RYA VHF Handbook

As a boy Tim learned to sail on the Thames.He joined thre Royal Navy Served as a Seaman during the Cod war After leaving the Navy Tim became a proffessional Yacht skipper then joined Motor Boat Yachting as a Technical Editor

• 1 Introduction 6Types of message 6Types of user 6Types of equipment 72 How radio works 8Making waves 8Frequency and wavelength 8Characteristics of differentfrequencies 9Modulation 10Antennas 11Antenna gain 12Batteries 133 Rules and Regulations 15Why rules? 15Licensing 15Ship Radio Licences 16Coast Radio Licences 17Authority to Operate 18Type approval 18Radio log 19Secrecy 19The ten commandments 204 Operating a marine VHF radio 21Power on 21Volume 21Squelch 21Transmitter power 22Channel selector 22PTT switch 23Dual watch, Tri watch and Scan 23Dimmer 24Switching on and setting up 245 VHF Channels 25Principle of “channels” 25Simplex and duplex channels 26International and private channels 27American channels 28Channel 16 and guard band 28Channel 70 29Special channels 296 Voice procedure 1: Routine calls 30Calling another vessel 30Calling a coast station 33Calling the Coastguard 34Radio check 36Garbled calls 36Unanswered calls 37Link calls 37Accounting procedures 37Operating procedures 38Shore to ship 40Prowords 40Standard vocabulary 42Phonetic alphabet 427 Voice procedure 2: Distress calls 43Definition of distress 43The Distress Call 44The Distress Message 45Specifying position 47Receiving a distress message 48Acknowledging a distress message 49Seelonce 50Distress relay 51VHF Handbook 58 Voice procedure 3: Urgency &Safety calls 52Urgency calls 52Medical advice 53Safety calls 549 GMDSS 55Background and principles 55Sub-systems involved in GMDSS 55Navtex 56EPIRBs 57The satellites 57Doppler positioning 58EPIRBs 58Stowage and maintenance 59Registration 59False alarms 59SARTs 6010 Digital Selective Calling –introduction & routine calls 61DSC controllers 61Classes of DSC controller 62MMSIs 62Types of call 63DSC controllers and position 64Using a Class D controller 64Sending a DSC announcement 65Receiving a DSC individualannouncement 65Receiving a DSC groupannouncement 66Using a Class A or B controller 6611 DSC Distress, Urgency & Safety 67Definition of distress 67The distress alert 67After sending a distress alert 68Receiving a distress alert 68Accidental False Alert procedure 69Urgency and safety 70Sending an urgency or safety call 70Receiving a DSC urgency orsafety announcement 71DSC Distress Relay 71Appendix 1: Examination Syllabusfor the CEPT Short RangeCertificate (SRC) 72Appendix 2: Standard MarineCommunication Phrases 78VHF channel numbers 82GMDSS Sea Areas 84Index 86Glossary 89