This Short-Hand VHF Stuff is Driving me Insane

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by colemj

So throughout the Caribe, the locals use vhf like telephones. They sing in them, whistle in them, disregard any channel designations, use them on land, and a hundred other "illegal" uses.

Are you going to take on the international policing of them also, or just the rich white folks? Or are you just going to relax about it and turn your radio off or tune it off the "cruiser" channel if it gets too much for you.

Since you are discussing international regulations, are you flying proper day signals at anchor and while motoring, not having garden lights on your boat, striking your ensign at the proper time each night, etc?

If so, are you enjoying your cruising life?

Mark

My view is that VHF radio has a key safety role. Once CH 16 is used correctly , and the GMDSS channels are not abused, the rest just makes me grimace , the radio still stays scanning and I still stay listening , if they switch to some other simplex channel, they can babble away to their hearts content

Dave

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by twistedtree

I still think the root problem, at least in the US, is that we don't ever teach operators how to operate. And if you want to learn on your own, there is no teaching material, at least none that I could find, instructing on proper use. The only way to learn in the US is to listen and emulate. So it's no wonder that operators are idiots, 'cause they aren't born knowing this stuff, and even those who want to learn proper use can't find any instructive material.

For those of you in Canada or anywhere else in the world where actual instruction is required, do you have any material you could point folks to that says how to do it properly.

Doesn't the US Power and Sail Squadron teach this? The Canadian version does.

It costs about $30 for 6 weeks (one night a week, 2-3 hours/night) and you need to pass a written and verbal exam to qualify. Pretty cheap and easy.

To my knowledge, you need a restricted VHF license here in Canada to use the radio, even a handheld.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by frank_f

Doesn't the US Power and Sail Squadron teach this? The Canadian version does.

It costs about $30 for 6 weeks (one night a week, 2-3 hours/night) and you need to pass a written and verbal exam to qualify. Pretty cheap and easy.

To my knowledge, you need a restricted VHF license here in Canada to use the radio, even a handheld.

Yes, that's true in law, but in practice, I don't find it's adhered to very well.

An interesting factoid: once one is issued an ROC(M) certificate, which covers VHF and "marine band" SSB frequencies, one is required to carry it at all times.

Not sure why...sometimes I'm a long way from water!

[belizesailor]

Conversely, there are some venues that have some great "local color" in radio short hand....like the tug captains way down in Cajun Country around Barataria Waterway.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by fjwiley1

when I walk down to my boat I always turn on my VHF, just as you did Zee, I may be working on the engine or on the focsal, but you never know when you can help someone in need. Agreed, in this case I wouldn't even think of it as "chatter"

You did good.....

Used to leave my radio on The Moorings working channel while working on my boat...the "bare-ly boaters" crowd was often good entertainment.

[Zanshin]

I just returned to the BVI and am, once again, astounded by the bad radio discipline. Unlike last year, when someone kept on trying to call Foxy's for a dinner reservation while a MAYDAY was in (very active radio) progress, this year is just a continuous chatter.
While I feel that anyone using the VHF should take the harmonized European SRC course and examination or a local equivalent in order to at least know what one should be doing, the reality here in the Caribbean is very different.

What I have taken from this thread is to switch off my main VHF unit once at anchor and to maintain a radio watch on VHF 16 using my handheld kept indoors. That cuts down quite a bit on what I hear; although one really should switch to 1W on VHF 16 when anchored next to the restaurant and calling them to reserve a table; but that goes back to training - I would wager that not 1 in 10 charterers here even know that one can switch broadcast wattage down.

[pete33458]

My favorite is the BVI (perhaps other places as well), where you use VHF16 to make dinner reservations, etc. Every time I hear it I immediately imagine the triangulation that would be occurring if you did it in US coastal waters... pete

and as an edit, I see Zanshin just beat me to the punch!

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by pete33458

My favorite is the BVI (perhaps other places as well), where you use VHF16 to make dinner reservations, etc. Every time I hear it I immediately imagine the triangulation that would be occurring if you did it in US coastal waters... pete

and as an edit, I see Zanshin just beat me to the punch!

If you want to hear bad vhf just try sailing off the Jersey coast on a holiday weekend.

[44'cruisingcat]

Wish the boaties in Moreton bay would use VHF shorthand. They yack and yack for hours!

[zeehag]

the guys who "run" the cruisers nets here on west coast mexico LOOVE the sound of their own voices.

[Jonna]

Somehow I get the idea that the behavior on VHF is way much better in Europe than on the other side of the Atlantic.

I know in many places it's used as a phone. Back in the time before mobile phones were not this common it was first quite shocking in the Caribbean that everyone was on VHF, the restaurants, laundry places, etc. But still none of these were on ch 16.

DSC is great, but...

While arriving to the Canaries we actually had to turn our VHF off. There was a DSC safety message every 30 minutes. You know, DSC goes much longer way than speech, so we only heard the alarm. While sailing on a relatively small boat it's no way it go if the one off duty wakes up every half an hour.

It was a very big decision, since I'm used to the sound of VHF since I was a toddler...

-Johanna-
S/Y Iiris

[Weyalan]

Almost every chandlery, most local marine authorities and safety bodies will give you, for free, a little stick-on decal showing you the various VHF channels and what they should be used for. I have one stuck right next to the radio. I don't think it is being a "radio nazi" to expect people to use the correct channels. Radio etiquette is not, actually etiquette it is law, just like road rules are not road rules, they are law (how would you go if you started driving on the other side of the road, or ignoring speed limits, stop signs and traffic lights because you couldn't be bothered with road etiquette?).

Really it isn't hard to use good radio etiquette. Grab your stopwatch and time how long it actually takes to make a call correctly - its only a few seconds. And choosing to use one of the correct channels isn't much of an imposition.

[Stu Jackson]

WM makes a little laminated instruction manual:

WEST MARINE Quick Guide: Using VHF & SSB Radio at West Marine

Not sure why some don't think the "information isn't out there."

[Cruiser2B]

Really, RH you are out cruising and living the life many dream of and you are worried about proper radio use....cruising must be boring. And what you describe are minor issues. I would only get upset if they actually tied up CH16 or used profanity. Does not sound like they are. It sounds like you can fully understand what they are saying or the message they are trying to convey, so who cares....really, they are cruising having fun
I understand where you are coming from but why let it bother you, turn it off. I am a amateur radio operator and join evening nets, some use very proper etiquette, others don't. I fall somewhere in between. Not horrifying and every still gets along and participates. Why don't you get involved? Or better yet using the knowledge you have that they may not, have you tried to politely let them know? It may just take a simple conversation with the offending party. They might tell you where to put your VHF etiquette but at least you tried.

I hope to be out cruising someday and I hope that the little things in life don't bother me....its what I am trying to escape.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Almost every chandlery, most local marine authorities and safety bodies will give you, for free, a little stick-on decal showing you the various VHF channels and what they should be used for. I have one stuck right next to the radio. I don't think it is being a "radio nazi" to expect people to use the correct channels. Radio etiquette is not, actually etiquette it is law, just like road rules are not road rules, they are law (how would you go if you started driving on the other side of the road, or ignoring speed limits, stop signs and traffic lights because you couldn't be bothered with road etiquette?).

Really it isn't hard to use good radio etiquette. Grab your stopwatch and time how long it actually takes to make a call correctly - its only a few seconds. And choosing to use one of the correct channels isn't much of an imposition.

Will you be making it your life mission to equip every restaurant, local fishing boat, local household, etc in every nation/island with these stickers, as well as explain the law to them? After that, you can take care of the crazy driving habits they have in many areas!

Mark