Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

[Wrongsyde]

Possible trivial topic here, but interested nonetheless to hear your opinions on this. How do you identify yourself on the marine radio while out fishing, particularly in slightly more relaxed situation... i.e. "Hey there LipRipper, you gettin' any action over that side of the lake?"

Do you use the name of the boat, your name, made-up name, and actual FCC ID, or the name of your friend's uncle's new bleached girlfriend?

A little more background... I fish a decent sized but still inland freshwater lake (Pend Oreille, Idaho), not open ocean by any means. I'm an occasional fisherman with a handheld marine radio. It eats batteries like you wouldn't believe, but got it NIB for three bucks at a garage sale. And the ol' boat's name is Mathilde. =)

Please, those of you with radio training, tune in and clear up some of this static.

Thanks!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

Ayuh,... Around here, fishermen use the boat radio like a CB radio...

Ya call out for either yer bud's nickname, or boat name...

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

Its an unlicensed band, and as such, there really aren't much for regulations. It is one tiny step away from a CB.

 

[Wrongsyde]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

Alright, thanks guys. Maybe I'll try to come up with something cool sounding. Probably will just come out sounding fisherman nerdy!

 

[NYBo]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

The proper protocol is to use the name of the boat.

Although pleasure boaters in the US don't need a license to operate a marine VHF, misuse will get you a lot of unwanted attention, from folks like the Coast Guard, other law enforcement agencies, and/or the FCC. Take a look here to learn pretty much all you need to know.

 

[dsiekman]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

A fishing buddy of mine goes by "Little man in the boat". All the funnier considering he's pushing 400lbs... Needless to say, I refuse to call him over the vhf.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

If you get cool enough no-one will be able to locate you in an emergency.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

The proper protocol is to use the name of the boat.

Although pleasure boaters in the US don't need a license to operate a marine VHF, misuse will get you a lot of unwanted attention, from folks like the Coast Guard, other law enforcement agencies, and/or the FCC. Take a look here to learn pretty much all you need to know.

I have to second that, use proper protocol, unfortunately if you were to listen to a CB these days you would find out what a zoo it has become because of people not using proper protocol or common sense, neither a marine rafio or a CB were designed for use as a recreational chatbox, they were designed as tools to be used properly.

Although both are run on bands that don't require a license, they do require that you follow some simple rules, if you are not sure what they are and your radio didn't come with a list of prohibted activity, then take the time to look it up.

 

[Wrongsyde]

Re: Radio Handles, or How To Sound Cool on The Air

The proper protocol is to use the name of the boat.

Although pleasure boaters in the US don't need a license to operate a marine VHF, misuse will get you a lot of unwanted attention, from folks like the Coast Guard, other law enforcement agencies, and/or the FCC. Take a look here to learn pretty much all you need to know.

Very nice. Thank you for the link... just read through the whole radio section and think I know enough to keep from getting in trouble on my lake here. Next time I'll have to name my boat after sneaky ninjas or lions or something rather than little french girls.