Recreational Vessel Marine VHF Guide Published 2022-12-05; Last updated 2024-07-18
Boats communicate by VHF radio on marine channels, at either 1 W power locally or 25 W for maximum range. It has an effective range at 25 W of 5-20 NM (around 10-35 km) for unobstructed line of line of sight between antennas mounted high on masts. Marine VHF use includes recreational, commercial, and military use, so it allows boats and land stations from different categories to coordinate safely.
Not covered in this article, boats also communicate by cellular phone (when in range of land antennas), satellite phone, satellite internet, marine SSB/UHF radio, and ham radio, as well as employing various emergency transmitters.
![ ](mounted.jpg width=300px attrib="Image by Francis Domiano, CC0" attrib-url="https://www.flickr.com/photos/193162016@N04/51245554700/") General voice VHF is an unencrypted broadcast transmission. Anyone with a VHF radio can hear everyone's transmissions in range, and only one station can broadcast at a time. Channels and protocols are therefore tightly regulated. Their proper use must be observed for effective and legal use of this critical safety and communication resource.
This article is a reference guide for marine VHF use. It is not authoritative on protocols or intended as a sole safety guide, and may have errors or omissions. You have sole responsibility for verifying information here and I assume no liability and provide no warranty. Check your local laws for licensing requirements and additional regulations. Note that even listening to marine VHF without a license is illegal in some jurisdictions.
A station is a specific radio, which can be installed on a boat, carried as handheld by a person, or installed on shore.
The receiver of a call is the controlling station, except for distress (mayday) calls, where the vessel in distress is the controlling station.
The priority of transmissions is Distress overrides Urgency overrides Safety overrides Routine.
An emergency transmission sequence begins with a voice call and is followed by a voice message. These are often combined into a single transmission.
A DSC alert may also be issued before the voice call.
Each voice transmission begins with a signal, such as "Mayday".
References:
- https://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/publications/mcts-sctm/ramn-arnm/part4-eng.html
- https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/spectrum-management-telecommunications/en/official-publications/information/radiocom-information-circulars-ric/ric-21-study-guide-restricted-operator-certificate-aeronautical-qualification-sf09802
- https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/CG-CVC/CVC3/references/Emergency_Radio_Procedures.pdf
Safety messages are typically sent by the Coast Guard or large ships, as well as by any vessel entering a narrow or restricted visibility pass such as those in Vancouver Island's gulf islands.
Broadcast the call on channel 16:
Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité
All stations, all stations, all stations (or rarely, a specific station)
This is (vessel), (vessel), (vessel)
Call sign (call sign)
MMSI number (number)
My position is (latitude), (longitude), (+ location relative to some landmark)
I will broadcast a navigation warning about (summary) on channel (working channel) (or include here if short).
outThen, broadcast the message on the working channel, such as 06:
Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité
All stations, all stations, all stations (or rarely, a specific station)
This is (vessel), (vessel), (vessel)
Call sign (call sign)
MMSI number (number)
My position is (latitude), (longitude), (+ location relative to some landmark)
(nature of the navigation hazard)
overThe message can be combined with the call in a single transmission when short:
Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité
All stations, all stations, all stations
This is (vessel), (vessel), (vessel)
I am a (length) (type) vessel entering (narrow pass)
traversing (direction).
outIt is unusual to send a DSC alert for a safety message. That is only done when a large area is affected.
(Pronounced "pahn-pahn")
On channel 16:
Pan-pan, pan-pan, pan-pan
All stations, all stations, all stations
This is (vessel), (vessel), (vessel)
Call sign (call sign)
MMSI number (number)
My position is (latitude), (longitude), (+ location relative to some landmark)
(nature of the urgency)
I have (n) persons aboard
(relevant identifying details for the boat, course and speed, etc.)
overContinue monitoring for three minutes after receiving an urgency call.
On channel 16:
Mayday, mayday, mayday
This is (vessel), (vessel), (vessel)
Call sign (call sign)
MMSI number (number)
Mayday
My position is (latitude), (longitude), (+ location relative to some landmark)
(nature of the distress)
(the assistance that is required)
I have (n) persons aboard
(relevant identifying details for the boat)
(course and speed)
overEvery following message should begin with Mayday (vessel).
Respond to a mayday call with:
Mayday
(distressed vessel), (distressed vessel), (distressed vessel)
This is (vessel), (vessel), (vessel)
Received mayday
...
