Hello all,does the coast guard here in CT use any certain freqs other then the ones in the marine band? Also what would be some good freqs to listen to in the marine band for coast guard activity?
Coast Guard freqs?
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KB1UAM
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this is right from scan new England. hope this helps
US Coast Guard (USCG) 1st District - Scan New England Wiki
I don't know what part of Connecticut you live in but that is the list for new England.
US Coast Guard (USCG) 1st District - Scan New England Wiki
I don't know what part of Connecticut you live in but that is the list for new England.
kennyblues
Member
Most USCG activity has moved off of the Marine channels. They are now on the USCG LMR channels, using P-25 with a mix of clear and ENC.
Thanks for the info.
in new haven uscg uses ch 16 - 156.800 for emergency traffic as well as to announce weather alerts, etc. they then have you switch to channel 22- 157.100 for weather. Whenever they do a search they usually use channel 83 - 157.175. They also use 163.050 in mixed mode. sometimes clear digital sometimes encrypted. That's what I get here
WA1ATA
Member
Channel 16 is the emergency/distress and hailing channel everywhere. If there is one channel to start monitoring, it is Channel 16, 156.800 MHZ. Conversations start on this channel and unless a grave emergency, they will shift to another channel. By listening to 16, you will quickly find out what the various working channels are.
Channel 13 is for bridge to bridge (captain to captain) communications regarding navigation and safety. So you will hear things like one ship telling another that they will overtake them on the port side.
21 and 22 are the main working channels for the Coast Guard. Also used for marine safety announcements (extreme weather, buoys out of place, floating debris, etc.). These channels are assigned to specific Coast Guard stations to minimize interference between adjacent stations, but it is not uncommon to hear them on the one other than their main assignment. In a few cases, Channel 83 is used in place of 21 or 22. Channel 83 is also often used by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. 82 is also available for CG use, but doesn't seem to be used as often.
Another frequency that may be of interest is the working channel for your local Towboat US or SeaTow ---- kind of like the AAA of the sea. I don't know of any list of freqs for the towing companies, but often they will end their conversations on Channel 16 with "Towboat US out, will be monitoring Channels 16 and xx", where xx is their working channel.
Channel 13 is for bridge to bridge (captain to captain) communications regarding navigation and safety. So you will hear things like one ship telling another that they will overtake them on the port side.
21 and 22 are the main working channels for the Coast Guard. Also used for marine safety announcements (extreme weather, buoys out of place, floating debris, etc.). These channels are assigned to specific Coast Guard stations to minimize interference between adjacent stations, but it is not uncommon to hear them on the one other than their main assignment. In a few cases, Channel 83 is used in place of 21 or 22. Channel 83 is also often used by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. 82 is also available for CG use, but doesn't seem to be used as often.
Another frequency that may be of interest is the working channel for your local Towboat US or SeaTow ---- kind of like the AAA of the sea. I don't know of any list of freqs for the towing companies, but often they will end their conversations on Channel 16 with "Towboat US out, will be monitoring Channels 16 and xx", where xx is their working channel.
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Well so far there has been activity from the Coast Guard on channel 16 and 22 on the marine band.Now wouldn't SeaTow use any of the marine band distress/emergency channels for working channels?
ecps92
Member
Just like most marina's they will pick a channel, not used by someone else near-by.
Each Region uses different channels.
Most will start out on Ch.16 then move to a Company working VHF Marine Channel
Each Region uses different channels.
Most will start out on Ch.16 then move to a Company working VHF Marine Channel
Would anyone know what freqs SeaTow uses or would use?
KB1UAM
Member
well I know they have a uhf repeater on 452.1750 this frequency repeats many VHF marine channels.
ecps92
Member
ecps92
Member
Best bet is to search all the VHF Marine channels, it might take sometime now that the Weekend-Warrior season is winding down. Most of the frequent Boston activity was always on Sat/Sun's
KB1UAM
Member
oh I thought that was a company wide frequency???
ecps92
Member
Nope - two different Companies.
