Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

[KD4UPL]

I don't really ever boat where anyone uses marine VHF. I've never operated one. I am an amateur radio operator so I have a good handle on radio in general.
I recently found a guy selling a used Icom IC-M3A for $15 so I bought it. Do I need to apply for some kind of license or register somewhere? It seems like many years ago it was required but I'm thinking I heard that didn't apply anymore.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

You don't need a license. I think they went out with the CB license. FCC: Wireless Services: Ship Radio Stations: Licensing

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

You do not need a license for Domestic use.
I boat on Lake Erie. The Canadian Border is 20 miles off shore.
I have a license for my radio.

If you have no plans of heading out to Bermuda, you can just use the Boat Name or the Hull Registration numbers as your call sign.

 

[Splat]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

Was covered above. Just wanted to pop in and say hi.

73
Bill

 

[Outsider]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

You have to have a shore station license if you want to use it from land, gonna be hard to do that unless you have a marine-related business. Not saying others don't use theirs, just stating the FCC reg ... :facepalm:

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

Thanks guys. I have no plans to go near any international borders or use the radio from land so I should be good to go. The next time I'm on Smith Mountain Lake (the only one I go to where anyone uses VHF) I'm going to listen and see what's being said.
Thanks for the help.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

so I shouldn't be doing this in my driveway

is there some way the FCC could catch me if I did

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

Thanks guys. I have no plans to go near any international borders or use the radio from land so I should be good to go. The next time I'm on Smith Mountain Lake (the only one I go to where anyone uses VHF) I'm going to listen and see what's being said.
Thanks for the help.

Being that it is 200 miles inland and nowhere near any Coast Guard Stations;
I would not be surprised if it is being used for nearly everything it was never meant to be used for.
It will either be completely dead, or it will remind you of why you no longer own a CB radio!
If the Local LEOs listen at all, it will only be on ch.16.

73, N8HUQ

 

[jhebert]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

Generally all radio transmitters in the USA require an FCC station license, and most require an FCC operators license for their operator. For recreational boats equipping with a non-mandatory VHF Marine Band radio, both the station license and operator's license have been waived for operation in the USA.

The FCC does not govern operation outside of the USA, but in most countries, Canada is typical, you need a license for a boat radio. The foreign country will recognize your USA license, if you have one.

I have heard reports that some VHF Marine Band radios were being used in remote inland areas on land in a manner contrary to FCC regulations as a sort of replacement for CB radio.

For accurate information on licensing of a shore station, see my article

Shore Stations in the VHF Marine Service
Shore Stations in the VHF Marine Service - Moderated Discussion Areas

By obtaining an FCC ship station license you can also obtain an MMSI that will be recognized internationally. For more on FCC licensing for your vessel see

SHIP RADIO STATIONS
FCC: Wireless Services: Ship Radio Stations: Ship Radio Stations Home

de K8SS

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

It could be that no one on inland areas uses their radios properly. Most lakes I've been on you don't even see any boats with antennas or radios. At SML you do, some of the marinas have them too.
The real problem around the mountains of western VA is all the idiot bear hunters who use marine radios as hunting radios. It's easy to spot the white antennas on their trucks. I've questioned them and they tell me how much better they work than CBs. There are also a lot of hunters using amateur radio on 2 meters with no license. Just about every truck around here has a 2 meter antenna on it. I wonder if they realize that the band their on is also used by satellites and the operators on the international space station.
Life normally works better when people follow the rules. I wish more people would.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

I have mine turned on when I go out on the river as I read somewhere that since its on the boat it has to be on and monitoring 16, but have never keyed the mic. have never heard anyone talk on it aside from the weather channel forecast. might not even transmit, is there a proper way to ask for a radio check? I read it was for official use only

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

You are correct that your radio is required to be ON and monitoring if you have one.

Technically, the only way to "Radio Check" is to contact someone for a real reason (Fishing Report?) and have them tell you if you have a problem with your radio.

Transmitting, especially on 16, for the sole purpose of getting a radio check is highly frowned upon.
In major ports, you may get an immediate response from the Coast Guard telling you, and the world, you were a bad boy!

