Questions about marine vhf

[BabaDude77]

I’m located in SE CT and was looking through the FCC licenses in NewLondon county and noticed some boat yards and other fishing related frequencies. After looking into these frequencies I see that they seem to be the same as some marine vhf channels (9,11,18,68,71). How can these companies license national marine frequencies? Do they use a certain CTCSS or DCS code and get the channel. I didn’t think marine channels had PL ?

 

[mmckenna]

I’m located in SE CT and was looking through the FCC licenses in NewLondon county and noticed some boat yards and other fishing related frequencies. After looking into these frequencies I see that they seem to be the same as some marine vhf channels (9,11,18,68,71). How can these companies license national marine frequencies? Do they use a certain CTCSS or DCS code and get the channel. I didn’t think marine channels had PL ?

It could be shore stations. They require a specific license and usually are licensed only to specific channels. Got a link? Usually the service code will tell you something.

Inland, it's not uncommon for -some- VHF marine channels to be licensed well away from navigable waterways.

 

[doctordialtone]

How can these companies license national marine frequencies?

They don't "license" them or own them. They just use them.

You'll notice when you're out on the water that some vessels have the channel(s) they use painted on the side of the boat.

This is mostly for convenience.

Like if you want to book them for a fishing trip.

 

[kb5udf]

Quick response; you will get more authoritative answers. Marine related entities, just like rail and aviation often get licensed for those frequencies. In this case, entities that have services that are essentially dockside may be licensed at times.

 

[nd5y]

How can these companies license national marine frequencies?

The same way any other business can be licensed to use national industrial/business frequencies or public safety users on public safety frequencies. The frequencies are all shared.

Coast Radio Stations

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www.fcc.gov

Scroll down to Private Coast Station and Marine Utility Stations.

 

[BabaDude77]

It could be shore stations. They require a specific license and usually are licensed only to specific channels. Got a link? Usually the service code will tell you something.

Inland, it's not uncommon for -some- VHF marine channels to be licensed well away from navigable waterways.

Here’s an example of one of the ones I found.

FCC Callsign WHV364 (SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FISHERMAN ASSN)

FCC Callsign WHV364 (SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FISHERMAN ASSN)

www.radioreference.com

 

[BabaDude77]

Sorry I’m new to listening to marine. Was just poking around the FCC listing looking for something that could be amusing to listen to. Only marine I’ve ever had in my scan lists have been 16 and 22A

 

[mmckenna]

Here’s an example of one of the ones I found.

FCC Callsign WHV364 (SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FISHERMAN ASSN)

FCC Callsign WHV364 (SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FISHERMAN ASSN)

www.radioreference.com

The radio service "MC - Coastal Group" tells you what you need to know. It's a coastal station used for talking with ships/boats. Intended for business use so the boats don't have to have a Business radio on top of the marine radio.

Not uncommon to see this for marina's, fuel docks, processing plants, etc.

 

[BabaDude77]

Do they have their own specific CTCSS or just operate on the normal marine channel that coincides with the frequency? Just so i know weather I need to put a specific channel per company or just put in the marine channel if that makes sense

 

[doctordialtone]

Do they have their own specific CTCSS or just operate on the normal marine channel that coincides with the frequency?

We never use a CTCSS on our radios, (In the Noank area) so no, it's not commonly used on public channels.

https://wireless.fcc.gov/marine/vhfchanl.pdf

 

[BabaDude77]

Thanks for the info guys appreciate it

 

[ecps92]

Marine VHF is CSQ aka No PL

Do they have their own specific CTCSS or just operate on the normal marine channel that coincides with the frequency? Just so i know weather I need to put a specific channel per company or just put in the marine channel if that makes sense

 

[KC2zZe]

...although...I have monitored outfits that will transmit a CTCSS tone when using marine channels. They will receive in carrier squelch, but, for the benefit of bosses interested in just monitoring their employee's activities, I have heard stations using a PL. That's why when I program portable scanners for the VHF marine channels, I generally select "search" in the tone column (same for the AAR channels). It's nice for base scannists too who are only interested in hearing what one dock is up to on a particular channel, as opposed to all the traffic up and down a given waterway. I have the very next channel in the scanner programmed with the same marine channel in CSQ, but locked out. This way, if a conversation sounds interesting, I hold and scroll up one to hear both ends of it.

