vhf radio license

[brackley]

Hello all,

Just wondering if any of you know of any upcoming courses, preferablyin the north-west? Also what are the legal requirements regarding vhs radios/licenses? Obviously I want to be able to use my radio properly but just wondering what am i required to have by law?

Thanks,

brackley

[paulbryson75]

Brackley - copied form another site:- once you do your course you then register your boat and will recieve your call sign and mmsi - courses are run at the fisheries college in Greencastel, Co Donegal from time to time. There is a 'lifetime' registration fee for the set on your boat - costs involved though not sure what they are (I had Pegasus registered in South but JJ2 is registered via Ofcom in UK as its free!!!)

In the Republic of Ireland, to install and operate a VHF radio requires a Ships Radio License, more correctly and beautifully called a “License to establish a Wireless Telegraph Ship Station” (makes you feel like Marconi doesn’t it). This document should not be confused with the normal Certificate of Competence, which is more commonly referred as “the license” or the operators license

The Ships Radio License allows you to establish the actual radio installation, it specifies what frequencies and power you may you and most importantly it provides you with a Call Sign. The call sign for Irish pleasure vessels is EIxxxx where xxxx is a four digit number. This call sign is an international unique identifier for that vessel. If you have the full operators certificate you will also be issued an Maritime Mobile Service Identity ( MMSI). This is your DSC VHF radio’s “phone number”.

You apply for your ships radio license, after acquiring your operators license, providing Communications Regulator (ComReg) with details of the vessel, etc.

In Northern Ireland the provisions are very similar. The Ships radio License, consists of a license document , license terms booklet and a license disk (which must be displayed on the boat).

Republic of Ireland: Ships Radio Licence particulars and a list of training course providers can be found here

List of Northern Ireland RYA VHF course providers can be found here

Certificate of Competency (a.k.a. the operator's license)
The certificate comes in various forms, all of which are operators licenses. The most basic is “The Restricted Certificate in Radiotelephony (VHF only),” which is achieved by passing Module 1 of the SRC (Short Range Certificate) exam. This certificate entitles you to use a standard voice only ( no DSC, see below) VHF. This is what many boats are currently fitted with.

Should you require to operate the new digital calling radios (DSC) and be capable of using the safety equipment under the new GMDSS, then you will be required to complete both Module 1 and Module 2 of the SRC, thereby acquiring the full Radio Operators Short Range Certificate.

Most VHF courses now focus on passing both modules together and there are plans to discontinue Module 1 only exams after 2005. So in the future there will be only the standard SRC cert. Anyway the course is easy to do and the exams are simple and straightforward. There are many course providers around the Island ( see useful links).

In Northern Ireland the provision of the Short Range Certificate in VHF is delegated by the Radio Communications Agency to the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). The RYA certifies course providers which then provide the exam. This is a one day exam.

[brackley]

Well Paul,

Thanks for that, lots of info there! Will get onto bim to see are there any courses coming up soon. Thanks again

brackley