Contacting any of the Tow Boat Company boats for a radio check is usually accepted.
There are a few Automated Radio Check Stations along the coast that record your transmission and play it back so that you can hear what you sound like on the air.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

You are correct that your radio is required to be ON and monitoring if you have one.

One thing that I did not see anyone mention is no licence required for recreational boater any more but still required to follow the Ruels. If your out of Coast Guard Range then your probably OK but there are lots of rules about what channels you can use.
You are required to matain a watch on Channel 16, The Calling and Ditress Channel. Your are required to monitor 16 so you will here any boat in your area that puts out a Mayday Call.
Channel 70 is for DSC Distress calls (Electronic MayDay Calls). In Coast Guard monitored areas It will send a Distress Call with your GPS Location a Decription of your boat and type of distress in 1/3 of second. This would also be heard by any boat in your area if they have a DSC class D radio. All new radios ane required to have DSC class D to be sold in the USA.
Channel 21 and 83 are only for Coast Guard. Channel 68 can be uesd by all but manny Marinas will monitor it.
Anyway be a good idea to go online and get channel and ruels information.

 

[jhebert]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

...Channel 17 is for DSC Distress calls (Electrinic [sic] MayDay Calls)....

In the VHF Marine Band, Channel 17 is not for digital signal calling. It is reserved for state and local government use.

Please refer to the Coast Guard guide for proper channel use. See

U.S. VHF Channels

Authoritative sources are much preferred when discussing regulations.

 

[jhebert]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

...I read somewhere that since [a VHF Marine Band radio is] on the boat it has to be on and monitoring 16...

Mandatory radio watch regulations are given in

Radio Watchkeeping Regulations

If your [sic] out of Coast Guard Range then your [sic] probably OK [not to maintain a watch on 16]...

The purpose of requiring boaters with a VHF Marine Band radio to maintain a watch on Channel 16 is to promote safety by having as many vessels as possible listening to Channel 16 for possible distress calls. It would be more important to maintain a radio watch on Channel 16 when you are out of range of USCG coast stations, as your radio might be needed to hear someone else's distress call. The notion that you only need to maintain a watch on Channel 16 when close to a USCG shore station is wrong, both on a regulatory basis and on the basis of good seamanship.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

...Channel 17 is for DSC Distress calls (Electronic MayDay Calls)...

The two numbers sound similar, but it is Chanel 70, not 17, that is the DSC chanel.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Did marine VHF licensing disappear?

Thanks to everyone who corrected my information in last post. I feel my VHF Radios are the most important
saftey iteam I have on the Boat. Bilge pump and Fire Extinguisher also very important.
We have two VHF Fixed Radios and a Hand Held on board. Our Old One is always on channel 16.
The New one is DSC class D and we have it scanning our most used channels.
We have used them many times to help others. Only Coast Guard we can raise is in San Francisco about 80 miles away.
So Coast Guard not much help. Two times We called for help for people on shore.
First time was a Lady who fell off a horse. We Called on Channel 16 for State Parks patrol or Sheriff Boat.
The horse Trail runs around the lake and we about 5 miles from the nearest road access.
We were in a cove anchored close to shore eating lunch and a lady came down the hill asking for help.
We called with the name of the cove we were in and a GPS loacation and State Parks Responded.
The Lady told them about the lady injuries and in about 10 minutes State parks showed up with a back board
and medical people.
Other time in the same cove people on horse trail had a dog bitten by a Rattle Snake. We called and again
State Parks replied back. People wanted for us to take the Dog to nearest dock. Then get some one to take them
to their Turck so they could take dog to Vet. We also have a police scanner on the boat.
We got the lady and her dog on board and headed to the dock. State Parks ranger agreed to meat us there.
While we were in route we heard State parks ranger calling to find a Vet open on Sunday afternoon that had
Rattel snake Antiventim. They found a place but they were closing but agreed to wait for the dog.
Ranger then ask if he could take them to the Vet instead of taking them to their truck and horse trailer.
At first the commander said no you can not leave the park with the vehical. After a while he agreed he could
go the 10 miles to the vet and also send a ranger to where the Truck was parked and give them the address of
the vet. Last we heard was the dog and Lady were at the vet hosipital and dog was being treated
and would be kept over night. Do not know if dog made it or not.
Anyway just 2 times we were involved to help people not in a boat but with the Radio.