Radio Checks

[boristhebold]

Just wondering who people call for radio checks when out and about, have noticed some people call their marina when departing but I had a thought, how do they know their vhf could reach the coastguard if they are only ever checking the radio works a very short distance away ?

I tend to depart marina and listen to the vhf, do some channel searching, make sure all seems to be working then as im going through the harbour (poole) call up the coastguard for a quick check, occasionally if im going past an area with a NCI (national coastwatch institution) like swanage or down at st albans head etc I also call them up for a radio check (on ch 65) as I know they are probably looking at me through binoculars and making a log entry so like to reach out almost like saying hi thanks for keeping a lookout.

What do the rest of you normally do ?

[wgc851]

I'm in the Isle of Man so I generally give Belfast CG a shout, they have never complained yet!
Our harbour keeps are often out and about using held hand radios so wouldnt prove to be the best test

[mikehhogg]

coastguard as they will give signal strength as well as quality of transmission plus its a courtesy to tell them how many on board and where we are or heading to,kills a few birds with one stone

[Allye]

A good charged hand held should always reach the CG because of their repeater type deal system. Even if you couldn’t reach them direct anyone close by should do you a relay in an emergency.

[lakelandterrier]

My understanding is that now radio checks to coastguard should not be made in first instance - maybe because no. stations is much reduced, but should be made to marina / harbour authority or NCI.

Not been convinced about marinas as they are on duplex CH80, and are least likely to keeping listening watch. I tend to use nearest harbour authority, but NCI is a good alternative - can get water / sea info from them as well.

As for range - the radio check is a check your set is working and transmitting - it's not a "range" check", so I don't see why you cannot use a "local" station.

That said if I needed a radio check and could not get reply from any other station, then I would use CG.

The other question is how frequently you need to make a radio check. I will do it at start of the season and if the radio's been disconnected / repaired. If I were to to to a long / isolated passage, I'd probably radio in a passage plan - but not as a radio check.

[Allye]

On the subject of regularity, don’t be that guy that checks everyday or every time he launches, I’ve sat on beaches for the last 10 years scanning 0 and 16 with the same old faces radio checking, you can tell the CG get p***ed off with it by the abrupt nature of their response!

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by Allye

A good charged hand held should always reach the CG because of their repeater type deal system. Even if you couldn’t reach them direct anyone close by should do you a relay in an emergency.

Not sure about that, handhelds (5w) have roughly 7/8 miles max range, you start putting obstacles in the way of the transmission and the distance drops drastically - so to say a hand held should always reach the CG??

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

My understanding is that now radio checks to coastguard should not be made in first instance - maybe because no. stations is much reduced, but should be made to marina / harbour authority or NCI.

Not been convinced about marinas as they are on duplex CH80, and are least likely to keeping listening watch. I tend to use nearest harbour authority, but NCI is a good alternative - can get water / sea info from them as well.

As for range - the radio check is a check your set is working and transmitting - it's not a "range" check", so I don't see why you cannot use a "local" station.

That said if I needed a radio check and could not get reply from any other station, then I would use CG.

The other question is how frequently you need to make a radio check. I will do it at start of the season and if the radio's been disconnected / repaired. If I were to to to a long / isolated passage, I'd probably radio in a passage plan - but not as a radio check.

At the beginning of the season I’ll do a radio check and maybe prior to a channel run otherwise I don’t personally feels it’s necessary, which is a different option to most of the south coast boaters!! All summer Solent CG have a constant stream of radio-checks on 16, all day every day, think some people do it every time they hit the water........each to their own 🤣🤣

[Poly]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

Just wondering who people call for radio checks when out and about, have noticed some people call their marina when departing but I had a thought, how do they know their vhf could reach the coastguard if they are only ever checking the radio works a very short distance away ?



I tend to depart marina and listen to the vhf, do some channel searching, make sure all seems to be working then as im going through the harbour (poole) call up the coastguard for a quick check, occasionally if im going past an area with a NCI (national coastwatch institution) like swanage or down at st albans head etc I also call them up for a radio check (on ch 65) as I know they are probably looking at me through binoculars and making a log entry so like to reach out almost like saying hi thanks for keeping a lookout.



