday, your position, and your emergency. If you have time, describe your boat and how many are aboard: "We are a 23' Mako, green hull, white decks, with two adults and two children aboard." If someone is injured, mention that.

If you don't get an immediate response keep periodically sending out a Mayday broadcast as long as the radio will function, taking care to give your position with every transmission. If time permits, scan through the other channels and interrupt any radio traffic you hear with your Mayday broadcast. If you don't hear traffic, try transmitting on Coast Guard Channel 22A.

If your emergency isn't immediately life threatening, say Pan-Pan instead of Mayday. This is the urgency call-Pan-Pan, Pan-Pan, Pan-Pan (pronounced pahn). Make it just like a distress call, except state exactly what assistance you want. For example, maybe you have a controllable leak, and you just want help standing by in case it gets worse.

Navigation and safety
Channel 13 is for navigational use between vessels. It is on this channel that large vessels in close proximity announce their intentions to one another. This is also the primary channel used at bridges and locks. Use this channel to announce your arrival to a bridge or lock tender or to communicate with a nearby ship or other large vessel. You do not need to call on Channel 16 first; Channel 13 serves both as a calling and a working channel. Transmission power on this channel is restricted to 1 watt, so be sure to switch your radio to low power.

Channels 6 and 22A are also important to pleasure boaters. Channel 6 is reserved for intership safety use, primarily during search and rescue operations. Channel 22A is reserved for communications with the Coast Guard. By the way, it is illegal to contact the Coast Guard for a radio check. Call another boat instead.

For more information about onboard communication systems, consult Dragged Aboard: A Cruising Guide for the Reluctant Mate by Don Casey .