Marine radios are a very useful tool for communicating day to day activities with land bases and between vessels. Their real strength however, arises from the capacity to communicate quickly and accurately with any number of listeners in an emergency.

Marine radios using 27 MHz (megaHertz), VHF (very high frequency) or HF (high frequency) are available for general use on board vessels.

MARITIME SAFETY

MARINE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

July 2012

In Victoria when boating more than 2nm offshore, you are required to have a marine radio.

Different radio frequencies and who uses them

27 MHz VHF HF

Who Recreational boaters – mainly for general use.

Recreational boaters and most commercial operators.

Anyone making a major trip and commercial operators not covered by VHF.

Range Up to 20 kilometres. Up to 50 kilometres. Depending on frequencies, it is worldwide.

Monitored by Volunteer organisations.

Coast Radio Melbourne and some volunteer services.

National coast radio network, which includes Coast Radio Melbourne and volunteers.

Coverage Not covered 24 hours a day.

The frequency can be noisy, unreliable and can suffer from interference from the engine.

Coast Radio Melbourne provides monitoring on VHF Channel 16 with general coverage of Port Phillip and Western Port 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Volunteer services may provide regional or local coverage.

Distress monitoring on HF frequencies 4125 kHz, 6215 kHz and 8291 kHz.

Note that MF (medium frequency 2182 kHz) can only be used for ship-to-ship communications, as the national coast radio network does not monitor MF frequencies.

Equipment licences and operator certifi cation

Equipment licence Operators certifi cate

27 MHz Not required, however there is a legal obligation to observe the conditions specifi ed in the class licence.

Not required.

VHF Not required, however there is a legal obligation to observe the conditions specifi ed in the class licence.

Marine Radio Operators VHF Certifi cate of Profi ciency.

(MROVCP) or its equivalent.

MF/HF Radio equipment is required to be licensed. An individual licence can be obtained by application to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Marine Radio Operators Certifi cate of Profi ciency (MROCP) or its equivalent. This qualifi cation also covers VHF operations.

Inmarsat Not required. Operators of Inmarsat satellite equipment require a Marine Satellite Communications Endorsement (Satcom) of their Certifi cate of Profi ciency.

MARITIME SAFETY

Further information on courses and licensing is available from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on 1300 850 115 or Australian Maritime College on 1800 030 277.

27MHz and VHF frequencies are divided into a number of channels for the use of specifi c groups and organisations.

Radio monitoring

National coast radio network

Nine coast radio stations make up the national coast radio network. They provide distress and safety monitoring on HF frequencies 4125 kHz, 6215 kHz and 8291 kHz.

The network is designed to provide coverage extending to 200 nautical miles off the Australian coast.

Coast Radio MelbourneCoast Radio Melbourne, located at Point Lonsdale, provides 24/7 distress and safety monitoring on HF up to 200 nautical miles off shore and on VHF, with general coverage of Port Phillip, Western Port, up to 20 nautical miles off shore.

Limited coast stations and volunteer servicesThese services provide marine radio distress and safety services on HF, VHF and 27 MHz across the Victorian coast, however they are not monitored continuously. The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association has established a number of VHF repeaters, covering up to 25 nautical miles off shore. All distress calls are referred to Victoria Police to coordinate search and rescue or other assistance, as required.

Marine radio services

Weather services

27 MHz There are weather services provided on 27 MHz by some limited coast stations

VHF Coast Radio Melbourne broadcasts weather forecasts for waters in and around Port Phillip and Western Port on VHF Channel 67. An announcement will be made on Channel 16 before the broadcast. Some limited coast stations broadcast weather forecasts at various times.

MF/HF The Bureau of Meteorology broadcasts weather forecasts to Eastern Australia:

All hours – 8176 and 12365 kHzBy day (7am-6pm EST) – 4426 and 16546 kHzBy night (6pm-7am EST) – 2201 and 6507 kHzScheduled broadcast times for Victorian coastal waters are 0130, 0530, 0930, 1330, 1730 and 2130 EST (add one hour for EDST). Warnings are broadcast every hour starting 0000 EST. Some limited coast stations broadcast weather forecasts at various times.

Navigation warnings

Coast radio stations broadcast navigation warnings on HF 8176 kHz, with Victorian warnings at 0757 and 1257 EST (consistent with HF characteristics, not all transmissions will be received in all Victorian waters). Coast Radio Melbourne broadcasts navigation warnings for waters in and around Port Phillip and Western Port on VHF Channel 67. Warnings are rebroadcast after the full Victorian coastal weather at 0648, and 1848 EST, and repeated at 12 minutes before the odd hour day and night. Some limited coast stations broadcast local navigation warnings on MF/HF and VHF.

Position reporting

Coast Radio Melbourne will record vessel position information if broadcast, however, a positioning monitoring or follow-up service is not provided. An offshore tracking system is operated by Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association who will follow up on any overdue vessel. This free system requires boat operators to notify the Coast Guard of their starting point and to nominate points along their proposed trip at which they will make reports.

For longer voyages, it is recommended that boaters use the AMSA AUSREP system on freecall 1800 641 792.

