I was working with a water rescue today on Lake Erie and my FD worked in conjunction with the coast guard. We have an old vhf radio in our squad that has marine 16 and 22 on it which we used to cordinate with USCG. If we had a vhf portable, what channels should we put on for future interoperability? Is 16 and 22 the only ones they pretty much use? Also do they only use VHF or do they have a 700/800 system too?
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Ask the USCG sector office, to see what they use. They might use 21, but only for comms between USCG assets.
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If you get a marine VHF portable it will have all the channels in it. Locally the CG will work with the local FDs on 21 or 22. In some areas 23 is also used. The CG does have a VHF P25 system for communication with their own assets and it may be encrypted.
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I'm pretty, if you read the OP, he's asking what marine channels would be good choices to program into radio(s) they already have.
I agree with krokus, ask the coast guard this question.
I'm pretty, if you read the OP, he's asking what marine channels would be good choices to program into radio(s) they already have.
I agree with krokus, ask the coast guard this question.
Thanks all for the info. We are just going to get a marine vhf radio.
I assume you are working with CG stations Fairport Harbor and possibly Ashtabula. Probably best to contact them and ask what channels they will work with you on. In a real s#*t hits the fan situation any channel could be used. Many years ago Station Erie was working 3 cases simultaneously on 16, 21 & 22.
I agree- check with your local USCG folks and ask.
That said, when the fan is distributing the brown stuff anything is fair game and legalities come after the fact. In Western River areas I usually try and program 16, 22, 6 and 9 on low power into fire and EMS apparatus. Makes coordinating a medical victim pickup from a towboat go smoother as such operations take place much faster than USCG assets can arrive. Not at all legal, but...
All regular marine radios have all the channels, so as long as you can make initial contact any marine channel is available to the boat. Typically use of 16 is only for calling and figuring out an appropriate working channel, but that can get hazy. The links to the marine channel usage table are a good guide, but each region has a slightly different every day plan.
That said, when the fan is distributing the brown stuff anything is fair game and legalities come after the fact. In Western River areas I usually try and program 16, 22, 6 and 9 on low power into fire and EMS apparatus. Makes coordinating a medical victim pickup from a towboat go smoother as such operations take place much faster than USCG assets can arrive. Not at all legal, but...
All regular marine radios have all the channels, so as long as you can make initial contact any marine channel is available to the boat. Typically use of 16 is only for calling and figuring out an appropriate working channel, but that can get hazy. The links to the marine channel usage table are a good guide, but each region has a slightly different every day plan.
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ecps92
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I would contact your Local CG for that answer, if you are going to Program Part 80 Freqs.
Now if you had a Marine VHF Radio you would already have them all, With the exception of the USCG P25 LMR
Now if you had a Marine VHF Radio you would already have them all, With the exception of the USCG P25 LMR
NML-21
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Never contact the Station directly. Contact the Sector Command Center directly and ask for Comms. The Sector is the controlling authority for who is allowed to use Coast Guard Marine channels, not the Station.
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nk8x
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Don't forget there may be problems between wide (Marine) and narrowband (PS) radios. Most notably, the marine radio may not make the narrowband signal loud enough to understand in a high noise environment.
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