powerboat vhf radio

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Best VHF marine radio: 8 of the latest options on the market

• Toby Heppell
• October 26, 2023

No matter what type of sailor you are, no matter what boat you sail, one essential piece of kit is a good marine radio. Toby Heppell takes a look at seven of the best.

Not only does a marine radio serve as a vital safety tool in case something should go wrong onboard, it is also a crucial communications tool with far wider use.

There was a time when marine radios were simply used for safety and direct communication purposes. However, there have been many advances over the years to increase functionality.

Many radios can now be registered with a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number so rescue services such as the coastguard can be supplied with information about who is sending a distress signal.

Features may also include: frequency scanning; weather reports; GPS integration; and an ability to automatically send distress signals.

With so many options and features now on the market, from large units awash with features to more compact options with more limited functionality, we’re going to take a look at some of the best recent launches and compare what each offers.

Although handheld marine radios are increasingly impressive bits of kit, here we are going to focus on mounted VHF marine radios.

At a glance: Best premium marine radio – Icom IC-M506GE ; Best mid-range marine radio – Raymarine RAY53 ; Best compact marine radio – Icom IC-M330GE

New to marine radios? Check out our essential guide to all the terminology involved.

Best marine radios available right now

Garmin VHF 215i AIS Marine Radio

Specifications: dimensions, HxWxD: 9.8 x 19.7 x 14.9 cm, Built-in GPS: Yes 66 channel | DSC Distress: Yes | Waterproof: IPX7 | MOB: Yes | Power: 25W

Reasons to buy: AIS receiver; compact size; Great interface with backlighting

Reasons to avoid: to get the best out of this AIS function a compatible chartplotter is needed

Garmin make some great VHF equipment, and this mid to top of range VHF radio comes with some great features. The built in AIS receives local AIS signals and can display them on a chartplotter screen utilising NMEA2000 networking.

It can be mounted using the bracket, or flush mounted into a panel. It is also compatible with a VHF remote handset.

The styling of the Garmin VHF units is understated and easy to navigate. The buttons are relatively low profile but the knobs are easy to operate and are uncluttered making it easy to use with cold or gloved hands.

Standard Horizon Explorer Series – GX1850

Best value marine radio .

To read our hands on review of the previous model to this latest from Standard Horizon: Standard Horizon Explorer

Specifications: Built-in GPS: Yes 66 channel | DSC Distress: Yes | Waterproof: IPX8 | MOB: Yes | Power: 25W

Reasons to buy: Futureproofed; Great weight and size; Great interface with backlighting

Reasons to avoid: Some consumers report difficult mounting brackets

The Standard Horizon – GX1850G is a recent addition to the ever-expanding and growing Standard Horizon range of handheld and mounted marine radios. There are actually two models to look at here, the GX1850 and the GX1850GPS. The later has an integrated GPS while the former does not – though it can be connected to a compatible device.

Both radios have NMEA2000 connectivity allowing them to be plugged straight into the NMEA bus simply and quickly on installation. Though the radio features themselves may not require the absolute speed increase of data transfer offered by NMEA2000 over the earlier NMEA0183, it will serve as a nice bit of future proofing. Both these options will happily work with NMEA0183 too.

The Standard Horizon interface is pretty well established as easy to use, and a recent upgrade to what the company calls their ‘Easy to operate menu system’ should make DSC calling and programming even easier than before. The backlighting also makes it a doddle to operate at night time.

In a world of similar features, one of the key aspects that might have people reaching into their pockets to pick up a GX1850 is the size of the unit. It measures in at an impressive (for its class and feature list) 133 x 73 x 95mm and weighs in at 940g.

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Icom IC-M506GE Marine Radio

Best premium marine radio.

Specifications: Built-in GPS: Yes | DSC Distress: Yes | Waterproof: IPX8 | MOB: Yes | Power: 25W

Reasons to buy: Full of features (Noise Cancelling, Last Call); Works well with older equipment; Easy to use, great interface

Reasons to avoid: Bigger in size than competitors with similar specs; Premium price

Icom’s IC-M506GE was launched as a replacement for its predecessor, the IC-M506. It is very similar to the previous incarnation but the latest iteration comes as standard with integrated GPS and an external GPS antenna.

This marine radio sits in the ‘all-singing all-dancing’ bracket and boasts plenty of features including an integrated AIS receiver, NMEA2000 connectivity, ‘Last Call’ voice recording function, ‘Active Noise Cancelling’ technology and Icom’s well-liked proprietary menu-driven user interface and large dot matrix display making it easy to use.

As with almost all marine radios available in recent years which support NMEA2000 connectivity, it will also function perfectly well using NMEA0183 for current or older equipment.

Increasingly Icom fixed units are supplied with the option of a second station HM-195B ‘Commandmic’. Most functions on the IC-M506GE including DSC and AIS can be controlled from the Commandmic as well as an intercom between the two.

Weighing in at 1400g and measuring 178 x 113 x 104mm it is a little bigger than some other options on the market with similar specs, but not significantly.

Buy it now on Amazon

Raymarine RAY73 Marine Radio

Best marine radio communication centre.

Specifications:  Built in GPS: Yes 72 Channel | DSC Distress: Yes | Waterproof: IPX7 | MOB: Yes | Power: 25W

Reasons to buy: Designed as a communication centre (Features built-in AIS and a loudhailer); Works well with older equipment; Can support up to two wireless handset stations

Reasons to avoid: Premium price

This is the biggest, most powerful option in a recently released range by Raymarine, consisting of the Ray53, Ray63 and Ray73. All of these are equipped with a built-in GPS receiver and connection point for an optional GPS/GNSS antenna, which improves the GPS reception when the radio is mounted below deck or in an enclosed pilothouse.