And they are just like your local Drive-Thru, A Franchise
ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Conventional License - WQCJ618 - TOWBOAT-NANTUCKET SOUND, INC. is for Tow Boat - Nantucket, not Tow-Boat USA
And they are just like your local Drive-Thru, A Franchise
ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Conventional License - WQCJ618 - TOWBOAT-NANTUCKET SOUND, INC. is for Tow Boat - Nantucket, not Tow-Boat USA
Probably,now many watts do their radios put out? Would you be able to pick them up if you don't live close to the ocean?
KB1UAM
Member
not sure how many Watts the radios put out, but typically you would have to be 2 or 3 miles from any given point on shore. if you have optimal settings such as a roof antenna, you may pick them up further away. if you live at higher elevations that might help as well.
ecps92
Member
Base/Mobiles are limited to 25 watts
Portables are typically 1/2/5 watts
Depends on how far away and if they are running a base or not.
20 miles, would be the projected limit, not knowing your antenna etc
Portables are typically 1/2/5 watts
Depends on how far away and if they are running a base or not.
20 miles, would be the projected limit, not knowing your antenna etc
WA1ATA
Member
I don't think there is one specific channel that all SeaTow uses, other than 16.
There are many SeaTow locations in Connecticut.
Locations & Coverage | Sea Tow
Many are within VHF range of each other, and most likely have chosen different working channels to avoid interference. Perhaps you can just call them on the telephone and ask what channel they usually use.
As I said in my post above, you can discover the working channels for your local SeaTow and TowboatUS by listening to channel 16. Channel 16 will be used by boaters requesting assistance. The towing company will then direct them over to another channel for further conversation. This channel is not "reserved".
The local (New Bedford, MA) TowboatUS normally uses channel 18. A few times channel 18 has been occupied by a couple of fishing boats chatting. The TowboatUS dispatcher simply picked another channel and when contacted on 16, told the caller to shift and answer on the other channel.
If 20 miles is the tops then am probably good,and it would probably be the best idea to scan around and listen for SeaTow activity then.
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Sea Tow working channels for LI and Conn:
Pt Jeff , Eastern LI @ Southold, Shinnecock, Moriches, Montauk all use 18A, Montauk also uses ch 6 as a secondary working channel.
Western LI Sound@ Mamaroneck, Central Conn @ Saybrook & Branford use Ch 8
Don't know what Northport, and Bridgeport-Stamford uses.
Great South Bay Fire Island uses Ch 11
Freeport uses Ch 10
Eastern Conn (Mystic, Watch Hill) uses ch 5A and 6 secondary.
With that said, you only hear about 1/4 of the activity because much dispatching is done via text or nextel type PTT where available. so the trend here is much like Police Dpts moving much dispatch activity to MDT terminals instead of voice. A lot of boaters prefer to call the 800 dispatch number directly and communicate via cell phone so that the predicament they got into does not go public.
Sea Tow's on the LI South Shore often are contacted by Satphone by disabled boaters who are beyond VHF range.
Pt Jeff , Eastern LI @ Southold, Shinnecock, Moriches, Montauk all use 18A, Montauk also uses ch 6 as a secondary working channel.
Western LI Sound@ Mamaroneck, Central Conn @ Saybrook & Branford use Ch 8
Don't know what Northport, and Bridgeport-Stamford uses.
Great South Bay Fire Island uses Ch 11
Freeport uses Ch 10
Eastern Conn (Mystic, Watch Hill) uses ch 5A and 6 secondary.
With that said, you only hear about 1/4 of the activity because much dispatching is done via text or nextel type PTT where available. so the trend here is much like Police Dpts moving much dispatch activity to MDT terminals instead of voice. A lot of boaters prefer to call the 800 dispatch number directly and communicate via cell phone so that the predicament they got into does not go public.
Sea Tow's on the LI South Shore often are contacted by Satphone by disabled boaters who are beyond VHF range.
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