Marine Radio

From Freq Of Nature

U.S. VHF Marine Radio Channels

Ch	Tx Freq	Rx Freq	Description
1A		156.0500	Commercial
			Port Operations
2A		156.1000	Port Operations
			Commercial
3A		156.1500	Port Operations
			Commercial
4A		156.2000	Port Operations
			Commercial
5A		156.2500	Port Operations
6		156.3000	Intership Safety
7A		156.3500	Commercial
8		156.4000	Commercial
9		156.4500	Commercial
			Non-Commercial (Boater Calling)
10		156.5000	Commercial
11		156.5500	Commercial
12		156.6000	Port Operations
13		156.6500	Navigational (Bridge-to-bridge)
14		156.7000	Port Operations
15	n/a	156.7500	Environmental (Receive only)
16		156.8000	International Distress, Safety and Calling
17		156.8500	Maritime Control
18A		156.9000	Commercial
19A		156.9500	Commercial
20	157.0000	161.6000	Port Operations (duplex)
20A		157.0000	Port Operations
21A		157.0500	U.S. Government only
22A		157.1000	Coast Guard Liaison
23A		157.1500	U.S. Government only
24	157.2000	161.8000	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
25	157.2500	161.8500	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
26	157.3000	161.9000	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
27	157.3500	161.9500	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
28	157.4000	162.0000	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
60A		156.0250	Port Operations
			Commercial
61A		156.0750	Port Operations
			Commercial
62A		156.1250	Port Operations
			Commercial
63A		156.1750	Commercial
			Port Operations
64A		156.2250	Port Operations
			Commercial
65A		156.2750	Port Operations
66A		156.3250	Port Operations
67		156.3750	Commercial (Ship-to-ship only)
			Non-Commercial
			Navigational
68		156.4250	Non-Commercial
69		156.4750	Non-Commercial
70		156.5250	Digital Selective Calling
71		156.5750	Non-Commercial
72		156.6250	Commercial (Ship-to-ship only)
			Non-Commercial
73		156.6750	Port Operations
74		156.7250	Port Operations
75		156.7750	Port Operations
76		156.8250	Port Operations
77		156.8750	Port Operations
78A		156.9250	Non-Commercial
79A		156.9750	Commercial
			Non-Commercial
80A		157.0250	Commercial
			Non-Commercial
81A		157.0750	U.S. Government only
82A		157.1250	U.S. Government only
83A		157.1750	U.S. Government only
84	157.2250	161.8250	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
85	157.2750	161.8750	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
86	157.3250	161.9250	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
87	157.3750	161.9750	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
88	157.4250	162.0250	Commercial (Ship-to-ship only)
			Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
88A		157.4250	Commercial (Ship-to-ship only)

NON-COMMERCIAL - Working channels for voluntary boats. Messages must be about the needs of the ship. Typical uses include fishing reports, rendezvous, scheduling repairs and berthing information. Use Channels 67 and 72 only for ship-to-ship messages.

COMMERCIAL - Working channels for working ships only. Messages must be about business or the needs of the ship. Use channels 8, 67, 72 and 88 only for ship-to-ship messages.

PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE (MARINE OPERATOR) - Use these channels to call the marine operator at a public coast station. By contacting a public coast station, you can make and receive calls from telephones on shore. Except for distress calls, public coast stations usually charge for this service.

PORT OPERATIONS - These channels are used in directing the movement of ships in or near ports, locks or waterways. Messages must be about the operational handling movement and safety of ships. In certain major ports, Channels 11,12 and are not available for general port operations messages. Use channel 20 only for ship-to-coast messages. Channel 77 is limited to intership communications to and from pilots

NAVIGATIONAL - (Also known as the bridge-to-bridge channel.) This channel is available to all ships. Messages must be about ship navigation, for example, passing or meeting other ships. You must keep your messages short. Your power output must not be more than one watt. This is also the main working channel at most locks and drawbridges.

MARITIME CONTROL - This channel may be used to talk to ships and coast stations operated by state or local governments. Messages must pertain to regulation and control, boating activities, or assistance to ships.

DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING - Use this channel for distress and safety calling and for general purpose calling using only digital selective calling techniques.

Shore stations are 4.600 MHz above the ship frequency. In U.S. waters the shore frequency may be used on Chs 20, 24-28 & 84-87. Chs 1-5 & 60-64 are shared with other services. Chs 75 & 76 are reserved as guard bands for ch 16.

Frequencies are in MHz. Modulation is 16KF3E or 16KG3E.

Note that the letter "A" indicates simplex use of an international duplex channel, and that operations are different than international operations on that channel. Some VHF transceivers are equipped with an "International - U.S." switch for that purpose. "A" channels are generally only used in the United States, and use is normally not recognized or allowed outside the U.S.

Boaters should normally use channels listed as Non-Commercial. Channel 16 is used for calling other stations or for distress alerting. Channel 13 should be used to contact a ship when there is danger of collision. All ships of length 20m or greater are required to guard VHF channel 13, in addition to VHF channel 16, when operating within U.S. territorial waters. Users may be fined by the FCC for improper use of these channels.

On-board Communications

Ch	Tx Freq	Rx Freq
1	467.7500	457.5250
2	467.7750	457.5500
3	467.8000	457.5750
4	467.8250	457.6000

NOAA Weather Radio

Ch	Frequency
WX1	162.5500
WX2	162.4000
WX3	162.4750
WX4	162.4250
WX5	162.4500
WX6	162.5000
WX7	162.5250