Radio Communication needs, wants and fairy tale dreams

[Lightspeed]

Nemisis:

Get yourself the RSGB book titled Foundation Now by Alan Betts. This contains the whole of the foundation license syllabus.

If their schedule of training works for you, I'd go with the Chelmsford club.

Most modern radios allow you to power down to lower levels, but not all, so download instruction manuals to check first.

If you tell us what you want to do with your radios, we'll try to advise you on product options. Budget comes into this too of course.

[Nemesis]

Nemisis:

Get yourself the RSGB book titled Foundation Now by Alan Betts. This contains the whole of the foundation license syllabus.

If their schedule of training works for you, I'd go with the Chelmsford club.

Most modern radios allow you to power down to lower levels, but not all, so download instruction manuals to check first.

If you tell us what you want to do with your radios, we'll try to advise you on product options. Budget comes into this too of course.

My now needs would be open comms to my home from my boat, ranges from 2 miles to 10 mile depends where I am on the river at any one time.

12v for the boat and home as I have solar power offgrid at both locations, small unit for the boat size matters, something easy to understand less is more in my case.

And thanks for the advice both you and harry.



.

[CharlesHarris]

In UK are noncommercial boats permitted to use VHF marine band radio without a licence?

While use of marine radio on land is not permitted, limited ship to shore comunication between your boat and home would be permissible. A 25watt radio on the boat with half-wave dipole up high on the mast and a similar base radio at home with roof mounted antenna would have good range. Even portable VHF would do well with a base or mobile whip antenna, performing similarly to 2-meter ham.

[Lightspeed]

[harrypalmer]

You can't broadcast at see without the permission of the captain/master of the vessel IIRC.

Go to the Google play store and search for ham repeaters, there is a great app just called Repeater which is free and will list all your local ham repeaters and gives information on them, frequencies etc; please only use repeaters when you have your license.

[Lightspeed]

You can't broadcast at see without the permission of the captain/master of the vessel IIRC.

Go to the Google play store and search for ham repeaters, there is a great app just called Repeater which is free and will list all your local ham repeaters and gives information on them, frequencies etc; please only use repeaters when you have your license.

Correct and in addition you cannot transmit at sea on a foundation license. It has to be a full license I think?

[Devonian]

[CharlesHarris]

The regulations governing Marline VHF on "voluntary ships," meaning noncommercial vessels and pleasure boats not required to be equipped with radio, are more lenient in the US. On inland waters boaters are encouraged to carry a portable VHF to monitor channel 16, and weather and safety bulletins to mariners on Ch. 22A and to use channels 68 and 69 for "noncommercial public correspondence." Such use is "permitted by rule" and presumes that the radios will be used properly, no illegal activity, "be an adult and play nice."

In coastal waters, bays and the Great Lakes 25 watt VHF radios may be used by pleasure boaters without a licence, subject to the same "permit by rule." Use of marine radios on land is strongly discouraged and post 9/11 the FCC, Homeland Security, FAA and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service have become quite adept at locating and identifying illegal transmissions, capturing oscilloscope traces to "RFID fingerprint" specific units and take action against wildcat taxicab companies, etc., which resulted in civil asset forfeitures.