VHF Requirements Changing

[pearley]

Just received this email. If any of you are considering taking the test might be better to do it now rather than later.

Hello Sailors

General circular - Apologies if mail irrelevant.

If you or friends are considering the VHF DSC course/license. The RYA/MCA requirements are changed from Jan 2014. In consequence the Preparation>Course>exam will become significantly harder and the cost increased.

Any interest before year end, let me know.

Regards Bill Clay

SailNorth

 

[ditchcrawler]

When I did mine it was a two day course at Lowestoft Collage about 35-40 years ago

[geoffwales]

Im doing mine in two weeks, one full day course

[Paul C]

What's the cost now? Any info on what the cost will be after the end of the year?

[geoffwales]

Mines about £105, few companies reckon double that next year

[Daiboy]

What a bloody rip-off. If they are charging that much to show you how to shout for help on a radio (in the correct terminology) they are not any better than the BBC licence. Ex military and ex police, I am quite aware of radio transmissions and how to make myself coherent in any situation.

[bottle]

Daiboy

 

You may well be make coherent radio transmissions, as I.

 

Having used radio communication continuously since leaving school but I have seen and met many people that just cannot cope.

 

Training is required to a specific standard and you, as I was I am sure, had training in the very beginning.

 

Things cost and there is a going price for this training so if you want to be 'legal' you need the certificate, to get the licence.

 

 

Edit: punctuation and trying to make sense.

Edited November 9, 2013 by bottle

[howardang]

What a bloody rip-off. If they are charging that much to show you how to shout for help on a radio (in the correct terminology) they are not any better than the BBC licence. Ex military and ex police, I am quite aware of radio transmissions and how to make myself coherent in any situation.

I would think that the training you received in the military and the police would have been equally as thorough and I guarantee that would have cost. Was that a rip-of? No, just good training which doesn't come for nothing, and apparently has stayed with you.

 

Howard

[Neil2]

I think that missive is a bit misleading, what is happening is the training and the exam are being split, something to do with EEC legislation, but you can, theoretically, take the exam without doing the formal training, so you could say it is possible to do it cheaper than at pres.

 

Also I think there is an online training option.

 

I don't know anything about the exam becoming "significantly harder".

[Dr Bradley]

When I did mine it was a two day course at Lowestoft Collage about 35-40 years ago

But then you had to renew every few years wasn't it. I know I let mine expire so ha to do the current course for a new licence. Also it didn't cover DS for which an upgrade course is required.

[ditchcrawler]

But then you had to renew every few years wasn't it. I know I let mine expire so ha to do the current course for a new licence. Also it didn't cover DS for which an upgrade course is required.

Mine doesnt cover DS but I dont think it expires.I also have a CAA endorsement to talk to helicopters

[Rich]

.I also have a CAA endorsement to talk to helicopters

I have heard that they tend to in for circular arguments

[geoffwales]

Also doing an amateur foundation licence, since been looking at vhf marine didnt realise just what is and isnt sent via the airwaves.

[ditchcrawler]

Mine doesnt cover DS but I dont think it expires.I also have a CAA endorsement to talk to helicopters

I also had to sign the Official secrets act which once lead me into conflict at work

[Daiboy]

You are both right of course. I didn't think at the time that my training would have cost somebody something, and the need to train amateurs in radio procedure is very important.

 

My apologies for being rather prematurely flippant.

[howardang]

You are both right of course. I didn't think at the time that my training would have cost somebody something, and the need to train amateurs in radio procedure is very important.

 

My apologies for being rather prematurely flippant.

As our Australian cousins say "No worries".

 

Howard

[lynalldisocvery]

You can get it cheaper, i paid 50 quid approx 8/10 months ago, even back then the guy told me the course would soon be a two day affair, so glad i got it out of the way.

 

 

Lynall

[geehils]

It's a great shame that there isn't a Radio Licence 'Light' for UK rivers. Making the radio licence more complicated is simply another barrier unless you intend cruising on estuaries or out to sea. Maybe that's the plan, put stuff in place to put people off from using the tideway etc

 

I wished to go down the tidal thames this summer (fantastic by the way) and had to take the one day's training despite having a foundation amateur licence and light aircraft VHF licence; so I new how to use a radio and issue a Pan or Mayday call if required.

 

The one day course I did was interesting and I enjoyed it, but 75% of it was completely irrelevant as it was mostly about emergency procedures with the new generation VHF sets that have inbuilt GPS which broadcast the vessel's position. A handheld without this will suffice on the Thames. I can't imagine that the 2 day course is more relevant.

