Massachusetts Harbormasters Association - List of Frequencies

[D31245]

I am in Central Massachusetts (Leominster) and wanted to give maritime scanning a shot. I pick up Boston Fire/EMS no problem but not sure what I can pick up for Marine channels.

I have a Uniden BC125AT and am running the Marine Service Search function right now, but so far, I’m not hearing anything (although a few channels stopped momentarily but there was no audio). For the ones that stopped, it appears Uniden associated the Marine Channel number with certain frequencies. (Still learning about this area)

Would it be advantageous to program any of these in (worried about overlap with the service search function), or is there another list of marine frequencies to program and monitor?

Here is the list:

Massachusetts Harbormasters Association

Massachusetts Harbormasters Association

mass.harbormasters.org

 

[D31245]

I found this web page. Looks interesting. More to learn.

Marine Radio Scanning

 

[tvengr]

Channel 16 (156.8) is the primary distress and calling channel.

 

[D31245]

Found this on RR:

Maritime (United States) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Maritime (United States)

www.radioreference.com

 

[hill]

The linked website kind of described VHF-FM marine channel 13 kind of crazy.

This channel is mainly used by large commercial vessels like tugs and ships to make passing agreements. Before radios were common place in days of old these vessels would have made passing agreements via whistle signals. You will still hear them voicing these agreements on channel 13 by speaking the whistle signals that would have been used.

All can use it to navigate safely around large vessels, 99% radio chatter on channel 13 will be commercial vessels.

It required to be monitored by vessels 300 tones or greater and towing vessels 26 feet or greater in the USA.

Radio transmissions on channel 13 are short any contain just required information to navigate a vessel.

Also used by vessels to contact Bridge tenders to have them lift the draw span.

 

[mmckenna]

VHF marine is mostly simplex (no repeaters), so you are going to have a hard time hearing much that far inland.
USCG has their antennas up quite high, but they are oriented to direct RF out over the water, not so much inland.

Take your radio out to the coast and give it a try. Or, get a good antenna up a few hundred feet.

 

[D31245]

Thank you all!

 

[j896]

I am closer to the coast then your are with just a antenna in my window up on the third floor and i dont hear that much from the marine channels ... Sometimes yacht clubs talking to boats but mostly just one side of the conversation i can hear . The coast guard comes in well .