OverIf other traffic is not respecting the mayday and still transmitting, the controlling station can explicitly impose silence with:
(offending transmitter)
This is (vessel)
Silence Mayday ("Seelonce mayday")
Out
If other traffic is not respecting the mayday and still transmitting, a third party station can explicitly impose silence with:
(offending transmitter)
This is (vessel)
Silence distress ("Seelonce distress")
Out
End mayday with:
Mayday (vessel)
Silence fini ("Seelonce feenee")
Out
On channel 16:
Mayday relay, mayday relay, mayday relay
All stations, all stations, all stations
This is (vessel), (vessel), (vessel)
Call sign (call sign)
MMSI number (number)
Mayday received from (vessel) at (time/date):
Their position is (latitude), (longitude), (+ location relative to some landmark)
(the nature of their distress)
(the assistance that is required)
They have (n) persons aboard
(relevant identifying details for the boat, course and speed, etc.)
overCall:
(receiver), (receiver), (receiver)
This is (caller), (caller), caller)
On channel (hail channel)
OverAcknowledge call:
(caller)
This is (receiver)
Go to working channel (channel, e.g. 68)
OverMessages:
(other vessel) this is (my vessel)
...
Over
End:
(other vessel) this is (my vessel)
...
Returning to channel 16
Out| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Over | I am done transmitting and expect a reply |
| Out | I am done transmitting and do not expect a reply (not Over and Out) |
| Roger | I understand what you said |
| Wilco | I understand what you said and will comply |
| Unable | I understand what you said and will not comply |
| Affirm | Yes (not Affirmative) |
| Negative | No |
| Break | I am splitting my message and will resume momentarily |
| Acknowledge | Confirm that you recieved and understood this message |
| I Spell... | About to spell the following word(s) |
| Stand By | I will reestablish communication soon |
| Standing By | I await your reestablishing communication |
| Disregard | Ignore |
| Confirm... | Verify that the following information is correct |
| Correction | An error was made and the following is the correct information |
| In figures | Single-digit numbers |
| Spell | Spell out using NATO alphabet |
| . | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| 0 | Zero |
| 1 | One |
| 2 | Two |
| 3 | Tree |
| 4 | Fo-ar |
| 5 | Fife |
| 6 | Six |
| 7 | Seven |
| 8 | Eight |
| 9 | Niner |
| . | Decimal |
| $ | Dollars |
| A | Alfa |
| B | Bravo |
| C | Charlie |
| D | Delta |
| E | Echo |
| F | Foxtrot |
| G | Golf |
| H | Hotel |
| I | India |
| J | Juliette |
| K | Keelo |
| L | Leema |
| M | Mike |
| N | November |
| O | Oscar |
| P | Pa-pa |
| Q | Quebec |
| R | Romeo |
| S | Sierra |
| T | Tango |
| U | Uniform |
| V | Victor |
| W | Whiskey |
| X | X-Ray |
| Y | Yankee |
| Z | Zulu |
All numbers are pronounced as a sequence of single-digit numbers.
The format for a date and time is:
DDHHMM[optional timezone] month YYYYThe format for a time is:
HHMM[optional timezone]A 24-hour clock is always used. The day begins at 0000, noon is
1200, and the last minute before midnight is 2359.
If unspecified or J (Juliette), then the time zone is local
time. Otherwise, the
ACP Standard
is used as a specifier, although only Z (Zulu) is common in civilian use.
