Radio licence

[robbinsfamily]

Hi everyone, we are off to Italy in 3 weeks to sail off into our dreams, but my wife is getting nervous about licensing. I've just had to get my ICC and now she wants me to get my MSROC (Maritime Short Range operator Certificate) because she has been told by NZ coast guard it is required under international law to have a radio licence. I have no type of radio licence, but know how to use one, do I really need to sit this exam? Can she sit it as crew instead? She is worried about having the paperwork for port authorities. I'm imagining many of you sailing about with no licensing, am I correct?

[leftbrainstuff]

The vessel is required to have a ships station licence and at least one person on board is required to have the appropriate operators licence.

For VHF some countries have stricter requirements. I have the Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency (MROCP) from Australia, which allows me to operate VHF and SSB anywhere in the world. I also pay my annual spectrum usage fee of $45. I also have my Ham licence. Nobody has ever asked to see any of them.

There is little enforcement of these requirements and in an emergency anyone is allowed to use any broadcast transceiver to request help. However if you are caught and prosecuted for misuse the penalties can be severe. Jamming, hindering priority radio traffic or illegal eaves dropping are where you might run into trouble.

Having good radio etiquette is the key. Having a licence generally implies you might be better in this regard. Listening to the dic#heads calling mayday because they're drunk and their beer fridge is broken is comical and annoying. Also dealing with idiots that dont know radio procedure, the phonetic alphabet, words twice, over OR out and not over AND out makes it very difficult to communicate.

The purpose of the licensing and spectrum fees are an attempt to ensure all can use these rf emitting devices without interfering with each other. This international system has worked well for over a century and through two world wars.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by leftbrainstuff

I also pay my annual spectrum usage fee of $45....
..... and spectrum fees .

I'd be interested to learn more about this annual spectrum fee and what it's for, my GMDSS GOC covers my licensing requirements so this annual fee is news to me, is it a recreational thing?


To the op, what radio equipment do you have fitted? seeing as your in NZ I'm guessing you have to meet Cat 1 requirements?

[robbinsfamily]

Thanks LEFTBRAINSTUFF that helps lots. My wife will do the course for now, I can always pick one up later. I have a house to finish building in two weeks so every day counts. It's a VHF, that's all I know Island hopper.