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Do You Have VHF Onboard ?

NB Willawaw

By NB Willawaw
in General Boating

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NB Willawaw Experienced

NB Willawaw

Posted
Posted (edited)

Having recently struggled to get a dongle signal whilst cruising, so I could look up the phone number of a Marina we would were passing to inquire about availability of services, it occurred to me how bloody useful it would be if I could actually get some use out of the VHF equipment that I carry on board our narrowboat.

 

Like a lot of boaters these days, we carry VHF for the Thames tidal and other selected waterways where there are commercial vessels.

 

Most of the time it sits brooding in the corner.

 

We often need to contact marinas and boatyards to see if they have any visitor moorings, if their pump-out is working, etc.

 

I just thought it would be good if more marinas and boatyards would buy themselves a cheap base station and get a licence for Ch.M.

A fixed set these days can be bought for £100 or less and the Channel M licence costs £75 per annum. As its not an international channel, the users

don't need to undergo any test or certification.

 

Some of the MDL marinas on the Thames have this facility (probably because they are often dealing with GRP cruisers that go down the estuary) and it seems to work quite well.

 

It would certainly save that long slog off the canal into the marina basin, only to reach the services berth to find an out of order sign.

 

Or to ask about the price of their diesel

 

Or to ask where they expect me to moor on the umpteen finger pontoons around me ?

 

and of course, it might stop my VHF gathering dust..

Edited by NB Willawaw
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Yes we have VHF on board, just a Midland Pacific handeld.

 

It allows us to hear the commercial boats and the conversations between them and the lock keepers...come up North and stop it collecting dust.

NB Willawaw Experienced

NB Willawaw

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

We passed a well known hire boat company's yard the other day and we were desperate for fresh water.

 

I wanted to give them a call to ask if they wouldn't mind if I filled my tank. It took me ages to find their phone number because they use centralised booking and that is the only number on the website.

 

A wider use of channel M in these circumstances would benefit both the yard and boater alike.

 

Eventually got through, offered a small token payment (as we were taking nearly a ton of water) and they were only too helpful. Ended up spending some more money on provisions in their shop and everybody was happy.

 

It just would have been easier if I could have called them on VHF like I do salt water yards.

Edited by NB Willawaw
RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

Posted
Posted

I have a list of telephone numbers for most inland marinas if that would help

 

You can borrow my mobile too if you want

 

Richard

Tuscan Veteran

Tuscan

Posted
Posted

Seems a bit of a mad idea, I guess CRT could enact legislation to ensure all inland marinas train their staff on VHF use and maintain a VHF wach during opening hours. Away from coastal waters it seems pretty irrelevant when every boat probably has a mobile phone on board and more and more internet.

NB Willawaw Experienced

NB Willawaw

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Tim, Well I said it seems to be a list - I didn't say how good a list :rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think you could rely on them - it would too much paperwork and involve too many risk assessments.

Probably the best bet and quickest wins would be the private marinas.

 

Staff don't need certification and only a very minimum of training as the VHF would stay set on Channel M with the squelch up. They would just need to respond to calls during opening hours (a bit like answering the phone really).

 

Seems a bit of a mad idea, I guess CRT could enact legislation to ensure all inland marinas train their staff on VHF use and maintain a VHF wach during opening hours. Away from coastal waters it seems pretty irrelevant when every boat probably has a mobile phone on board and more and more internet.

Edited by NB Willawaw
GUMPY Veteran II

GUMPY

Posted
Posted

Yes on the barge we did have it but have yet to fit it to the NB but it will be there along with a handheld for when I am off the boat.

Morat Proficient

Morat

Posted
Posted (edited)

All of this can be achieved with PMR or CB. Marine VHF has no advantages in this situation.

Edited by Morat
jelunga Influencer

jelunga

Posted
Posted

Yes we have VHF on board, just a Midland Pacific handeld.

 

It allows us to hear the commercial boats and the conversations between them and the lock keepers...come up North and stop it collecting dust.

Good little wireless with dual watch and channel scanning. We have one as well along with CB and pmr446 for harbour stations

 

All of this can be achieved with PMR or CB. Marine VHF has no advantages in this situation.

Not really true. Marine VHF has a better range than either of CB and PMR usung legal power leveks and without the tossera.

Old Son Rising Star

Old Son

Posted
Posted (edited)

All of this can be achieved with PMR or CB. Marine VHF has no advantages in this situation.

Well surely it does because some of us already have VHF, we need it in certain situations when using our boat. Why the need to buy another piece of kit when we allready have something suitable?

Edited by Old Son
Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

Posted
Posted

We have VHF fitted to NC as we cruise in serious waters where it is needed both for our own safety and that of others on the water as well.

 

Most marinas on tidal waterways and estuaries have VHF stations and as you would expect most harbours and ports as well. It is handy to be able to find out where your allocated visitor moorings is well before you enter a marina/harbour as it gives you plenty of time to sort out fenders and ropes on the correct side of the boat before you reach your designated spot.

 

All of this can be achieved with PMR or CB. Marine VHF has no advantages in this situation.

 

Apart from the fact that more boats will be fitted with MARINE VHF (the clue really is in the name when we are dealing with boats and water!!)

 

Why complicate matters with yet another piece of equipment when there is already one that does the job quite adequately?

