Why your VHF radio is soooo Important!

[Graham Carr]

I found this article NW Boating website. FYI just incase you are not up to speed on protocol for the VHF. When we are having fun it is so easy to become complacent. This is a great web site.
You visit them at: http://www.nwboating.com/articles/

Why your VHF radio is Sooooo Important!
from BoatWashington Boating News
Website: http://www.boatwashington.org/washingto ... g_news.htm on August 18, 2003
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Why your VHF radio is Sooooo Important! And why knowing how to use it, is more important!
By Wayne Spivak National Press Corps National Marketing & Public Affairs Department United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
On 11 May 1993, two vessels that were in the same general area (the waters off Fan Island, Porcher Peninsula, British Columbia.) transmitted MAYDAY messages at about the same time. The message, as received, read: "MAYDAY MAYDAY ... going down." The other message read: "MAYDAY MAYDAY we're going down."
Due to the proximity of the vessels, and the almost identical messages issued, both vessels were lost. The messages were transmitted on their VHF radios. However, the procedures used during the transmission of the message and the fact that they occurred almost simultaneously were the main reasons cited why the Canadian Coast Guard response was prematurely terminated.
This is an example, which highlights what can happen, when not properly using your safety equipment. This error caused one of the crew to die of, and the other crew members to suffer hypothermia. All because they didn't follow tried and tested emergency radio procedures.
All recreational boats should carry a VHF marine radio on board. While currently not a federal regulation, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, during their Vessel Safety Check (VSC) recommends this piece of safety equipment. More importantly, all members of the crew need to know how to use this important piece of safety equipment!
VHF Radio vs. Cell phone vs. Citizen's Band (CB) Radio
A marine radio (VHF) can be bought as a handheld radio or a base unit.
Fixed mount (base) units can broadcast at a maximum of 25 watts, with the ability of also being able to reduce power to 1 watt. Handhelds normally don't broadcast over 5 watts. Base units, given the correct tuning, height of antenna and atmospheric conditions, can broadcast up to 20 nautical miles, but normally in the 5-10 mile category.
Handheld radios have the advantage of being able to be carried while you move around your vessel or while on a dinghy. The disadvantage of this type of radio is the limited power (wattage per channel) that they are able to produce. The smaller the wattage, the weaker the signal becomes as it radiates from the antenna. Thus, the strength, and limited antenna size, makes long distance communication nearly impossible.
Cell phones have large number of disadvantages, starting with the inability of other mariner's to hear your call for distress, which may not be heard by a Coast Guard Units to the inability of the Coast Guard to use direction finding equipment to hone in on your signal, should you be unable to describe your location. Add to these factors the limited distances cell service extends into the ocean, and you have a generally unreliable service.
Citizen Band Radios, the rage in the early to mid 1970's, is for most intents and purposes useless as a vehicle in which to contact the Coast Guard. Most Coast Guard Units do not have, and thus are unable to receive CB radio broadcasts, and thus are not able to respond.
The safety conscious recreational boater will purchase the best safety equipment they can afford, and when it comes to a VHF marine radio (a fixed mount VHF-FM can be obtained for as little as $100), they will buy a radio which will provide quality transmission signal strength, and the ability to quickly listen and transmit on channels reserved for distress calls. In addition, most new units have the ability to continuously monitor multiple frequencies.
What to do in an emergency
Let's briefly go over the three main types of emergency calls you will hear, according to the Office of Boating Safety (OBS) of the United States Coast Guard, while monitoring CH16 on your VHF radio:
MAYDAY is a request for immediate assistance. LISTEN! DO NOT TRANSMIT!! Determine if you're in a position to help. If not, maintain radio silence. "MAYDAY" identifies an imminent, life-threatening emergency.
PAN-PAN (pronounced pahn-pahn) is used when the safety of a boat or person is in jeopardy. Man-overboard messages are sent with the PAN-PAN signal.
SECURITE (pronounced say-cure-e-tay) is used to pass navigation information or weather warnings. According to the OBS, if you have an emergency, you should use your VHF radio in the following manner:
If you have an imminent life threatening emergency, transmit on Channel 16:
1. MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY! 2. This is (name of boat three times). 3. Repeat once more, "MAYDAY", (your boat's name). 4. Now report your position (give as accurate a position as possible). 5. Report nature of emergency. 6. Report the kind of assistance desired. 7. Report number of people on board and condition of any injured. 8. Description of the boat and seaworthiness.
**Then wait for a response. If there is none, repeat the message**
So, if your vessel is named Blue Duck and you have an emergency, your broadcast may sound like this:
"Mayday-Mayday-Mayday This Is Blue Duck - Blue Duck - Blue Duck Cape Henry Light Bears 185 Degrees Magnetic-Distance 2 Miles Struck Submerged Object Need Pumps-Medical Assistance And Tow Three Adults, Two Children Onboard One Person Compound Fracture Of Arm Estimate Can Remain Afloat Two Hours Blue Duck Is Thirty Two Foot Cabin Cruiser-White Hull-Blue Deck House Over"

[Catigale]

THanks Graham

Chapmans Piloting and Seamanship has an excellent section on VHF usage. I find myself hailing 5-6 Securite calls a season for dangerous debris in the Hudson, especially large floating logs around the corners where power boaters are going by at 30 mph....

...and of course one Pan-Pan to my log when Admiral fell overboard..




No Maydays yet

[Chip Hindes]

I printed out the guidelines as cited by Chapman's, for when Pan Pans and Maydays are to be used. Also the actual words, fill in the blank style, in large print. Put it in a plastic document protector and taped it to the bulkhead right next to the radio. Fortunately, never had occasion to use either yet.

[baldbaby2000]

It's also important to make sure your radio and antenna are working properly. Many times there can be a poor connection in one of the antenna connectors and the radio appears to be working but the range is limited or your signal is distorted. Or there can be an intermittent connection and when one really needs the radio it doesn't work.

I had my VHF installed by the dealer and ended up replacing 2 of the PL259 connectors because they were either shorted or open. The radio did seem to work but there was a ticking sound in the speaker when I keyed up. I think investing in a VSWR meter is a good idea. This is an almost foolproof way to check the antenna system.

Finally an emergency antenna in the case of main antenna failure (mast goes down) is cheap insurance.

[Catigale]

An addition - the SWR meter is the correct way to test your rig imho.

It is a violation to broadcast a 'radio check' on Channel 16 - the correct procedure is to make arrangements with another boater and check on a working channel. Hailing this boater on Channel 16 is appropriate of course.

I check my rig with my marina at beginning of season.

[RHC]

What's a reasonable price range for a vhf if sailing will be mostly within sight of coastline?

[Catigale]

RHC

I would get a Digital Selective Calling enabled VHF - all the functionality of this isnt turned on yet, but this will happen over the next few years.

The transmission 'range' is more a function of antenna and antenna height than transmit power, so choose the antenna setup as carefully as the VHF

Boat US has a pretty good tutorial on this online....you can probably purchase it cheaper somewhere else though.

[SPC Paul]

I picked up a Standard Horizon "Quest" model from Boater's World last fall. I don't remember the exact amount, but I think I paid around 130 dollars for it. For a lower-end unit it has a lot of nice features, including DSC. I also added a 3ft masthead whip antenna, and a thru-deck coax connector. I have less than $200 into my whole setup. Of course, I haven't finished installing it yet, so I can't tell you how good it works. I had read a lot of bad reviews on some of the cheapest VHF tranceivers out there, and decided to step up to a little bit better one.

Jared