Additionally the Ray73 (and the Ray63) can connect to Raymarine’s wireless VHF hub and can support up to two wireless handset stations for wireless communication anywhere onboard.

The Ray73 aims at being the communications centre for the boat and thus features a built-in AIS receiver and a loudhailer output. Ray73’s AIS provides collision avoidance and identification details for nearby AIS-equipped vessels to a networked MFD, chartplotter, radar, and instruments. When combined with an optional hailing horn, the radio’s loudhailer output allows communication with crewmembers on deck and can also generate manual or automatic fog signals when moored or underway.

As with most other options in its class, the Ray73 features NMEA2000 connectivity and is backwards compatible with NMEA1830 too.

Raymarine RAY53

Best mid-range marine radio.

Specifications:  Built-in GPS: Yes | DSC Distress: Yes | Waterproof: IPX7 | MOB: No | Power: 25W

Reasons to buy: Can provide audio at a second location; Built-in GPS receiver

Reasons to avoid: Does not support a wireless hub;  Does not feature built-in GPS antennae

Ray53 is a full-function VHF marine radio with Class D DSC and a built-in GPS receiver. NMEA2000 and NMEA0183 networking for integration with onboard systems and It also supports the connection of an optional remote speaker to provide audio at a second location.

Unlike its two bigger brothers, the Ray53 does not support Raymarine’s Raymic wireless hub and handset system.

As with the other smaller radios in its class it does not feature a built in GPS antennae but it does have a connection point for an optional separately mounted one. It measures in at 168 x 88.5 x 173.75mm.

Icom IC-M330GE

Best compact marine radio.

Specifications:  Built-in GPS: Yes | DSC Distress: Yes |Waterproof: IPX7 | MOB: No | Power: 25W

Reasons to buy: Small size catering to smaller vessels; Clever interface; Full DSC features

Reasons to avoid: Missing some features found in larger sizes

The Icom IC-M330GE is one of the smallest fixed VHF/DSC radios on the market. with a front face so compact that it is roughly the size of your modern smartphone measuring in at 156.5 x 66.5 x 110.1mm and weighing only 730g in total.

Given its small size, the radio is aimed at a market where space is at a premium and so there is necessarily some giving up of features seen in the larger units. However, quite a bit has been maintained even in a unit this size.

The unit is controlled via a directional keypad, with soft keys providing simple operation. Most used functions are assigned to soft keys for quick one push function access.

DSC functions include distress, individual, group, all ships, urgency, safety, position request/report, polling request and DSC test calls.

The IC-M330GE includes an integral GPS Receiver which also your current position and time to be used for DSC calls. The M330GE is NMEA1830 compatible.

Simrad RS20S Marine Radio

Best versatile marine radio.

Reasons to buy: Caters to smaller boats but still adaptable for medium and larger sizes; Clever interface; Full DSC features

The Simrad RS202S is another small, class D, DSC VHF designed with the smaller boat in mind but will still work well for medium and even some bigger sized yachts. It measures in at just 166 x 89 x 160mm and weighs 537g.

A rotary channel dial should make for quick channel selection, while large, well-spaced buttons provide quick access to key functions. Dedicated Channel 16 keys enable instant access to the emergency channel, and are included on both the radio’s front panel and its fist mic.

Integrated Distress button allows automated DSC distress calling. DSC capabilities also enable direct calling to other DSC-equipped vessels from a Simrad multi-function display, including direct calls to AIS targets (a compatible display and AIS receiver are required).

The RS202 does feature an internal GPS receiver and is also NMEA2000 compatible and will work with NMEA1830 also.

Lowrance Link-6

Best value marine radio.

Specifications: Built-in GPS: Yes | DSC Distress: Yes | Waterproof: IPX7 | MOB: Yes | Power: 25W

Reasons to buy: Built-in GPS; Includes AIS receiver; Features a MOB system

The Lawrence Link-6 radio has an integrated GPS receiver with four ways to ensure you have a GPS fix in the event of an emergency – built-in antenna, SMA connector for GPS-500 antenna, NMEA 0183 for chartplotter GPS and NMEA 2000 for network antenna connection.

A dual-channel AIS receiver monitors the position of nearby AIS-equipped vessels, helping you to avoid collisions in crowded harbours and waterways. AIS information can be viewed on the Link-9’s built-in screen, or overlaid on your chart or radar screen through a compatible MFD.

A NAV button on the face of the radio turns it into a navigational instrument displaying your Speed and Course. It also contains a Man Overboard (MOB) function, where you can drop a waypoint on your current location at the press of a button. The unit will enter MOB mode to show you how far away you are and where you need to steer to get back to the person in the water. The MOB waypoint is also transmitted over NMEA 2000 to the rest of your network.

Marine radio terminology

DSC – Digital selective calling or DSC is a standard for transmitting pre-defined digital messages via the medium-frequency (MF), high-frequency (HF) and very-high-frequency (VHF) maritime radio systems.

GPS – A channel in a GPS receiver similar to a channel in a television set. It is hardware, or a combination of hardware and software, designed to separate one signal from all the others. A receiver may have many channels and typically the more offered the better stability and thus accuracy of the receiver.

MMSI – A Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) is a series of nine digits which are sent in digital form over a radio frequency channel in order to uniquely identify the vessel(s) communicating.

IPX7 – Waterproofing means equipment can be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes.

IPX8 – Similar to IPX7, but the unit can be submerged in more than 1m (the specifics of the increased depth can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer) also for 30 minutes.

NMEA2000/0183 – A standard formed by the National Marine Electronics Association to ensure universality of electronics communicating with one another no matter the brand. NMEA2000 is the more recent of the two and can handle larger data packets at increased speeds.

