Marine Radio Licence

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mdeshon

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Hi everyone sorry for the dumb question for I am a complete noob (currently studying for my tech licence) But on to my question. I am wanting to put a Marine Radio in my fishing boat for fishing rivers that have alot of large boat traffic. I was told that it is required to have on to fish the Ohio River. Do I need to get a licence to use this radio on my boat?
 

Ref-Jazzy

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This may or may not help.

The FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit is required for boaters having an HF radiotelephone, for boaters having a VHF transceiver and traveling in foreign waters, or where fitting of a marine radio is required by law (e.g. on boats 20m long or larger). There is a fee for this lifetime permit, but no tests are required in applying for this license. An application is made on FCC Form 753, available from local FCC Field Offices or by writing to the FCC, P.O. Box 1050, Gettysburg PA 17326
 

mdeshon

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Ya, i saw that but the Ohio river is not foreign waters and my boat is only like 12 for 14 feet. So according to that i am not required to have one. But would like to use one to my little boat does not get smashed by a big a** barge or tug boat.
 

redneckcellphone

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Ya, i saw that but the Ohio river is not foreign waters and my boat is only like 12 for 14 feet. So according to that i am not required to have one. But would like to use one to my little boat does not get smashed by a big a** barge or tug boat.

trust me you will have plenty of time to move out of the way if a tug or barge comes by. why not get a handheld radio? thats all i use for my boat that size.
 

mdeshon

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I may end up getting a handheld but i currently have a mobile sitting in my closet and I am thinking about just using that to save moneys
 

redneckcellphone

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Ya, i saw that but the Ohio river is not foreign waters and my boat is only like 12 for 14 feet. So according to that i am not required to have one. But would like to use one to my little boat does not get smashed by a big a** barge or tug boat.

yes its not required but i believe you are required to have some sort of signaling device. and a marine radio counts as one
 

com501

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Any marine transmitter requires a vessel license unless you are a limited coast station.

You pays the fees now, or the fines later, if you get boarded for inspection by the USCG, they will ask to see your papers.
 

DannB

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Not true

Any marine transmitter requires a vessel license unless you are a limited coast station.

You pays the fees now, or the fines later, if you get boarded for inspection by the USCG, they will ask to see your papers.

You do not need a license unless you are a commerical vessel. If you are "not for hire" (and there are some others)you dont need a license. Recreational vessels dont need a license
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 permits recreational boaters to have and use a VHF marine radio, EPIRB, and marine radar without having an FCC ship station license. Boaters traveling on international voyages, having an HF single sideband radiotelephone or marine satellite terminal, or required to carry a marine radio under any other regulation must still carry an FCC ship station license.
 

DannB

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forgot to add one

You do not need a license unless you are a commerical vessel also if you are "not for hire" you dont need a license. Recreational vessels dont need a license
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 permits recreational boaters to have and use a VHF marine radio, EPIRB, and marine radar without having an FCC ship station license. Boaters traveling on international voyages, having an HF single sideband radiotelephone or marine satellite terminal, or required to carry a marine radio under any other regulation must still carry an FCC ship station license.

forgot to add this (but dosent apply to mdeshon question) power driven ships over 20 meters in length on navigable waterways Would need to be licensed.
 
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SCPD

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No license is required for VHF if for recreational use and boat is < 20m; however, if you do have a VHF radio then you must monitor Marine Ch 16 at all times - this is required by the FCC.

I highly recommend reading this web site:

Marine Radio Information for Boaters - BoatSafe.com

In general, any vessel equipped with a VHF marine radiotelephone (whether voluntarily or required to) must maintain a watch on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) whenever the radiotelephone is not being used to communicate.

Source: FCC 47 CFR §§ 80.148, 80.310, NTIA Manual 8.2.29.6.c(2)(e), ITU RR 31.17, 33.18, AP13 §25.2
 
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Cowthief

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Hello.

You are not required to monitor anything.
In fact, you can choose to not even turn it on.
You need no license.
However, what is the point of having a radio if you are not going to use it?
Channel 16 is the normal safety and calling channel, and the best place to be if you are not doing anything else with it.
First thing you will want to do, is listen, get a feel for everything, and channel 16 is perhaps the best place to start.
 

SCPD

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Hello.

You are not required to monitor anything.
In fact, you can choose to not even turn it on.
You need no license.
However, what is the point of having a radio if you are not going to use it?
Channel 16 is the normal safety and calling channel, and the best place to be if you are not doing anything else with it.
First thing you will want to do, is listen, get a feel for everything, and channel 16 is perhaps the best place to start.

FCC: Wireless Services: Ship Radio Stations: About
Radio Watchkeeping Regulations
 

wdes151pa

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STATION LICENSE
An FCC ship station license is no longer required for any vessel traveling in
U.S. waters which uses a VHF marine radio, RADAR or EPIRB, and which is
not required to carry radio equipment. FCC license forms, including applications
for ship (506) and land station licenses can be downloaded via the
Internet at Federal Communications Commission Forms Available via Internet. To obtain a form from the FCC, call
(888) 225-5322.
 

w4wxp

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Any marine transmitter requires a vessel license unless you are a limited coast station.

You pays the fees now, or the fines later, if you get boarded for inspection by the USCG, they will ask to see your papers.


LOL. That's like saying that the DOT can fine someone for having a 10 meter 'freeband' rig in a semi... sorry pal, the only people that can enforce radio is the fcc or NTIA. Period.
 

com501

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When I was a boarding officer, we took note of no FCC license present. If it was a commercial vessel for hire, if they didn't have a license, and/or their GMDSS wasn't in order, their voyage was terminated. We always courtesy notified the FCC also.

Many a time when there was a large compliance exercise, we would have an FCC field engineer (a Federal Agent) with us, too. He/she could write their own paper.

You really do like to dig up year old threads, huh?:roll:
 

kc8vlv

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i want to weigh in, but i have sold marine two-way radios for 20 years, pleasure crafts on the waters of the great lakes aren't required to have licenses, and haven't been required to since before 1998. if you have a pleasure craft, charter boat, a radio license hasn't be required, i still sell marine radios to us and Canadian customers and i haven't seen anything in print reference a radio telephone license in years. also if you listen to the lake freighters, you won't heard "call signs"
 

W9NES

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I just spoke with West Marine in Indianapolis 317-841-0826. I was told that in 1998 the FCC did away with licensing for VHF Marine band in the 156Mhz area. I was told that if I hear any boat calling for help on Ch 16 i was told to identify myself as a emergency contact point with my handheld or mobile radio from my car and call the local Police,Fire, EMS dispatch on this. We do not have any coast guard stations here in the local metro Indianapolis area.
 

nd5y

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I just spoke with West Marine in Indianapolis 317-841-0826. I was told that in 1998 the FCC did away with licensing for VHF Marine band in the 156Mhz area.
If you bothered to read the links to the FCC web site I posted above you would know what the marine radio operator and station license requirements are.
I was told that if I hear any boat calling for help on Ch 16 i was told to identify myself as a emergency contact point with my handheld or mobile radio from my car and call the local Police,Fire, EMS dispatch on this.
I don't know who you talked to but it sounds like some boat dealer or something fed you a load of BS and you believed it.
You can't legally use marine frequencies in a vehicle, hand held, or from your ham station.
We do not have any coast guard stations here in the local metro Indianapolis area.
Then the only thing you can legally do if you hear a distress call is call 911 and report what you heard. You can't respond to it. You aren't the Coast Guard or an "emergency contact point".

Remember what happened a few years ago when law enforcement agencies in the Indianapolis area got caught using marine frequencies?
 
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