USCG channel 16

[joekehoe]

I have a BCD536 and I enter all Coast Guard frequencies and can’t receive those frequencies. Are the frequencies on low power?

 

[marksmith]

Unless you are pretty much on the water, you won't hear much.

I live within a mile of a drawbridge that uses channel 13 and I can usually hear that, but not much more. Periodically hear USCG regular notice to mariners broadcasts. I am within a few miles of the transmitter, and it's a scratchy reception.

I am within a couple miles of major shipping lanes, and I don't hear a lot on VHF. The 436 is also not the best vhf radio. If you are using an 800mz antenna, it's even worse.

If I get to within visual range of major ports and shipping channels, I hear some activity, but not a lot.

I hear more when in sight of my local marina.


Mark
SDS100/536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[ecps92]

Are you referencing the VHF Marine Channels or the VHF/UHF LMR which are P25 ??

a. Marine VHF Channels - The RadioReference Wiki
or
b. United States Coast Guard - The RadioReference Wiki

I have a BCD536 and I enter all Coast Guard frequencies and can’t receive those frequencies. Are the frequencies on low power?

 

[joekehoe]

US Coast Guard

O I am referencing channels 9,16 and 21.

 

[jeatock]

Recreational marine radios are typically attached to some of the worst antennas in the world. Boaters will run with their 6 db antennas set back at a rakish 45-degree angle because it looks cool. Never mind that the RF is going up into the sky in front and bouncing off their wake in back. Five miles is good.

Marine VHF Channel 13 is limited to one watt. That's plenty to call the boat you are passing or crossing. Not enough to go much further, by design.

Boats are 'down on the water'. Trees and hills attenuate anything not in direct line of sight.

The USCG has some pretty good stuff.

 

[iMONITOR]

I have a BCD536 and I enter all Coast Guard frequencies and can’t receive those frequencies. Are the frequencies on low power?

What are you using for an antenna? The supplied stock antenna is probably the worse choice.

 

[Darkstar350]

Channel 16 is the emergency channel so you wont hear much on that channel on any given day unless a boat is disabled or someone is sick on a boat, etc however the CG will also give routine notifications on 16 sometimes if theres work going on in the water or if there was a report of a suspicious vessel, person in the water and whatnot
But yes being that marine channels are simplex you more or less need to be on or near a waterway to hear much, or have a efficient outdoor antenna
If you are reasonably near a Coast Guard station you may be able to hear their base with a not so great antenna as the coast guard base would more or less be running the most power as far as marine channels go , but you most likely would not be able to hear the boats/mobile side calling in
I live very close to a waterfront and the most active channels around here seem to be 156.450 156.650 156.850 157.100 and 157.150

 

[ecps92]

I think we might need someone local to jump in and grab the times that Sector Southeastern New England does it's broadcasts, so you can compare signals.

You should hear something in a 24 hr period on 16 and 21a
Generally when Sector puts out the updates.

You might also get lucky to hear Sector Boston, always got a good signal from just outside the Hyannis Mall with a straight shot into Boston and North from just a handheld.

O I am referencing channels 9,16 and 21.

 

[dlwtrunked]

I think we might need someone local to jump in and grab the times that Sector Southeastern New England does it's broadcasts, so you can compare signals.

You should hear something in a 24 hr period on 16 and 21a
Generally when Sector puts out the updates.

You might also get lucky to hear Sector Boston, always got a good signal from just outside the Hyannis Mall with a straight shot into Boston and North from just a handheld.

You are proabably not hearing the Boston transmitter. They have remote transceivers at Orleans and Truro which are much closer (and at Marshfield, Cohasset, Gloucester, Signal Hill, and of course at Boston).

 

[ecps92]

Yes, but sector has a bad habit of only selecting the Boston site [vs Multi-site select] and despite being at Sector it can be heard at the location mentioned. IT is a good site across from the mall.

Lat 42.368611
Long -71.053056

You are proabably not hearing the Boston transmitter. They have remote transceivers at Orleans and Truro which are much closer (and at Marshfield, Cohasset, Gloucester, Signal Hill, and of course at Boston).

 

[n4jri]

Here in Virginia, I'm finding Coast Guard activity on 156.800 and 157.100 to be much hard to hear than they used to be. That includes down in the port of Hampton Roads. A lot of the P25 stuff doesn't sound bad, but analog marine traffic is very weak compared to what it used to be. Not sure why this would be.

But what's also true is that the Coast Guard just isn't as active on regular marine channels as it used to be. Ch.81 (157.075) is in regular use as an onboard working freq for at least one tug in the area, and I have also heard Ch.83 (157.175) used for tugs docking just a few miles from District 5/Sector Hampton Roads HQ. No protest heard from USCG. Have hard USCG Auxiliary aircraft on 23 and 83 on occasion, and they were not immediately answered.

A handheld with a duckie is always a problem, but I've also noted this on a mobile with external antenna. Not hearing USCG anywhere as strong as I used to.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[ecps92]

Joe any luck last week hearing activity during the WindStar power failure in Buzzards Bay ??

I have a BCD536 and I enter all Coast Guard frequencies and can’t receive those frequencies. Are the frequencies on low power?

 

[scannermike11]

in a lot Coast guard sectors the day in and out movement is done on of their sectors channels and some this comm will be handle on their sectors freqs
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/United_States_Coast_Guard