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Choosing and Using the Best Marine VHF Antenna

• By Chris Woodward
• Updated: January 9, 2020

When shopping marine electronics , it’s easy to fall for a cool new multifunction display or even a VHF/AIS combo. But when it comes to shopping for parts such as transducers and antennas, where’s the love?

For anglers, the right or best VHF antenna could mean the difference between finding a great bite or enduring the skunk. On a more serious note, it could rescue you from a stranding or accident.

“If all things are equal — including antenna height and radio model — you could go from a range of 10 miles to 25-plus miles just based on the materials in the antenna,” says Chris Catoe, marine sales manager for the Shakespeare Antenna Group.

For that reason, most experts advise buying the best antenna you can afford. Prices range from about $30 to more than $300 for most recreational fishing vessels.

What is a VHF Marine Antenna?

“We have sensitive receivers,” says David McLain, national sales manager for ICOM, makers of VHF marine radios. “But if you match one with just a $30 antenna, you’re not going to get the range an ICOM can get you.”

At Shakespeare, VHF marine antennas are grouped into three categories that correlate to good, better and best products. Those categories are Classic, Galaxy and Phase III models. Key differences boil down to what’s inside, whether coaxial cable, a combination of coax, brass and copper, or all brass and copper; brass and copper create the greatest efficiency.

However, before dissecting antennas, anglers should understand just what an antenna is, says John Jones, vice president of engineering for Digital Antenna. “It’s a machine,” he says. “People think it’s a piece of wire. Anything we build is a physically resonant circuit for the frequencies we intend to use. An antenna converts electrical signals into photons — it’s a photon generator.”

Catoe says consumers often think, as well, that a VHF antenna transmits only from its tip. “It radiates from the base up,” he confirms.

Because of the energy surrounding the antenna and because the signals travel by line of sight, the antenna’s placement aboard a vessel is key. Even the best antenna won’t perform when placed too close to another antenna using similar frequencies (AIS or another VHF), or when mounted too low or too near metal objects.

Marine VHF Antenna Height and Strength

Other considerations for choosing the right VHF antenna include antenna height and gain. Catoe says the vast majority of powerboats in the 24- to 32-foot range do well using 8-foot antennas with 6-decibel (dB) gain. A 3- to 4-foot antenna that’s 3 dB is generally recommended for boats under 24 feet. Larger vessels can opt for 12- to 18-foot, 7 to 8 dB antennas.

“As a general rule, antenna height should be less than half the length of the boat,” Catoe says.

Higher-dB antennas generate greater effective radiated power, and that can translate into greater range. However, the lower-dB antennas, such as a 3 dB stick, are recommended for vessels like sailboats carrying antennas atop a tall mast that sways in high seas. The 3 dB antenna creates a larger signal pattern, but that pattern doesn’t travel as far, so it doesn’t leave the horizon as dramatically when the boat pitches.

Anglers who own VHF radios that are equipped with Automatic Identification System can use one VHF antenna for both functions as long as the AIS is receive-only. If your AIS unit also transmits, two antennas are necessary.

“We always recommend dedicated antennas for each,” Catoe says. “Any time you split something, you usually sacrifice something. Most people like to have both systems operating optimally.”

Durable Marine VHF Antennas

In most cases, an angler breaks a VHF antenna before it dies of natural causes. “Antenna life span is hard to establish. Some last two years; some last 30,” Catoe says. “It depends on how you’re taking care of it, and which grade of antenna you purchased.”

Better antennas have UV blockers in the paint or they might be heavier-duty fiberglass or come with stainless steel rather than plastic mounts. Shakespeare recommends boaters wash their VHF antenna with soap and water whenever they wash the boat. Don’t use abrasive detergents that can strip the finish off the fiberglass. Some boaters apply wax, Catoe says, which will not interfere with the antenna function.

Tom Burden — senior product content editor for West Marine, which sells a variety of antennas, cables and connections — says that corrosion can become a major problem, particularly at connection points.

If you experience radio problems you think come from the antenna, you can always test the signal strength by calling a friend on another boat, Burden advises. Have that friend start fairly close and move away until the signal fades.

Shakespeare also sells an ART-3 antenna meter. That unit tests the voltage standing-wave ratio, the output power, battery voltage and the radio’s receiver. If the antenna is faulty, it can be replaced. Most antennas come with three- to five-year warranties.

When you buy a new antenna or replace an old one, chances are you won’t run into the tech creep that plagues other electronics types. Physics more or less defines the technology of an antenna, so it hasn’t changed much over time. Materials have changed a little, but “the biggest trend I’m seeing,” says Catoe, “is the combination of things: antennas or radios that have multifunctions (AIS and VHF together, or cellular and Wi-Fi). It’s all about centralizing all product in a smaller footprint.”

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• VHF - Fixed Mount

Garmin VHF 315 Marine Radio

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Garmin GHS 11 Wired VHF Handset

Description.

VHF 315 Marine Radio

Enjoy Reliable Communication

• Reliable 25-watt VHF Class D DSC marine radio
• Includes GHS™ 11 handset and new active speaker to use as intercom between up to 3 stations
• Built-in GPS receiver (requires external antenna)
• NMEA 2000® connectivity for easy integration with compatible chartplotters and multifunction displays
• Preprogrammed with U.S., Canadian and international marine channels plus 10 NOAA weather channels

The 25-watt VHF 315 marine radio with Class D DSC is a modular communication solution. It provides the security of reliable communication and full NOAA weather alerts on the water by meeting the latest industry standards. It’s easy to use and integrates seamlessly into the Garmin onboard system. It has a built-in GPS receiver with connector for required external antenna. VHF 315 includes a GHS 11 handset and new active speaker to use as an intercom between up to 3 stations. It’s also equipped with a two-way 30-watt hailer system for communication with other boats or deckhands. NMEA 2000 connectivity enables easy integration with compatible chartplotters, multifunction displays and convenient software updates. Simplified handset connectors and an uncomplicated, easy-to-use interface allow you to get your radio set up quickly, so you can get back out on the water and start communicating.

