UK Reg - in NZ - Need Call Sign?

[Jdiamond]

Hi I am trying to sign up for sail mail and got stopped at that first page to my frustration, just installed my SSB and hooking up my pactor tomorrow but want to be able to send and receive emails as well as weather faxes on my laptop. what is the best way to sort this out? I thought sail mail for emails but I need a call sign my yacht is registered in the uk but I am in NZ, any way I can just sign up for a call sign from here and all will be smooth sailing? also what’s the best way to receive weather faxes I am sailing up to Vavau late this month and need to sort this before I leave, any help would be greatly appreciated.
John

[Wotname]

OK, I am not a NZ expert but surely you will have to apply for a station license (or similar) for you marine SSB to the local NZ spectrum management authority before you could legally install the SSB. They will issue you a callsign. Of course you will need (or have) restricted radio operators certificate to use the radio after it is licensed. The fact the boat UK registered should have no bearing on the station license but if it does, then you would apply to the UK spectrum management authority for the staion license and callsign.

If you are fitting an HAM SSB, then you will have you callsign issued when you get you HAM license.

[KIWI]

Hi there,

Getting a call sign is easy here is the earl ... www.cbes.org.nz.

you can fill the application form or you can ring on the number on there web site and they will give you a call sign over the phone and post you the official confirmation.

[Wotname]

As the OP is going off-shore, I see in the off-shore section of the above NZ link that a NZ callsign can ONLY be assigned to NZ registered vessels (and NZ citizens). It looks like the OP will have to apply to the UK equivalent authority.

[KIWI]

Thats not quite correct, All small craft that have a VHF radio by law must have a VHF license and small craft are not registered or don't have to be , I have a 18' runabout and I just rung up the coastguard call center gave them my details and the boat details and was given a call sign over the phone.
Coastguard want you to have a call sign so when you go fishing you call up your local marine radio station and give them your details of where you are going for the day.
My last sail boat a Bowman that I bought in Aussie I rang NZ from Sydney and requested a call sign for that boat and was given one over the phone, I was not asked where the boat was registered they are just happy that "ALL BOATS" have a call sign

[Wotname]

It is always dangerous to argue against local knowledge with a local but I am up for a discussion with a Kiwi any day .

I don't know what the government guy said on the phone but I do know what he puts on his official website and I quote:

A ships radio licence is required for vessels equipped with MF/HF (SSB) and/or marine VHF radio that are going off shore.

&

New Zealand call signs can only be issued to vessels registered in New Zealand. If the vessel is registered overseas then you must contact the licensing authority of that country to obtain a callsign. - my emphasis
Only persons, who are New Zealand citizens, or permanent residents of New Zealand, may be granted a New Zealand maritime call sign. Please provide a copy of proof of New Zealand citizenship or residency with this application. To operate a MF/HF (SSB) radio, a Maritime Restricted Operator Certificate (MROC) is the minimum requirement.

See SSB | Coastguard Boating Education

However - When Rome, do as Romans do so perhaps the OP can make a quick phone call, get his callsign and not worry about a MROC.

I am making the assumption (from his question) that he does not have this requirement.

I like the Aussie informality around some issues but I like the NZ informality even more . Lets move on to cricket and rugby

[Jdiamond]

Thanks heaps guys, very informative and nothing like a lil AU/NZ banter (Rugby league world cup). I think what I need is the MROC equivalent from the UK if you check this page you will see my problem
http://www.sailmail.com/FormAppl.htm
"If registered in another country, make sure your callsign has the correct prefix for the country of your vessel's registration"

So I just need to find a UK site where I can do a little online test or the likes. I will continue my search, any UK experts in the house?
John

[goboatingnow]

Call Signs or more correctly ships radio licenses are only issued by national authorities to their flagged boats, a NZ authority can not issue a license to a non-NZ vessel. Just apply to the RA in teh UK and they will issue you with a call sign and ships license. ( you can now do this on-line I beleive).

[GMac]

Originally Posted by Wotname

It is always dangerous to argue against local knowledge with a local but I am up for a discussion with a Kiwi any day .
.
.
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I like the Aussie informality around some issues but I like the NZ informality even more . Lets move on to cricket and rugby

Bring it on big boy You're brave picking Rugby and Cricket (at the moment) though

But I do believe your post re the radios to be quite correct (no other kiwis, I'm not trying to be nice to an Aussie on purpose ). Any boat here can have a VHF. You only need to have a call sign if you intend to use it for anything except mayday calls. Mayday away with an unregistered VHF is perfectly fine.

If you want to register a VHF to a boat you should really have a person with a Radio licence according to the strict letter of the law. The RL test for simple things like VHF is seriously easy and about the hardest part for most is spelling your name phonetically. Not sure how 'Kilo India Whiskey India' did it from Aussie without one though, assuming he dosen't have one. Mind you CG are a bit slack and when I rang up to do my latest boat I just said I had one but can't find it and gave them my Pilots Licence number. I think they just want to know someone has at least some idea of how to use the radio so we don't have teams of ladies swapping recipes in CH16 all day.

HF is a different story though.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by GMac

Bring it on big boy You're brave picking Rugby and Cricket (at the moment) though ........... hardest part for most is spelling your name phonetically.

I have heard that some just fail when spelling their name, let alone phonetically

Originally Posted by GMac

...Not sure how 'Kilo India Whiskey India' did it from Aussie....

I guess we have different tastes as I would have said 'Kilo India Whisky India' but it is only a small point of difference .

[GMac]

Opps, 2 in one post and to a bloody Aussie. Damn that Murphy bloke

[bobsadler]

i'm in the opposite camp - a nz'er with a uk registered boat

i registered with ofcom in the uk, did it all on-line (i was working in azerbaijan at the time) and got my call sign etc

Amateur and Ships Online Licensing | Ofcom

it really was a pretty painless process