 

Nevertheless it was all worth it as the trip from Limehouse to Teddington was absolutely brilliant. My grateful thanks too for the guide and the advice I received from the St Pancras Cruising club, first class and should you fancy a trip on these waters, essential reading.

[Timleech]

It's a great shame that there isn't a Radio Licence 'Light' for UK rivers. Making the radio licence more complicated is simply another barrier unless you intend cruising on estuaries or out to sea. Maybe that's the plan, put stuff in place to put people off from using the tideway etc

 

I wished to go down the tidal thames this summer (fantastic by the way) and had to take the one day's training despite having a foundation amateur licence and light aircraft VHF licence; so I new how to use a radio and issue a Pan or Mayday call if required.

 

The one day course I did was interesting and I enjoyed it, but 75% of it was completely irrelevant as it was mostly about emergency procedures with the new generation VHF sets that have inbuilt GPS which broadcast the vessel's position. A handheld without this will suffice on the Thames. I can't imagine that the 2 day course is more relevant.

 

I'm inclined to agree.

I did the course several years ago, and have made a fair amount of use since but would struggle to remember threequarters of what we were taught simply because I haven't used it or been likely to need to do so. Also it was an awful lot to cram into one day since they added all the DSC and other GDMSS stuff.

 

I doubt there would be enough demand to make it happen, though.

 

Tim

[Naughty Cal]

It's a great shame that there isn't a Radio Licence 'Light' for UK rivers. Making the radio licence more complicated is simply another barrier unless you intend cruising on estuaries or out to sea. Maybe that's the plan, put stuff in place to put people off from using the tideway etc

 

I wished to go down the tidal thames this summer (fantastic by the way) and had to take the one day's training despite having a foundation amateur licence and light aircraft VHF licence; so I new how to use a radio and issue a Pan or Mayday call if required.

 

The one day course I did was interesting and I enjoyed it, but 75% of it was completely irrelevant as it was mostly about emergency procedures with the new generation VHF sets that have inbuilt GPS which broadcast the vessel's position. A handheld without this will suffice on the Thames. I can't imagine that the 2 day course is more relevant.

 

Nevertheless it was all worth it as the trip from Limehouse to Teddington was absolutely brilliant. My grateful thanks too for the guide and the advice I received from the St Pancras Cruising club, first class and should you fancy a trip on these waters, essential reading.

I really doubt that the plan is to put people off using tidal waters.

 

Let's face it leisure boaters taking the course to use tidal waterways where VHF is mandatory make up a small percentage of those taking the test!

[ditchcrawler]

You have to remember that with this licence you can use a radio anywhere in the world.

[Tam & Di]

You have to remember that with this licence you can use a radio anywhere in the world.

 

..... and Germany for instance does not accept the present UK VHF user's certificate for use on its inland waters as it does not comply with the RAINWAT requirements.

 

Tam

[carlt]

You are both right of course. I didn't think at the time that my training would have cost somebody something, and the need to train amateurs in radio procedure is very important.

 

My apologies for being rather prematurely flippant.

You do, however, have a point and it would be sensible to have exemptions for folk who have already been trained to a higher standard than required by the RYA/MCA SRC.

[The Pipe]

 

..... and Germany for instance does not accept the present UK VHF user's certificate for use on its inland waters as it does not comply with the RAINWAT requirements.

 

Tam

I looked at these requirements and ended up with a headache. My understanding is my boat is exempt from having to carry a VHF radio as it is below 20m. If I do have a VHF radio on board it must comply with RAINWAT but not have DSC and RAINWAT cannot be used within 14 miles of the UK coast.

The boat is on a Netherlands ICP Register.

Most definatly now confused.............need more beer.

[Tam & Di]

I looked at these requirements and ended up with a headache. My understanding is my boat is exempt from having to carry a VHF radio as it is below 20m. If I do have a VHF radio on board it must comply with RAINWAT but not have DSC and RAINWAT cannot be used within 14 miles of the UK coast.

The boat is on a Netherlands ICP Register.

Most definatly now confused.............need more beer.

 

I trust that is not Belgian beer drunk on your boat in Belgium! If it is and your boat is over 7m then you DO require VHF. If you are drinking your beer on the Seine then you must also have one, though France is not particularly bothered about having VHF on small craft elsewhere. And of course if your boat were over 20m you'd have to have 2 sets whichever country you were in, and they'd have to be ATIS enabled.

 

The small non-commercial canals of France are not disimilar to those in the UK in many respects, and carlt is right - a simple licence would suffice for such waterways, if indeed people wanted/needed VHF at all.

 

My own certificate is a simple basic VHF-only one gained many years ago and valid for life. I use VHF regularly for contact with navigation personel and other skippers, but I'm not involved in anything fancy with it.

 

Tam

 

Tam