What's Included?

• VHF 315 marine radio
• Cradle (for GHS 11)
• Active speaker
• Power cable
• Deck cable (10 meters)
• Microphone hanger
• Mounting hardware
• Documentation

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Maritime Mobile Service Identity

1st Time MMSI Registration

Obtain a MMSI Number

Obtain an Additional MMSI Number

Multiple Vessels with Multiple MMSI

Manage Existing MMSI Registrations

Log in to View, Update or Cancel Registration

Old Vs New Owner Request MMSI Transfer

To Initiate an MMSI Transfer

Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) is a unique 9 digit number that is assigned to a (Digital Selective Calling) DSC radio or an AIS unit. Similar to a cell phone number, your MMSI number is your unique calling number for DSC radios or an AIS unit. The information provided when obtaining a MMSI number is transferred into the U.S. Coast Guard's national distress database for use in emergency situations.

BoatUS has been authorized by both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Coast Guard to assign MMSI numbers to vessels with DSC capable radios that are not required by law to carry a radio, and do not make international voyages or communications. BoatUS is responsible for relaying the MMSI registration information to the U.S. Coast Guard for search and rescue purposes.

MMSI numbers are free for BoatUS Members or $25 for non-Members.

Registration Criteria

BoatUS has been authorized by both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Coast Guard to assign MMSI numbers only to vessels that meet the following criteria:

• Used for recreation only
• Not required by law to carry a radio
• Not required by law to have a FCC Ship Station license
• Vessel is under 65' in length
• Do not communicate with or visit foreign ports (i.e. Canada, Bahamas, Mexico, and the Caribbean)

If you do not meet these criteria, you are legally required to obtain a Ship Station License from the FCC . They will issue an MMSI number with a Ship Station License.

Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) is a unique 9 digit number that is assigned to an individual vessel. It is entered into DSC (Digital Selective Calling) radios and AIS (Automatic Identification System) units used on that vessel. Similar to a cell phone number, your MMSI number is your unique calling number for DSC radios or an AIS unit. The information provided when obtaining an MMSI number is transferred into the U.S. Coast Guard's national distress database for use in emergency situations.

There is a $25 fee to register for MMSI through this program; however, the registration fee will be waived for current BoatUS Members.

Digital Selective Calling (DSC) is a radio technology allowing enhanced distress radio messages to be sent digitally. Since 1999, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has required new fixed mount VHF radio sold in the U.S. to be equipped with the DSC feature.

DSC radios have a one-button emergency transmit button that sends the vessel's unique MMSI number. In addition, if the DSC equipped radio is linked to a GPS or Loran unit, the distress call will include the vessel's position. Should the operator become incapacitated, the radio will continue sending the mayday. In addition, a DSC equipped vessel with an MMSI number can make a "private" hailing call to another DSC-equipped vessel. Only the vessel being called will receive the initial contact, but the subsequent conversation will take place on an open, “working” channel, which can be monitored by any VHF equipped vessel within your broadcast range.

Please refer to you radio’s owner’s manual or contact the radio manufacturer for additional information about you radio’s capabilities.

BoatUS MMSI numbers are for US registered or documented, recreational vessels under 65’ that are not visiting or communicating with foreign ports. The registration data provided to BoatUS is only transferred into the U.S. Coast Guard Search & Rescue Database (MISLE). International search & rescue agencies do not have access to the registration data provided to BoatUS.

Registration data for FCC-assigned MMSI numbers go into the International Telecom Union (ITU) database that is accessible to international search & rescue agencies. In order to be accepted into the ITU database, any FCC assigned MMSI must end in zero. This is why the BoatUS MMSI number cannot be re-used when later applying for an FCC MMSI number for international cruising.

Yes. If you have multiple radios that are only used on one boat, you should input the same MMSI number in all radios.

If you plan to use the handheld on multiple boats, you might want a separate MMSI number so that you can update the registration information according to which boat it is currently on. If you only plan to use the handheld on one boat, you can use the same MMSI number that is programmed into the fixed mount radio onboard.

No, recreational boats under 65' that do not communicate with or visit foreign ports do not require a VHF license.

Check the owner's manual for instructions on how to display the MMSI number programmed into the radio or place a direct or “private” hail to another MMSI known to you and ask that the originating MMSI (your MMSI) be read back to you from the receiving unit's display screen.

If you need to test to see if the DSC feature is working, do not test the red distress button as this will send out an illegal false alarm and cause an unnecessary rescue response! Instead, you may run a test call to the nationwide Coast Guard MMSI number, 003669999. Enter this number into your radio’s calling memory and select the “Test Call” option from the radio’s list of individual DSC calls, then press the “call” or “enter” key. Your radio will silently hail the Coast Guard with a digital signal on channel 70. If everything is working properly, your radio will almost immediately receive the Coast Guard’s acknowledgement of your call, providing assurance that both your radio and the Rescue21 system are operating properly.

Alternatively you may also use the DSC function to privately hail another boater’s MMSI number so that they can verify what MMSI came up on their ID. The DSC functions do not work until an MMSI number is programmed in. If your radio contains or is connected to a GPS, the signal will also provide your exact coordinates.

No. You are required to obtain a Ship’s Station License from the FCC and they will provide an MMSI number that is valid for international cruising. To obtain a Ship’s Station License from the FCC, please visit the Ship Radio Stations page or call 877-480-3201.

No. BoatUS MMSI numbers are only for U.S. registered or documented vessels. You must obtain an MMSI number from the country the vessel is flagged in.