Some example time zones are:
| Letter | Zone |
|---|---|
A |
UTC + 1 |
B |
UTC + 2 |
C |
UTC + 3 |
J |
Local |
Q |
UTC - 4 = EDT (summer) |
R |
UTC - 5 = EST (winter) |
T |
UTC - 7 = PDT (summer) |
U |
UTC - 8 = PST (winter) |
Z |
UTC + 0 |
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Channel usage varies with location. Check your regional regulations. Some common channels are:
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 06 | Ship-to-ship working channel; ship-to-air in Canada |
| 09 | US ship-to-shore working channel and hailing; ship-to-air calling in Canada |
| 11 | Vessel traffic regulating |
| 12 | Vessel traffic regulating (SF: offshore traffic) |
| 13 | Ship-to-ship "Bridge-to-bridge" navigation traffic |
| 14 | SF Bay Pilotage; BC Coast port and pilot operations |
| 16 | Emergency and hailing. Monitor this by default |
| 65 | Search and Rescue and Antipollution on the Great Lakes |
| 68 | Recreational vessel (US ship-to-ship) |
| 69 | Recreational vessel |
| 70 | Reserved for DSC |
| 71 | Recreational vessel |
| 72 | Recreational vessel ship-to-ship |
| 78 | Recreational vessel |
Lionel Botting gives the following in his list of Canada Pacific North West channels. I have not verified them:
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 16 | Intership/Shipshore Distress & Calling |
| 22A | Intership/Shipshore Communications with Canadian Coast Guard Stations |
| 83A | (preferred) Intership/Shipshore Communications with Canadian Coast Guard Stations |
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 9 | Pleasure Craft Intership/Shipshore |
| 66A | Pleasure Craft Intership/Shipshore Communicating with Marinas |
| 67 | Pleasure Craft Intership/Shipshore |
| 68 | Pleasure Craft Intership/Shipshore |
| 69 | Pleasure Craft Intership/Shipshore Communicating with A.E.S. Marep |
| 72 | Pleasure Craft Intership Only |
| 73 | Pleasure Craft Intership/Shipshore |
| 87A | Pleasure Craft Intership Only |
| Channel | Area |
|---|---|
| 11 | Victoria to Ballenas, and Cape Caution to Rupert |
| 12 | Vancouver Harbour |
| 71 | Ballenas / Merry Island - Comox Traffic |
| 74 | Fraser River and Tofino Traffic |
| 05A | Whitbey Island / Seattle / Juan de Fuca Strait |
Operating a VHF radio in Canadian waters requires a Restricted Operator Certificate-Maritime (ROC-M), which is issued by Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons. Operating includes even just turning the radio on. The ROC-M is restricted to operation on water for non-commercial vessels.
In Canada, a VHF station license is not required for a radio mounted in a vessel. It is required for a Canadian vessel in US waters. That station license is issued by Innovation Canada.
Operating a VHF radio in US waters for a US recreational vessel does not require a license.
Without a land station license, it is illegal in most countries to transmit on VHF from land. Marine stations may only use marine channels.
The UK requires a maritime license to operate VHF, as well as a license for the vessel's radio.
The channels used vary by country.
Marine/aviation VHF cannot be used on land, including to communicate with a ship, by recreational users. Instead, use FRS or GMRS UHF ("walkie-talkie") two-way radios. In Canada, approved FRS/GMRS devices may be used without a license. In the US, FRS does not require a license but GMRS does. Note that in the US, using "voice scrambling/encryption" FRS/GMRS is illegal.
A distress call (Mayday) is only for an imminent threat to life, not property. A fire, an uncontrollable hull leak, an injury requiring immediate hospitalization (including hypothermia), or a crew overboard at sea are canonical distress scenarios.
At sea, although everyone might be OK in the aftermath of a storm that caused the damage, an unrecoverable dismasting, loss of a keel, or complete destruction of steering capability are distress scenarios. Any of those would lead to an immediate threat to life if seas rise or there becomes risk of a collision.
Running out of fuel, running aground in calm conditions, loss of navigation instruments, or taking on water in a controlled leak are not distress scenarios if they are not also accompanied by a threat to life. However, they could transition into distress scenarios and may merit an urgency or all-stations transmission.
When making a distress call or activating an EPIRB, be prepared to abandon ship and scuttle or otherwise completely lose your vessel during a rescue. That criteria helps make clear when you are in an Urgency (Pan-Pan) versus Distress (Mayday) scenario.
Accepting a tow or other assistance or leaving a grounded boat are legally fraught situations. The boat in need of assistance may be in a situation to be claimed as salvage by the person who assists. That can include costs up to the value of the boat and cargo, for what might be perceived by an unaware skipper as a simple tow or other help.
The mandatory criteria for salvage are marine peril, service voluntarily rendered, and success in saving persons or property. There is substantial gray area around the threshold for each of these, and incautious phrasing in requesting assistance can later be interepreted in a courtroom in ways to support them.
I've heard theories about the salvage determination hinging on whose tow rope is used or other small details. As far as I know, this has no modern legal basis and that the above critera are all that matters.
Even absent a salvage claim, there is little recourse after the fact for an unexpectedly high towing or fuel bill. This is much the same as with a tow truck call on land. A wise skipper would know the relevant laws, attempt to have a signed document before accepting assistance, and avoid accepting assistance unless absolutely necessary.
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