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Old 22 May 2004, 23:29   #1
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hand held VHF

If I got one can I use it straight away or do I need to take a course and pass a test? What is the rule good buddy, over and out, roger
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Old 23 May 2004, 00:07   #2
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Legally you can't use any marine VHF without a licence, however if you only use it to call for help in an emergency the CG is not going to press charges!
They take the not unreasonable attitude that is better to use it than wait cos you think they are going to give you into bother.
If you are going to use it for non emergency use then you should really get a licence and get the boat licenced too. It gives a unique callsign which if registered with the CG66 forms can identify you if you do need to call for help and make things easier for you and the CG.
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Old 23 May 2004, 00:18   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rupert Bear

Legally you can't use any marine VHF without a licence, however if you only use it to call for help in an emergency the CG is not going to press charges!
They take the not unreasonable attitude that is better to use it than wait cos you think they are going to give you into bother.
If you are going to use it for non emergency use then you should really get a licence and get the boat licenced too. It gives a unique callsign which if registered with the CG66 forms can identify you if you do need to call for help and make things easier for you and the CG.
Beg to differ old boy, if you intend rely on a VHF as your safety communication device - your safest bet is to stop being a skin flint and do the course, that way you will know the procedure concisely and what you need to do, there is more to it that you may think as well. I get people phoning me up almost everyday asking the daftest questions, if you put to sea you should be prepared properly!
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Old 23 May 2004, 01:06   #4
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Beg to differ with what part of it?
1 That it is illegal to use any Marine VHF without a licence?
2 That if you call for help the CG will not bother too much even unlicenced?
3 Or that I recommended that you should licence yourself and the boat (and fill out the CG66)?
Which bit exactly do you disagree with? All the above statements are correct.
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Old 23 May 2004, 17:40   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Fox
If I got one can I use it straight away or do I need to take a course and pass a test? What is the rule good buddy, over and out, roger
You need to license the radio, if you don't you are breaking the law and you could face a £5,000 fine or a custodial sentence of up to six months and your radio kit would be confiscated, whether or not you have an operators certificate.

You can apply for a radio license online at: http://www.radiolicenceforms.co.uk/S...ationNotes.asp

You and anyone likely to use the radio should go on an RYA course and learn how to use the radio properly. Pop over to http://www.rya.org.uk/training/cours...urseId=1032183 and you can search for an RYA centre running a VHF course near you.
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Old 24 May 2004, 08:43   #6
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You need two bits of paper to legally use a VHF radio as the last post suggest.

A ships radio licence and an operators cert.

If you don't have a ships radio licence and you TX you have committed 2 offences.
First owning a non licenced radio, the second is using it.

These are classed as absolute offences, basically you have no come back.
£5000 is the starting point not the max they can fine!!

If its a fixed set then can take away you pwoer supply too, thats your boat!!

With all this in mind it does state somewhere but don't ask me where but you can use any and all means at you disposal to summon aid whilst in distress and no one has ever been knicked for breaking the law whilst saving a life.

I would recommend you do the course and get a ships radio licence.
Its not that much to spend and you will be doing it right and by the book.

Regards
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