No, you will need to obtain a new MMSI number from the FCC and reprogram your radio(s) with the MMSI number the FCC issues. The new MMSI will be coded for international travel and the registration will be entered into the international search & rescue database. To obtain a Ship’s Station License from the FCC, please visit the Ship Radio Stations page or call 877-480-3201.

No. Registration for EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) is done through NOAA . NOAA oversees this satellite search and rescue system which is not related to DSC VHF marine radios however you should provide your EPIRB ID code in the provided field when obtaining a MMSI number.

Channel 70 is to be used exclusively for DSC and DSC capable radios automatically monitor CH70 as well as whatever channel you are otherwise using or monitoring. As a recreational boater, you do not need to monitor it.

It is in effect "private hailing" of another vessel whose MMSI number is known to you. Once contact is established between the vessels, they are automatically switched to the preselected "working channel", and the "privacy" ends at that point, meaning that the transmission (conversation) can be heard by any other vessel monitoring that channel.

Your login name and password are case sensitive and must be inputted exactly as registered. If you are uncertain of your login name and password, please visit the MMSI Account Login page and click on “Forgot your password?” and your login name and password will be sent to the email address you registered with.

After three unsuccessful login attempts, MMSI accounts are locked for security reasons. To verify and unlock your MMSI account, please contact BoatUS MMSI at 800-563-1536 Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 5:00PM EST. For after hours and weekend assistance, please call 800-395-2628 or email [email protected] .

If your email address has changed and you can no longer access the email account that you originally registered with, please reset your email address here .

The action you need to take depends on who has ownership of the radio(s) that were programmed with the MMSI number you obtained:

• If you kept all the radios that had the MMSI number programmed into it, you can update your registration with the new boat information when you buy a new boat.
• If all the radios that are programmed with the MMSI number have been given to the new owner, you must transfer the MMSI number to the new owner by logging into your MMSI account and selecting the “Transfer to New Owner” button. This cancels your MMSI registration and avoids having any future distress calls from the MMSI number linked to you and your personal information. The new owner will then receive an email with instructions on how to claim the MMSI number.
• If you retained one or more of the radios with the MMSI number and the new owner also has one or more radios with the MMSI number programmed into it, you need to work with the new owner to determine who is going to be responsible for obtaining a new MMSI number and having the radio(s) reprogrammed. It is critically important that two individuals are not using the same MMSI number on different boats.

If the MMSI number was assigned by BoatUS and the previous owner has cancelled their registration, BoatUS can transfer the MMSI number to the new owner. If the previous owner has not closed the account, we will attempt to contact them to verify that they are not still using the number in another radio. If the previous owner cannot be contacted or is still improperly using the MMSI you will need to reprogram the radio with a new number. To check if your MMSI was assigned through BoatUS, email [email protected] .

No. You can register your FCC issued MMSI number on the BoatUS website by going to the Non-BoatUS MMSI service page.

Note: that if you plan to make broadcasts in foreign waters you will need to obtain a new FCC licenses.

Ship Station Licenses are not transferable from one boat to another, but the FCC will offer a prorated refund for the years remaining on the ship station license should the owner cancel once the boat has been sold. BoatUS cannot assist with the MMSI transfer process for an FCC assigned MMSI in connection with a ship station license, but if the prior owner of the MMSI has cancelled the ship station license through the FCC, the MMSI can be transferred to the ship station license of the new owner of the vessel and programmed radio by contacting the FCC at 1-877-480-3201.

If the new owner is not required to carry a Ship Station License and has confirmed that the previous owner has cancelled his ship station license, the new owner can input the FCC assigned MMSI into the BoatUS database by going to Non-BoatUS MMSI service page.

Class A and Class B AIS units transmit your position and any identifying information you have programmed into the AIS unit, including your MMSI number. An FCC-issued MMSI number and corresponding vessel and owner information is publically accessible. Vessel tracking websites such as marinetraffic.com and vesselfinder.com track vessel movements using AIS transmissions and identify vessels from their MMSIs using the FCC database. Information provided to BoatUS during the registration process is not provided to any vessel tracking websites or non-government organization.

Yes, you may print and complete this application and email it to [email protected] upon completion.

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Located at Waterside Marina in Kingston upon Hull, Nautical Circle is a truly national training centre delivering high quality, low student ratio training courses.

We have students travelling from all over the world to train with our approved RYA, HSE & MCA instructors. Our aim is to provide world class marine training, both theory and practical, to our recreational and commercial clients. Clients report our courses aren’t just informative, they’re fun too!

We offer training from Powerboat Level 1 to Yachtmaster, including all the theory elements you will need. We look forward to working with you

Qualified Instructors

We strive to offer the best possible tuition using only experienced, RYA qualified instructors.

3:1 Instructor Ratio

With your progression as our priority, and to comply with the RYA, we impose a maximum of 3 students for every course held on board one of our boats.

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We are a part of the RYA, meaning we are full accredited by them so you know you are getting the best service.

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As well as practical powerboat courses, we also offer a full range of online and shorebased training courses.

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All of our training boats have undergone stringent safety checks and have the most modern equipment on board.

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VHF Radio Pre-Course Learning

What is the VHF Radio Pre-Course Learning Course About?

The free VHF Radio Pre-Course Learning is an interactive mini-course. It will give you the foundational knowledge you need. You will then get the most out of the classroom training.

The VHF Radio course is an intense day of learning. It is essential that you attend the course with some prior knowledge already in place.

Who should take this course?

This course is open to anybody who is going to take the VHF Radio course at an RYA training centre. If you are attending VHF Radio course in a classroom and wanting to gain a VHF licence, you should take this online course first.