NB Willawaw Experienced

NB Willawaw

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Over the last couple of years, I've noticed more and more CWDF members fitting Marine VHF and I suspect this is probably representative of the inland boating fraternity. The purpose of the OP was to suggest a way of getting more use from the investment, in a practical way that would benefit both boat owners and waterways trades.

 

If I owned a boatyard or marina which was supplying moorings, gas, diesel punp-outs etc I would do it in a heartbeat. £175 for the first year; £75 for subsequent years. If you have somebody sitting during working hours in an office or reception, answering the phone, how difficult is it to monitor channel M ?

No formal training is needed and with the squelch set right (i.e. muted so as not to disturb), its not a lot different to minding the phone.

 

At the end of the day, M stands for Marina - that's what it was designed for. Why should it be exclusive to salt water marinas ?

 

I accept the telephone argument, but to be honest most coastal boats are within mobile range when they want to talk to their marina.

 

At a lot of coastal marinas, they will send somebody out on the pontoons to greet you. Inland marinas don't generally do this, so VHF is very handy to be able to ascertain they have space and get a berth number. Often you get there and somebody else in already moored there - another call to the office.

 

Even if you don't use marinas, it would be useful for on-line boatyards, even if they just have a hand portable with Ch M. Its useful to be able to call ahead and check what time they are going to be open to, if they have a water point etc. VHF is free to use if you have the equipment - why waste money on mobile phone calls ??

 

VHF is used on the Norfolk Broads with patrols being VHF equipped and the Broads Controller monitoring Ch12 etc.

 

Just because canal folk like trad working boats, it doesn't mean that the canal system can't move with the times.

 

As I think I stated elsewhere on here, my main objection to radios on boats is having them blaring out when the boat is cruising, with high volume settings and lots of inane chatter, but this appears to be a way of using them constructively without ruining peoples peace and quiet.

 

Our VHF is mounted under the sliding hatch out of the weather and I normally take its telephone handset down the steps to use it, away from the engine and without disturbing people outside.

 

Also, its self sustaining. The more boaters that fit VHF, the more attractive it becomes for the trades to install a base station. The more trades that have it, the more boaters will find it useful and be attracted to fitting VHF.

Edited by NB Willawaw
RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

Posted
Posted

Over the last couple of years, I've noticed more and more CWDF members fitting Marine VHF and I suspect this is probably representative of the inland boating fraternity. <snip>

 

 

I suspect you are very wrong. You are conflating the very few VHF users of intrepid narrowboats on the Thames into a national movement. For a more realistic view of the world, see the 'mooring with centrelines thread

 

Burton Waters did have it but no one used it so they stopped the service.

 

Bet they get a lot of 'phone calls though

 

Richard

NB Willawaw Experienced

NB Willawaw

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Who knows. Certainly many of the boaters I've heard of fitting VHF aren't near the Thames - they continuously cruise all over or are using it on waterways shared with commercial craft.

 

I don't think the number of boaters using VHF is on the decrease - quite the opposite as the equipment costs come down - however, it may still represent a small proportion of total boaters.

 

Thats not so much the point. IMHO the real point is whether commercial operators like large offline marinas would benefit from fitting a marina channel equipped VHF set.

 

As an established narrowboat VHF user, it would benefit me and I would give them my business in preference to those without. Obviously, I don't expect them to run their business around me, but as I said in my previous post, one hand very much washes the other.

 

I've read the thread you refer to, but cannot see the connection - please explain ?

 

 

 

I suspect you are very wrong. You are conflating the very few VHF users of intrepid narrowboats on the Thames into a national movement. For a more realistic view of the world, see the 'mooring with centrelines thread

Edited by NB Willawaw
Morat Proficient

Morat

Posted
Posted

We have VHF fitted to NC as we cruise in serious waters where it is needed both for our own safety and that of others on the water as well.

 

Most marinas on tidal waterways and estuaries have VHF stations and as you would expect most harbours and ports as well. It is handy to be able to find out where your allocated visitor moorings is well before you enter a marina/harbour as it gives you plenty of time to sort out fenders and ropes on the correct side of the boat before you reach your designated spot.

 

 

 

Apart from the fact that more boats will be fitted with MARINE VHF (the clue really is in the name when we are dealing with boats and water!!)

 

Why complicate matters with yet another piece of equipment when there is already one that does the job quite adequately?

 

We agree! The clue IS in the name. MARINE.

 

a. Of or relating to the sea:

 

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/marine

 

OK, I'm being obnoxious... but I really do think that Marine VHF should be left to the salty bits and the bits with big commercial vessels on it. There's plenty of scope for a more informal radio facility for inland waterways.

IF (and I realise it's a big IF) we could get some VHF spectrum allocated then it could have many of the capabilities of Marine VHF but with a more relaxed licensing regime. Otherwise, we're stuck with what is already out there.

Guest wanted

Guest wanted

Posted
Posted

With mobile phone technology these days I think we already have the equipment don't we?

 

Ecanal maps and the like are already good but will only get better.

 

IMO

Morat Proficient

Morat

Posted
Posted

Without wishing to point out the obvious, radios and phones differ greatly in operation.

You can't, for example, set a phone to channel X and then expect to talk to anyone else with a phone in the area. This is what would make radios really useful near locks (especially manned or "volunteered" locks), marinas, blind bridges etc.

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