 

[Ubbe]

They will receive in carrier squelch, but, for the benefit of bosses interested in just monitoring their employee's activities, I have heard stations using a PL.

I have that exact thing from a shipping company that has their own frequency on 155.900 that are not part of the international channels or side channels like L/M/P. I don't know if approved marine radios can be programmed with an extra channel or even transmit CTCSS. Every boat and ship from that company sends their own unique CTCSS tone and I guess it has be done to a second radio holding just their own frequency.

Their boss are always the captain on one of their boats so I guess that the radios use a scanlist with all the PL tones so each radio will display who is actually talking.

/Ubbe

 

[ecps92]

Some radios such as the older ICOMs had Private channels in the US versions that did get used/abused.
I'll check my notes [when I get home] for 155.9000, but that maybe something specific to your country for 155.9000, since that is not even a valid
frequency assignment in the US.

For the US it would be either 155.8950, 155.9025 or 155.9100

I have that exact thing from a shipping company that has their own frequency on 155.900 that are not part of the international channels or side channels like L/M/P. I don't know if approved marine radios can be programmed with an extra channel or even transmit CTCSS. Every boat and ship from that company sends their own unique CTCSS tone and I guess it has be done to a second radio holding just their own frequency.

Their boss are always the captain on one of their boats so I guess that the radios use a scanlist with all the PL tones so each radio will display who is actually talking.

/Ubbe

 

[mmckenna]

I don't know if approved marine radios can be programmed with an extra channel or even transmit CTCSS.

I can only speak to the USA/FCC rules.
There are numerous commercial VHF radios (aka: Part 90) that also have Part 80 certifications. With correct licenses, it's completely legal to program both VHF marine as well as business/public safety frequencies into the radios. The radios will support analog, digital, PL, DPL, etc….
Nothing in the Part 80 rules that prevents someone from using PL/DPL on the channels.

 

[hill]

Some marine radios can support programming of land mobile frequencies. Some Icom and Horizon Standard support it.

The radios only have the marine channels when new and you can program frequencies in which you are licensed. Some have up to 40 slots for adding these. The only drawback is the software to complete this is hard to get, so may have to be completed by a dealer. One radio that comes to with feature is the M88 handheld marine radio and think it's been discontinued, with being on the market for a long time.

 

[ecps92]

checked my notes etc on the ole ICOMs and as an example the M55 did Private channels, but 155.9000 is not one of them.
nearest at 155.8250 Ch.03P(rivate) and 155.9250 Ch. F02

I am thinking 155.9000 is a local [your country] assignent and as McKenna indicates there are many (US) radios that can/do Marine that would not be thought as a traditional marine radio

Some radios such as the older ICOMs had Private channels in the US versions that did get used/abused.
I'll check my notes [when I get home] for 155.9000, but that maybe something specific to your country for 155.9000, since that is not even a valid
frequency assignment in the US.

For the US it would be either 155.8950, 155.9025 or 155.9100

 

[Ubbe]

In my country any VHF marine radio that has ch16 and the rest of the international ones needs to be approved for marine use and follow some regulations. I don't know how valid it would be to have a scanlist of say 10 channels and each with 155.900 but with different subtones and still conforms to regulations, that you are always supposed to monitor ch16, that mostly are done by dual watch. Do ship radios have 10 channels scanning capability? Or could that identification system be done in another way? I will start monitoring more closely to hear if another marine radio can be heard in the background while they transmit.

/Ubbe

 

[mmckenna]

USA has the requirement to monitor Channel 16 for commercial/passenger vessels. In every situation I've seen, that's always been a dedicated radio somewhere on the bridge. While many of the VHF Marine radios will provide "dual watch" capability, it's a less than ideal situation.