What you will learn in the mini-course

The subjects covered in this course are:

?️ The phonetic alphabet

?️ Routine calls

?️ Pan Pan or urgent calls

?️ MAYDAY or emergency messages

?️ The different VHF radio channels and their uses

?️ VHF pro-words or radio speak

VHF Radio Pre-Course Quiz

This course will finish with a final quiz. You can use the quiz to confirm what you have learned.

Once complete you will be able to review your answers and check your score.

Course Content

VHF Radio Course – Online

Duration: At your pace

Group Size: N/A

Min Age: From 12

Price: £65 (course pack included)

• This course is aimed at
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VHF Radio Course – Online - General

The Short Range Certificate (‘SRC’) is the radio operator qualification which authorises the holder to operate a VHF radiotelephone, fitted with Digital Selective Calling (‘DSC’) on board any British vessel which is voluntarily fitted with radio equipment.

For a number of years it has been possible to undertake the RYA VHF/Short Range Certificate Course either online or in a classroom. The end of course assessment is still taken in the classroom though.

The online course breaks down the teaching of all aspects of using a VHF Radio into manageable sections. As you work through each section there are various methods used to ensure that you have understood the subject such as little quizes and even the chance to use a simulator to make and record practice calls. Throughout there are recordings of radio calls so that you can hear what a real call would sound like.

At the end of the course there is a straightforward ‘knowledge check’ to ensure that you are ready to go ahead to the assessment.

Undertaking the course

Once we have set up your login and sent it to you you can logon and begin the course. You work through the course at your own pace. Once you have finished the various sections of the course you take an online practice test to check that you have the right level of knowledge for the assessment itself.

Completing the end of course test then leads the RYA Interactive system to issue you your own unique certificate. You will need to take this with you when attending the assessment.

How to book

Go to ‘Book Now’, choose the number of courses you wish to book, pay your course fee and we sign you up to the online course and send you your unique logon and course pack.

Minimum age

Any age for the course but 16 for the end of course assessment and the issue of the official licence.  

Just need an assessment?

If you took the online course with another provider then we’re always happy to undertake the assessment for you. Please note though that the other Training Centre with need to send us the assessment card to arrive before you sit the assessment.

Booking the assessment

Assessments are scheduled to run at the end of every classroom course that we run (which is roughly every 2 weeks) so there will never be an issue scheduling you in. We may also be able to schedule in specific dates for groups of 3 or more – just call/email to check.

If you have undertaken the course online when you come to the examination we will arrange some time for you to get used to the VHF radios you will be using.

Prior Experience Required

None! Ahead of the course we will send you a course handbook and instructions on what preparation to undertake. This course pack can take the form of an ‘eBook’ or a ‘realBook’.

The cost of the course

The cost of the assessment

This is £60 and is payable in advance to the RYA through the RYA website. In your Joining Instructions for the course we send you, we’ll explain how to go about this. If you are undertaking the course for your work and we are invoicing your company then we can include the £60 fee in the invoice we create.  

How do I access the course?

We set up your login and get the login details are emailed to you so that you can get going online. The course pack is sent next business day.

The dashboard gives you access to all aspects of the course including the additional videos to help you get to grips with the subjects.

Please tell me more about the end of course assessment

Assessments are scheduled at the end of every course that we conduct in the classroom – we run these every two weeks.

Don’t worry about the word ‘assessment’ – it is not scary! It’s just simply a way of ensuring that you can use the radio, understand what channels to use, make distress, urgency and safety calls etc.

There is a short written paper to complete so if you feel you may have any issues doing this in writing please do let us know ideally ahead of attending as we can conduct this verbally with you.

The practical assessment simply involves repeating the various calls you will have learnt to make during the online course.

The assessment element of the VHF Course will be conducted by a separate RYA Assessor. We have 7 assessors between Powerboat Training UK and Aquasafe Powerboat School so you may well know the assessor anyway. They are all hugely experienced at putting you at your ease and making the assessment straightforward and enjoyable.

Here is the RYA’s short video about the course

What’s best – the online or classroom course?

In all honesty if you can afford the time to come to us and do the course in the classroom in our opinion this is the best way. Whilst the online course is excellent what you really miss out on is the real hands on experience of our instructors who have many years of experience afloat and add to the syllabus to maximise the benefit of the course and your investment in it.

Additionally, many people may find it easier to progress and pass the exam, building on the time we spend using the radios during the day and the assistance the instructor provides as you progress through the course.

However if you want to do the course away from the classroom then the online course is great. Equally if you already have the VHF licence and either need the DSC element or just want to brush up then its an excellent option. Don’t forget though that you will need to come into our classroom to take the examination.

Why choose Powerboat Training UK for your online RYA VHF radio course?

We know that there are plenty of sites out there offering the RYA online VHF Radio course but like most sectors nowadays it is easy enough to create a whizzy looking website that reads well. Powerboat Training UK offers all of the online courses but has physical offices too with instructors and a support team always on hand to provide advice and guidance. With offices in two major south coast locations and VHF courses scheduled at least every two weeks booking the end of course examination is easy. So whilst you will probably find a website that offers courses a few pounds cheaper than schools with proper facilities you get in life pretty much what you pay for.

VHF Radio Course – Online - This course is aimed at

The RYA VHF/Short Range Certificate course is not just essential for all small boat skippers and their regular crew members, there are plenty of others it’s relevant to….