What do the rest of you normally do ?

I only do a radio check if I have been working on the radio or think there might be a problem.

If I am going a big trip in a remote part of the world I will call CG with my plans which effectively means I am testing the radio too. There is no certainty that I am testing a long distance though - if I call Belfast CG from the sound of Gigha I am almost certainly not transmitting to a mast in Belfast.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Allye

A good charged hand held should always reach the CG because of their repeater type deal system. Even if you couldn’t reach them direct anyone close by should do you a relay in an emergency.

I assume you are in the solent or somewhere similar? There are places around our coast where 25W on a 1m antennae mounted 2m above the deck/waterline won’t reach the CG on a good day. A handheld 1m above the water (sitting height) is certainly not guaranteed a reception, especially in poor weather or big waves.

[Allye]

Originally Posted by Poly

I assume you are in the solent or somewhere similar? There are places around our coast where 25W on a 1m antennae mounted 2m above the deck/waterline won’t reach the CG on a good day. A handheld 1m above the water (sitting height) is certainly not guaranteed a reception, especially in poor weather or big waves.

Negative not the Solent. I’ve never had a issue, not used a handheld that hasn’t got 25w either.

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by Allye

not used a handheld that hasn’t got 25w either.

Am I miss reading this - you have a 25w marine hand-held? Most are max output 5-6w - the fixed ‘helm’ units run 25w

[Allye]

Tell a lie you’re right, I’m confusing it with high/low.

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by Allye

Tell a lie you’re right, I’m confusing it with high/low.

👍
Low on a hand held is usually 1w raising to 5 or 6w for high output 😊

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Poly

I assume you are in the solent or somewhere similar? There are places around our coast where 25W on a 1m antennae mounted 2m above the deck/waterline won’t reach the CG on a good day. A handheld 1m above the water (sitting height) is certainly not guaranteed a reception, especially in poor weather or big waves.

Aye, but radio checking with Belfast as you leave Oban doesn't mean you are any more likely to reach them ticking in the shelter of a cliff round Mull than radio checking on a working channel with another boat or the marina does it?

It's not like you are working a mast in Belfast. You will be working a nearby relay mast which is several hundred meters up and can talk back to you on 100W or more.

South coasters, start with 65. Then marina or a boat. Make CG your last resort or 16 becomes cluttered with useless nonsense.

The rest of us 65 is not an option.

[Tim M]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

South coasters, start with 65. Then marina or a boat. Make CG your last resort or 16 becomes cluttered with useless nonsense.

The rest of us 65 is not an option.

67 for routine traffic to Solent CG - yet another reason why 16 gets so busy because people will call on 16 for a radio check. And of course, as you say, NCI on 65.

As for range, you "should" be able to get through to the CG on VHF anywhere in area A1 with a standard 25 watt set where the antenna is at a height of 4m; this is the benchmark they work to under GMDSS. Obviously that's going to be diminished on a RIB and due to some local anomalies caused by geographical obstructions.

[mikehhogg]

who said the coastguard gets P''d off with radio checks, I will do a radio check every time I launch the boat,even in some other persons boat. as I said earlier its a courtesy call that is welcomed by the coast guard. It only takes a minute and now if you get into difficulty they already have a note of vessel call sign and number of persons on board.When we get back we give a quick call to say all well..

[Tim M]

I'm curious to know why you think it's courtesy to call the CG up every time you go out?

[mikehhogg]

TIM its called common sense, if you go out and don't return, then the coast guard has to look for all the info that took just a min to impart. I have never received a sharp response only a warm friendly one. another thing is if another vessel gets into difficulty you are flagged in the vicinity , as I said common sense, some one else posted they only check radio if they have worked on it,just because it receives does not mean it will transmit.radio should be checked as you would fuel.

[Tim M]

Originally Posted by mikehhogg

TIM its called common sense

I would argue that point!

[mikehhogg]

you can argue all you wish. a courtesy call is just that, you are letting the coast guard know you are out, what you are in, radio checked and where you are going and when you expect to return. You may be needed to rush to a scene or simply relay a vhf call.its common courtesy and it makes sense.