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If you’ve been on the water recently, you may have noticed that Coastguard has changed its VHF open radio channels for the Hauraki Gulf.
What used to be 80 (for the inner Gulf) is now 64, and the old channel 82 (outer Gulf) is now 60. If you’re unfamiliar with the local setup, the inner Gulf channel uses the Sky Tower as a repeater, while the outer relies on a beacon on Mt Moehau in the Coromandel; so you can improve transmission by selecting the channel that best suits your location.
The changes are part of an international switchover designed to accommodate new ship-tracking and data services. This has been rolling out since the start of October, and comes fully into force from January 1, 2017.
The good news is that you don’t need a new radio set. Just ensure you use 64/60 instead of 80/82. The weather channels have also changed, from 21 to 19 for the Waitemata and from 22 to 79 for the outer gulf. Note that as each new channel ‘switches on’, the old one is discontinued. Importantly, there’s no change to the distress channel 16, nor to marina channels.
This is probably a good time to replace your radio operator’s handbook with the latest edition (August 2016). You can order a print copy or obtain a pdf version from Maritime NZ at retune.co.nz. And, at the risk of sounding like a nerd, may I add that the handbook is 72 fascinating pages of useful info – such as how to broadcast mayday, mayday relay and ‘pan pan’ calls, observing radio etiquette, and what ‘prowords’ to use. Say what?
Prowords are the procedural words that help keep radio chat clear and concise. So, for instance, instead of a plain old ‘yes’ and ‘no’, we use ‘affirmative’ and ‘negative’, which stand out more clearly if your transmission is faint or crackly. And, contrary to all those Hollywood movies, nobody says ‘over and out’! ‘Over’ means ‘end of my transmission – I am ready for your reply’, and ‘out’ means ‘ending transmission – no answer is expected or required’. So a quick recap on your handbook will help you brush up on the lingo and make you sound like a pro!
To use VHF on your boat, you must hold a radio operator’s certificate (although in an emergency/distress situation, this restriction is waived). Coastguard make it easy to acquire a certificate. You can now do it through online or home study ($79), or in the classroom ($116); to find a classroom course near you, visit boatingeducation.org.nz and search for maritime VHF radio operator certificate.
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