• Those with their own boats keen to ensure they are ‘legal’ but are also of course well versed in all of the means of issuing a distress message from their vessel. Whilst of course the distress element is a key factor knowing which channels to use and how to use the radio properly when out boating increases confidence and enjoyment.
• Those without a boat yet and keen to ensure they are acquiring the right qualifications either because they intend buying or for when they are chartering or hiring. The course is also a great way to enhance your knowledge about boating generally and helps when deciding what radios to buy.
• Those who have boated a while and are perhaps are already using their VHF but want to learn both how to use the radio to full effect and of course also to be legal.
• Kayakers and dinghy sailors are increasingly carrying personal hand held VHFs and are very sensible to do so. We have welcomed a good number of of kayakers and sailors to our courses – don’t let our company name put you off we love boating in all of its forms!
• Sailing clubs, Fire & Rescue Services, Police Forces, Military units and government bodies often ask us to come and train a group of their people in-house. As we have a portable kit including 8 radios plus examples of various EPIRBs, SARTs, PLBs etc so can ensure a really fun and informative course even if we are not running the course in our classroom.

VHF Radio Course – Online - Syllabus

Aim:  “The Short Range Certificate (‘SRC’) is the radio operator qualification which authorises the holder to operate a VHF radiotelephone, fitted with Digital Selective Calling (‘DSC’) on board any British vessel which is voluntarily fitted with radio equipment.”

A. THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND BASIC FEATURES OF THE MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE RELEVANT TO VESSELS NOT SUBJECT TO A COMPULSORY FIT UNDER THE SOLAS CONVENTION.

A1. Types of communication in the maritime mobile service: – Distress, urgency and safety communication; – Public correspondence; – Port Operations – Ship Movement service; – Intership communication; – On-board communications;

A2. Types of station in the maritime mobile service: – Ship stations; – Coast stations; – Pilot stations, port stations etc – Aircraft stations; – Rescue coordination centre (RCC)

A3. Elementary knowledge of radio frequencies and channels appropriate to the VHF maritime mobile band. – The concept of frequency – Propagation on VHF frequencies – Range of voice communication – Range of DSC transmissions – Frequencies and channels allocated to the maritime mobile service: – The usage of VHF frequencies in the maritime mobile service; – The concept of radio channel: simplex, semi-duplex and duplex. – Channel plan for VHF including allocations for the GMDSS – Distress, urgency and safety channels; – National channels for small craft safety – Intership communications – Port operations and ship movement channels – Calling channels. – Public correspondence channels

A4. Functionality of ship station equipment – Sources of energy of ship stations – Batteries: Different kinds of batteries and their characteristics; Charging; Maintenance of batteries

B. DETAILED WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF RADIO EQUIPMENT.

B1. VHF Radio equipment.

1.1 Radiotelephone channels – Channel selection and controls – Dual watch facilities and controls

1.2 Basic controls and usage, e.g.: – Connecting the power: – Press to transmit switch – Squelch control – Using the volume control; – High/low power output switch: – Using the dimmer control – Dual watch function

1.3 Portable two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatus.

1.4 Maritime VHF antennas

B2. Purpose and use of Digital Selective Calling (DSC) facilities

2.1 The general principals and basic features of DSC – DSC messages – DSC attempt – Call acknowledgement – Call relay

2.2 Types of call – Distress call – All ships call – Call to an individual station – Geographical area call – Group call

2.3 The Maritime mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number system – Nationality identification: martime Identification Digits (MID) – Ship station numbers – Coast station numbers

2.4 Call categorisation and priority – Distress – Urgency – Safety – Ship’s business – Routine

2.5 Call telecommand and traffic information – Distress alerts – Other calls – Working channel information

2.6 VHF DSC facilities and usage – Channel 70 instant alert selector – DSC data entry and display – Updating vessel position – Entering pre-set message – Entering traffic information – Reviving received messages – DSC watch keeping functions and controls

C. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES AND DETAILED PRACTICAL OPERATION OF GMDSS SUBSYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

C1. Search and Rescue (SAR) Procedures in the GMDSS

1.1 Sea areas and access to GMDSS facilities 1.2 The Role of RCCs 1.3 Organisation of search and rescue.

C2 Distress, urgency and safety communication procedures in the GMDSS

2.1 Distress communications via VHF DSC equipment – DSC distress alert – The definition of a distress alert – The transmission of a distress alert – Transmission of a shore to ship distress alert relay – Transmission of a distress alert by a station not itself in distress – Receipt and acknowledgement of VHF DSC distress alert – Acknowledgement procedure – Receipt and acknowledgement by a coast station – Handling of distress alert – Preparations for handling of distress traffic – Distress traffic terminology – On-scene communications – SAR operation

2.2 Urgency and safety communications via DSC equipment – The meaning of urgency and safety communications – Procedure for DSC Urgency and safety calls – Urgency communications – Safety communications

C3 Protection of distress frequencies.

3.1 Avoiding harmful interference: – Avoidance of the transmission of false alerts; – The status of VHF Channel 70.

3.2 Transmissions during distress traffic

3.3 Prevention of unauthorised transmissions.

3.4 Test protocols and procedures: – Testing DSC procedures – Radiotelephone test procedures;

3.5 Avoidance of transmissions in the VHF guard bands.

3.6 Procedures to follow when a false alert has been transmitted.

C4 Maritime safety information

4.1 The Navtex system: Purpose and capabilities, including distress and safety functions

C5 Alerting and locating Signals

5.1 Purpose and definition

5.2 Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBS) – Registration and coding – Information contents of a distress alert. – False alerts. – Operation, including automatic and manual activation – COSPAS/SARSAT 406MHz EPIRB – Inmarsat-E 1.6 GHz EPIRB – 121.5 EPIRB – VHF DSC EPIRB – 121.5 homing function – Mounting considerations – Routine maintenance – Testing – Checking battery expiry date – Checking the float-free mechanism expiry date

5.3 Search and Rescue Transponder (SART) – Operation – Operating height – Effect of radar reflector – Range of a SART transmitter – The SART transmission on a radar display – Routine maintenance of a SART – Testing a SART – Checking the battery expiry date

D. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS FOR VHF RADIOTELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS

D1. Ability to exchange communications relevant to the safety of life at sea using the English language.

