Marine SSB Licence?

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by TrevC

Do any authorities in Australia actually check if people have radio licenses? I've never heard of this happening. We'd like to avoid more paperwork and fees if possible.

Our boat also comes with an 802.

Depends on which day and where you are and how lucky you are i guess, I guess it's like anything you need a licence for, you don't actually need it until the authorities ask for it, but by then you wish you had....

In my job i have to have full GMDSS certification which covers the lot, i have no choice if i want to work i have to have the ticket, and nothing annoys me more than when out at sea working around some platform or well head, trying to communicate on VHF working channels, to have a couple of boats treating the system as though it was a mobile phone service, even worse in emergency situations...

The regulations in Australia state you must have the correct operators Certificate to operate certain equipment, to prove you at least have a working knowledge and understand the limitations and uses of the equipmant in normal AND emergency situations....


Besides the above, i think there is the moral obligation to get the ticket, after all the majority of boat users have taken the time to go and do the course and learn something, it's not just another bit of paper, you do actualy learn something that can benefit the safety of everone out on the water...

[goboatingnow]

theres a few in accuracies in this thread


for CEPT marine radio countries, (most of the world excluding the US)have an operators license and seperately a ships license. The call sign and MMSI are assigned to the vessel, not to the operator. MMSI's are not the same as a PLB ID, they identify the vessel. You generally are only issued ships licenses for your owns countries vessels. ( There are some exceptions).

You can do the standardised CEPT LRC ( SSB) without doing the inmarsat sat part. Note that having an LRC means you do NOT need to do a VHF cert the lrc has both.

The next step up is then the full fledged GOC ( general operators cert), with the ROC cert a strange wierdo cert.

in my experience theres not a lot of traffic anymore on Marine SSB

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

theres a few in accuracies in this thread


for CEPT marine radio countries, (most of the world excluding the US)have an operators license and seperately a ships license. The call sign and MMSI are assigned to the vessel, not to the operator. MMSI's are not the same as a PLB ID, they identify the vessel. You generally are only issued ships licenses for your owns countries vessels. ( There are some exceptions).

You can do the standardised CEPT LRC ( SSB) without doing the inmarsat sat part. Note that having an LRC means you do NOT need to do a VHF cert the lrc has both.

The next step up is then the full fledged GOC ( general operators cert), with the ROC cert a strange wierdo cert.

in my experience theres not a lot of traffic anymore on Marine SSB

This is correct.... although you would be hard pressed to find a commercial ocean going vessel that is not equipped with SSB...

And if you are out in the middle of the pond, and out of VHF range, and in trouble, these guys and possibly a shore station will hear you...

I guess in the end it all comes down to how much of a price the individual puts on safety, for me there isn't one...

[goboatingnow]

yes but my $200 satphone was way better mid ocean, then my ssb, not saying dont be connected, not sure marine ssb is much use anymore, ) and I'm a ham radio operator!!) mind you combine ham and marine ssb and its a good deal ( i use an icom 7000)

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

yes but my $200 satphone was way better mid ocean, then my ssb, not saying dont be connected, not sure marine ssb is much use anymore, ) and I'm a ham radio operator!!) mind you combine ham and marine ssb and its a good deal ( i use an icom 7000)

I agree with the sat phone, it's just that all the vessels i work on are fully GMDSS compliant and we are continuously monitoring the emergency channels on the SSB, not sat phones...

Fair enough if you have a sat phone you can call for assistance that way, the point i was making though is the prudent (maritime instructors love that word) sailor would make sure he/she is sufficiantly equipped for the voyage ahead, and a VHF just does not have the range if you are stuck out in the middle of the pond...

The icom 7000 is a good unit, all my MF/HF VHF (DSC equipped) and AIS is commercial Furuno, can't remember the model #s, got it cheap through work though..

[cdennyb]

The FCC (USA)charges $60. ea for the RR (Restricted Radiotelephone Operator) and Ships VHF license. It's a money maker more than anything. no tests, no questions except those stupid ones, like "Are you able to read english?"
That covers you in case the cops ask for the license but they actually don't seem to have much tangible value in my opinion.
The license for VHF allows you to license to a ship specific OR to obtain the same license as a portabe VHF license where no ship is designated. (I have that option since I move from vessel to vessel and take my VHF radio with me.) I have the Standard Horizon HX850S handheld and it has the DSC and GPS all built in and I have the MMSI number installed which ties the radio to me and my info on file. It's the equivelent of the EPIRB and with the GPS it makes a very attractive package.
All for 200$ (radio cost) plus $120 (license fees).

[idpnd]

Originally Posted by duncan_ellison

may as well do the 5 extra questions and get qualified for LRC (SW/SSB).... I'd better move to Belgium. In the UK, I had to take a separate course lasting 4 days and costing >$1,000 for the LRC ! This is depite the fact I already had a VHF ticket and have been a ham since I was 18 y.o.

That's very odd, AFAIK the curriculum is an international standard. Btw I took the SRC in Germany, where they don't even recognise the UK SRC for some reason (allegedly does not suffice).

[fairbank56]

Originally Posted by cdennyb

The FCC (USA)charges $60. ea for the RR (Restricted Radiotelephone Operator) and Ships VHF license.

There's no such thing as a ships VHF license in the U.S. There is a ships station license which is not required for voluntary vessels unless you plan to visit foreign ports, communicate with foreign stations, or have a marine SSB transceiver installation. A station license is currently $160.00 and the operator permit is $60.00 You must have both if you have a marine SSB transceiver.

Eric