Coastguard Northern Region: Using Marine Radio

Using Marine Radio
Rules for General Radio Use VHF Channels Calling procedures Radio Distress Calling Call Sign Registration
Rules for General Radio Use Listen before transmitting Don’t make unnecessary calls and keep all calls as brief as possible Don’t allow children to play with the radio Always identify yourself using your call sign and boat name Always ensure your microphone is correctly stowed to avoid accidental transmissions which will lock up the channel Use Channel 16 for making your initial call, then move to an agreed working channel for emergencies Stay on Channel 16 unless you are directed to another channel by MSA Maritime Radio or Coastguard Return to Channel 16 when you have completed a call Make sure you obtain an operator’s qualification and call sign Nationwide, Maritime Radio keeps a 24-hour listening watch on Channel 16. There are also many volunteer Coastal and Coastguard stations keeping a listening watch on Channel 16 and other channels locally. Coastguard Northern Region operates a 24-hour service.
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VHF Channels To obtain a copy of the Coastguard VHF Channels in the Northern Region please click here.
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Calling Procedures Name of station you are calling “Coastguard Radio, Coastguard Radio, Coastguard Radio,” Your vessel name and call sign “This is Rescue Alpha, ZMR 6666; Rescue Alpha, ZMR 6666; Rescue Alpha, ZMR 6666” Called station will respond “Rescue Alpha, this is Coastguard Radio, go ahead please” If you are calling another vessel, at this point the called station will nominate a ship to ship channel, to which both parties will move, and re-establish communication.
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Radio Distress Calling - Use only if in grave or imminent danger Make an emergency announcement using SSB 2182, 4125, 6215, 8291 or VHF Ch 16 “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY” “THIS IS (name of vessel & call sign)” 3 TIMES “MAYDAY (name of vessel & call sign)” Detail specific information about your position and situation Give vessel’s position in degrees & minutes of latitude and longitude or bearings & distance relative to a well-known geographical feature Explain nature of distress & the kind of assistance required Provide any other information which may assist rescuers – numbers of persons on board, description of vessel, life-raft, EPIRB
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Call Sign Registration Marine VHF radio call signs are issued for vessels operating within New Zealand waters only. New Zealand registered vessels heading off shore to countries that require an individual Ships Radio Licence rather than a standard GURL (Generic user radio licence). Please contact Coastguard Boating Education. Update existing call sign Print your VHF Call Sign Update Form (PDF Format, 41KB) or Apply Online New call sign application Print your VHF Call Sign Application Form (PDF Format, 68KB) or Apply Online Important message to all owners and users of VHF radios All users of Marine VHF are required to hold a minimum of a Marine VHF Operators Qualification (an exception is made for radio use only in emergency or distress situations). To find out how to obtain this simple qualification, contact Coastguard Boating Education on 0800 40 80 90 or email info@cbes.org.nz All radio transmissions are required to be "individually identifiable". Countries throughout the world have adopted the marine VHF call sign system as being the best option available.Marine VHF call signs are held on a national database and are used solely for Search and Rescue purposes.Marine VHF call signs for recreational and commercial boaties are available from Coastguard Boating Education, who maintain the database on behalf of Radio Spectrum Management; a division of the Ministry of Economic Development. There is a charge of $30. To obtain your call sign, either print off the call sign application form above, or contact Coastguard Boating Education - free phone 0800 40 80 90 to provide credit card details. Should any of your personal details change or if you change vessels you must advise Coastguard Boating Education. Phone 0800 40 80 90 to update your records. When you sell your vessel you have two options; 1) You can keep the call sign - in which case you must inform the new owner that you are keeping the call sign and that he/she must obtain a NEW call sign; 2) You can let the call sign stay with the vessel. Either way you MUST advise Coastguard Boating Education. Ship Licences - commercial vessels Requirements for radio operators on commercial vessels will vary depending on the radio equipment installed, number of passengers and requirements of current safety legislation. Owners should approach their Safe Ship Management Company or the Maritime New Zealand (Ph: 0508 22 55 22) for further advice. Vessels travelling overseas In most cases a standard GURL (General Users Radio Licence) or ships call sign is all that is required for vessels travelling overseas. In some cases when engaged in international voyaging a vessel owner may have difficulty in convincing a foreign port authority that the Radiocommunications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Maritime purposes) Notice 2007 and a callsign record in SMART constitutes a valid radio licence, hence vessel owners may choose to maintain an individual licence for their vessel (and pay an annual fee) so that they can present a copy of the radio licence to officials in foreign ports. To obtain an application form, contact Coastguard Boating Education info@cbes.org.nz A Maritime Ship (radio) Licence consists of a licence number, a call sign number, an MMSI number and depending on the vessel type, a radio telex number. The Maritime Ship Licence is an individual radio licence granted to the owner of the vessel. Note: Commercial and New Zealand registered vessels seeking special call signs or four-letter call signs (e.g. ZMAB) should contact Radio Spectrum on 0508 776436 or email info@rsm.govt.nz. New Zealand call signs can only be issued to New Zealand vessels. If the vessel is registered overseas then you must contact the licensing authority of that country to obtain a callsign. To operate a MF/HF (SSB) radio, a Maritime Restricted Operator Certificate (MROC) is the minimum requirement. Full details are recorded in the Register of Radio Frequencies and made available for public inspection. This includes the name and address of the licence holder. Clients have the right to request that their residential address be withheld from public access. Requests must be made in writing to the Registrar of Radio Frequencies, Private Bag 92061, Auckland. Payment: The current annual licence fee is $350* for recreational and commercial vessels. The fee must be paid in advance before the licence is issued. Once payment has been validated the licence is automatically granted and an email sent to the address supplied. Coastguard Boating Education has an additional $30 fee for administering the licence application. Both payments will be deducted from the credit card details you have supplied. Only Visa or Mastercard credit cards will be accepted as a form of payment. *The annual licence fee refers to the billing month when you are first registered as a client of Radio Spectrum Management.
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