1.1 Distress communication. – Distress signal: – The correct use and meaning of the signal MAYDAY; – Distress call; – Distress message; – Acknowledgement of a distress message: – Obligation to acknowledge a distress message; – Correct form of acknowledgement; – Action to be taken following acknowledgement; – The control of distress traffic – The correct use and meanings of the signals – SEELONCE MAYDAY; – SEELONCE DISTRESS; – PRUDONCE; – SEELONCE FEENEE; – Transmission of a distress message by a station not itself in distress: – The meaning and correct use of the signal MAYDAY RELAY;

1.2 Urgency communications: – Urgency signal: – The meaning and correct use of the signal PAN-PAN; – Urgency message – Obtaining urgent medical advice through a Coast Radio Station

1.3 Safety communications: – Safety signal: – The meaning and correct use of the signal SECURITE; – Safety Message – Special procedures for communications with appropriate national organisations on matters affecting safety

1.4 Maritime Safety Information – Reception of MSI by VHF Radiotelephony

1.5 Awareness of the existence and use of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary – Knowledge of the following basic signals:- ALL AFTER, ALL BEFORE, CORRECT, CORRECTION, IN FIGURES, IN LETTERS, I SAY AGAIN, I SPELL OUT, OVER, RADIO CHECK, READ BACK, RECEIVED, SAY AGAIN, STATION CALLING, TEXT, TRAFFIC, THIS IS, WAIT, WORD AFTER, WORD BEFORE, WRONG.

1.6 Use of international phonetic alphabet for letters and phonetic pronunciation of numerals.

D2. Regulations, obligatory procedures and practices.

2.1 Awareness of international documentation and availability of national publications:

2.2 Knowledge of the international regulations and agreements governing the maritime mobile service: – Requirement for Ship Radio Licence; – Regulations concerning control of the operation of radio equipment by the holder of an appropriate certificate of competence; – National regulations concerning the keeping of radio records – Preservation of the secrecy of correspondence. – Types of call and types of message which are prohibited

D3. Practical and theoretical knowledge of radiotelephone procedures.

3.1 Public correspondence and radiotelephone call procedures – Method of calling a coast station by radiotelephony – Ordering for a manually switched link call – Ending the call – Calls to ships from Coast Radio Stations – Special facilities of calls – Selecting an automatic radiotelephone call

3.2 Traffic charges: – International charging system; – Accounting Authority Identification Code (AAIC).

3.3 Practical traffic routines – Correct use of callsigns – Procedure for establishing communication on – Intership channels – Public correspondence channels – Small craft safety channels – Port operation and ship movement channels – Procedure for unanswered calls – Procedure for garbled calls – Control of communications

VHF Radio Course – Online - Gallery

VHF Radio Course – Online - Book Now

Thank you for your interest in this course.

This is an online course so all you need to do is to select the version according to whether you are UK based or we need to send your pack overseas, you then pay and we will send your login details and instructions for taking the course and of course send you out your course pack. The logins will arrive the next business day as we need to manually set you up for this course.

We’re always really keen to chat to you when you’re booking a course as whilst we are happy to take bookings through this system for your convenience – nothing beats chatting about boats and courses!

Whilst this is an online course you will be prompted for a date, just leave the date it gives you as it doesn’t matter what date is selected. Select as many spaces as you need and then follow the booking process.

Purchase this course by selecting this button ( NOTE: To keep our booking system happy use today’s date for the course start and end date.)

Get in touch

Where to find us...

Powerboat Training UK Ltd, The Slipway, Cobbs Quay Marina, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4EL

T: 01202 686666 E: [email protected]

Aquasafe Powerboat School, Lymington Yacht Haven, Kings Saltern Road, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 3QD

T: 01590 678809 E: [email protected]

Marine Education, Port of Poole Marina, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HJ

T: 01202 406066 E: [email protected]

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Register your interest in this course

At the moment it is not possible to book places on this particular course as we have marked it as full. However it may be that we are able to add additional people to this course or to add you to a reserve list in case someone already booked cannot attend. If this date is of particular interest to you please complete the form below and we will contact you to see what we can do to accommodate you.

Request a last minute space

At the moment it is not possible to book places on this particular course as we have marked it as closed due to it being very close to the course running. However it may be that we are able to add you to this course or to add you to a reserve list in case someone already booked cannot attend. If this is is of interest to you please complete the form below and we will contact you to see what we can do to accommodate you.

(01) 280 4422

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VHF Radio Certificate – Training Course

Our VHF courses are audited to the highest international standard and are approved by the Department of Transport Marine Radio Affairs Unit. We run both the Certificate of Competency in Radiotelephony (Module 1) and the Radio Operator’s Short Range Certificate of Competency (Module 2). VHF courses are run from September through to March. To receive updates on our upcoming courses, please be sure to sign up to our newsletter.

Please remember that you need to book as our courses are restricted to six places only. A €50 deposit is required to secure a place. Remember to e-mail  [email protected] . Courses for groups of six can be provided at any time during the year.

Evening Courses 5 Consecutive evenings 7.15pm to 10pm Nightly (Fri 6.30pm start)

Weekend and Weekday Courses, 10 am to 5 pm Sat and 10 am to 7 pm Sun.

Private courses of 6 persons available.

Our VHF courses are in accordance with the standard set down by the Department of Transport Marine Radio Affairs Unit and other international bodies. Don’t let yourself be caught out with other courses that don’t carry the Irish government standard as licences (which give you your MMSI number and call sign) will not be issued by the Irish authority.

Course duration:  5 Evenings or 2 days Course cost:  Training / Exams / COM Reg / Examiner / all included € 295. plus VAT.