MARITIME SAFETY

Marine radio procedures

Radio silence period

Before using a radio, the operator should always consult a watch or clock to see if it is an offi cial radio silence period. These are for three minutes beginning every hour and half hour.

Routine message

In making a normal call to another vessel or coast station the most important points to remember are:

> SAY – ‘(the other vessel’s name)’ THREE TIMES.

> SAY – ‘THIS IS (your vessel’s name)’ THREE TIMES.

> SAY – ‘OVER’.

> when he/she answers, agree on a working frequency.

> after each transmission SAY – ‘OVER’.

> on completion of conversation SAY – ‘OUT’.

Safety message

This message is preceded by the word ‘SECURITE’ and is used to broadcast navigational warnings, weather warnings and weather forecasts – initiated by ship and shore stations.

Urgency message

An urgency message indicates that the station sending it has a very urgent message to transmit concerning the safety of a vessel or aircraft, or the safety of a person. Urgency messages are sent on all distress frequencies and are identifi ed by the words and sequence:

> ‘PAN PAN’ THREE TIMES.

> ‘HELLO ALL STATIONS’ THREE TIMES.

> ‘THIS IS… (name of the vessel)’ THREE TIMES.

> ‘Urgency message’ ONCE.

> ‘OUT’.

Distress message

Distress messages are only sent when a vessel is in grave or imminent danger. Distress messages take priority over all other calls, so if you hear anything that sounds even remotely like a distress message you should suspend your own calls immediately.

In an emergency, the vessel in distress has full control over all other calls, not the coast station or other vessels which may be involved, unless control is delegated.

To send a distress message:

> SAY – ‘MAYDAY’ THREE TIMES.

> SAY – ‘THIS IS… (name of the vessel)’ THREE TIMES.

> SAY – ‘MAYDAY – THIS IS… (name of the vessel)’ ONCE.

> state the position as accurately as you can.

> describe the problem.

> state how many people are on board and estimated time remaining afl oat.

Raising the alarm in an emergency

Marine Radio 27 MHzVHFHF

Ch 88Ch 164125 kHz6215 kHz8291 kHz

Phone 000

EPIRB Activate your distress beacon.

Other safety equipment

Emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB)

An EPIRB is a small, fl oating, battery-operated radio transmitter which is turned on as a last resort in a lifethreatening situation to transmit your location and activate search and rescue efforts. If you are operating more than two nautical miles offshore, you must have a 406 MHz EPIRB on your vessel.

Note: Only digital 406 MHz EPIRBs are detected by satellite. Analogue 121.5 MHz is no longer received.

Satellite phone

Another communication option is a satellite phone. With this on board and the right weather conditions, communications availability is worldwide.

Mobile phones

Having a mobile phone does not replace the need to have a marine radio.

It has limitations such as:

> if it gets wet, it’s useless.

> mobile phones have small batteries which will provide a relatively short transmitting time.

> mobile phone signals are very weak due to the low power output, small antenna size, and high frequencies used which are rapidly attenuated over water, so they will have a shorter range than a radio.

> rescuers are not able to estimate your position from a mobile phone, whereas they can from your radio.

> on a mobile, only one person can hear your call. Through radio transmission, every station in the vicinity will hear your call.

> in an emergency, if a huge ship is bearing down on you and has not seen you it won’t have a mobile number painted on the bow for you to contact immediately. So, take your phone by all means, but don’t think it will replace a radio.

Contacts

Australian Communications and Media Authority

Website: www.acma.gov.auPhone: 1300 850 115

Australian Maritime College

Website: www.amc.edu.auPhone: 1800 030 277

Australian Maritime Safety Authority

Website: www.amsa.gov.auPhone: 02 6279 5000

Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association

Website: www.coastguard.com.au/location/victoria.html

Bureau of Meteorology

Website: www.bom.gov.auPhone: 03 9669 4916

Coast Radio Melbourne (Point Lonsdale)

Phone: 03 5258 1252

Transport Safety Victoria

Website: www.transportsafety.vic.gov.auPhone: 1800 223 022

Telephone weather services

Warnings

Phone: 1300 659 217

Port Phillip and Western Port

Phone: 1900 926 110

VIC coastal waters

Phone: 1900 969 966

Western Bass Strait

Phone: 1900 969 934

Bass Strait

Phone: 1900 969 930

Northern Bass Strait

Phone: 1900 969 931

Southern Bass Strait

Phone: 1900 969 932

Eastern Bass Strait

Phone: 1900 969 933

Yacht Forecast for Port Phillip and Western Port

Phone: 1900 920 557

Call Charges – 1900 numbers: 77¢ per minute incl. GST; 1300numbers: local call cost (more from international, satellite,mobile or public phones).

Where to get more information > Phone: 1800 223 022

> Website: www.transportsafety.vic.gov.au

> Email: information@transportsafety.vic.gov.au

This publication is intended as general information only and is not a substitute for the relevant legislation, legal or professional advice. Copyright in this publication resides with the Director, Transport Safety and the State of Victoria. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The information in this publication is accurate as at 1 July 2012.