Your VHF Licence and Why It Matters

If you run a high-performance powerboat or cruise the UK coast, your VHF radio is your primary link to shore, other craft and HM Coastguard. In UK waters, using a VHF set requires a valid ship radio licence from the UK communications regulator, and the operator should hold a Short Range Certificate (SRC). The SRC course teaches the protocols that save lives when the sea turns nasty. Busy areas like the Solent, the Channel and the Irish Sea demand clear, correct radio use. Knowing how to use your set properly keeps you legal, but more importantly, it keeps you calm and effective when you need help.

Mayday, Pan Pan and Sécurité: Knowing the Difference

Every call starts with a priority word. Use the wrong one and you either waste the Coastguard's time or fail to get the response you need.

• Mayday – grave and imminent danger. Your boat is sinking, you have an uncontrollable fire, or someone is overboard and not recovered. Highest priority. Goes on Channel 16, ideally after a DSC distress alert on Channel 70.
• Pan Pan – urgency, not immediate danger. Engine failure but not drifting into a shipping lane, a medical issue needing advice, or lost in fog without GPS. You need help, but you are not abandoning ship.
• Sécurité – safety. Navigational warnings, weather forecasts, or hazards such as a floating container. Pronounced "say-cure-ee-tay".

If you hear a Mayday from another vessel, do not transmit unless you are the only one who can help. Let the Coastguard handle it. If you can assist, call the Coastguard on Channel 16 after the initial distress call.

Making a Mayday Call That Gets Results

Clarity and calmness matter more than perfect grammar. Follow this structure:

• Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.
• This is [boat name], [boat name], [boat name].
• MMSI and call sign. Give your nine-digit MMSI, then call sign.
• Position. Latitude and longitude, or bearing and distance from a known point. Example: "Two miles south of the Needles, bearing 180 degrees."
• Nature of distress. Be specific: "Engine room fire, crew of four, preparing to abandon."
• Assistance required. "Require immediate assistance. Life raft being deployed."
• Over. Then wait. Do not switch off.

If you have DSC, press the red distress button for five seconds. The set transmits on Channel 70. Then switch to Channel 16 and make the voice call. If nobody responds, repeat. If you hear a Mayday Relay from another station, do not interfere unless you have information they need.

Routine Calls and Working Channels

Channel 16 is for calling and distress only. To call a marina, friend or harbour master, call on 16 first, then move to a working channel. In UK waters, common working channels are:

• Channel 06 – ship-to-ship, useful for racing fleets and convoy cruising.
• Channel 67 – Coastguard working channel and small craft safety.
• Channel 80 – marinas and harbour authorities for berthing and lock instructions.
• Channel 72 – also used for ship-to-ship in some areas; check local notices.

Use standard prowords. "Over" means I have finished and expect a reply. "Out" means the conversation is finished. "Roger" means received. "Say again" asks for a repeat. Keep transmissions short. On a high-performance craft, wind noise and engine roar make you unintelligible. Use a noise-cancelling headset or remote microphone with a push-to-talk button at the helm. Speak across the microphone, not into it.

DSC, MMSI and the Red Button

Digital Selective Calling (DSC) uses Channel 70 to send a digital alert with your MMSI, position and nature of distress. The MMSI is a unique nine-digit number assigned to your vessel. It must be programmed into the set and kept up to date. You can also make individual calls, request positions or poll a group. The red button under a flap is for distress only. Do not press it for a radio check. If you accidentally press it, cancel on Channel 16: "This is [boat name]. Cancel my distress alert of [time]. Over." Then inform the Coastguard.

Maintenance and Practical Habits Afloat

Your radio is only as good as its installation and power. On a high-performance boat, vibration and spray are constant enemies. Check the aerial connection at the base and at the set. Corrosion kills range. Keep the aerial vertical and as high as possible. A handheld VHF is a vital backup, but range is limited – usually a few miles to the horizon. Carry spare batteries. Do a radio check before leaving the pontoon. In the UK, call the Coastguard on Channel 67 for a radio check, but keep it brief: "Solent Coastguard, this is [boat name], radio check on Channel 67. Over." They will reply with a signal report. During racing, keep the radio on the race committee channel and monitor Channel 16 for safety. During coastal cruising, monitor Channel 16 and your local harbour channel. In busy areas like the Solent, the Channel Islands or the Scottish west coast, keep the volume up. And practise. The more you use your radio for routine calls, the more natural it feels when you need to make a Mayday. That is good seamanship.