|
U.S. VHF Marine Radio
Channels and Frequencies
|
Channel Number |
Ship Transmit
MHz |
Ship Receive
MHz |
Use
|
| 01A
|
156.050
|
156.050
|
Port Operations and
Commercial. VTS in selected areas. |
| 05A
|
156.250
|
156.250
|
Port Operations. VTS
in selected areas. |
| 06
|
156.300
|
156.300
|
Intership Safety
|
| 07A
|
156.350
|
156.350
|
Commercial
|
| 08
|
156.400
|
156.400
|
Commercial (Intership
only) |
| 09
|
156.450
|
156.450
|
Boater Calling.
Commercial and Non-Commercial. |
| 10
|
156.500
|
156.500
|
Commercial
|
| 11
|
156.550
|
156.550
|
Commercial. VTS in
selected areas. |
| 12
|
156.600
|
156.600
|
Port Operations. VTS
in selected areas. |
| 13
|
156.650
|
156.650
|
Intership Navigation
Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening
watch on this channel in US waters. |
| 14
|
156.700
|
156.700
|
Port Operations. VTS
in selected areas. |
| 15
|
--
|
156.750
|
Environmental (Receive
only). Used by Class C EPIRBs. |
| 16
|
156.800
|
156.800
|
International
Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio,
USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this
channel. |
| 17
|
156.850
|
156.850
|
State Control
|
| 18A
|
156.900
|
156.900
|
Commercial
|
| 19A
|
156.950
|
156.950
|
Commercial
|
| 20
|
157.000
|
161.600
|
Port Operations
(duplex) |
| 20A
|
157.000
|
157.000
|
Port Operations
|
| 21A
|
157.050
|
157.050
|
U.S. Coast Guard only
|
| 22A
|
157.100
|
157.100
|
Coast Guard Liaison
and Maritime Safety Information Broadcasts. Broadcasts announced
on channel 16. |
| 23A
|
157.150
|
157.150
|
U.S. Coast Guard only
|
| 24
|
157.200
|
161.800
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 25
|
157.250
|
161.850
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 26
|
157.300
|
161.900
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 27
|
157.350
|
161.950
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 28
|
157.400
|
162.000
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 63A
|
156.175
|
156.175
|
Port Operations and
Commercial. VTS in selected areas. |
| 65A
|
156.275
|
156.275
|
Port Operations
|
| 66A
|
156.325
|
156.325
|
Port Operations
|
| 67
|
156.375
|
156.375
|
Commercial. Used for
Bridge-to-bridge communications in lower Mississippi River.
Intership only. |
| 68
|
156.425
|
156.425
|
Non-Commercial
|
| 69
|
156.475 |
156.475
|
Non-Commercial
|
| 70
|
156.525
|
156.525
|
Digital Selective
Calling (voice communications not allowed) |
| 71
|
156.575
|
156.575 |
Non-Commercial
|
| 72
|
156.625
|
156.625
|
Non-Commercial
(Intership only) |
| 73
|
156.675
|
156.675
|
Port Operations
|
| 74
|
156.725
|
156.725
|
Port Operations
|
| 77
|
156.875
|
156.875
|
Port Operations
(Intership only) |
| 78A
|
156.925
|
156.925
|
Non-Commercial
|
| 79A
|
156.975
|
156.975
|
Commercial.
Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only |
| 80A
|
157.025
|
157.025
|
Commercial.
Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only |
| 81A
|
157.075
|
157.075
|
U.S. Government only -
Environmental protection operations. |
| 82A
|
157.125
|
157.125
|
U.S. Government only
|
| 83A
|
157.175
|
157.175
|
U.S. Coast Guard only
|
| 84
|
157.225
|
161.825
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 85
|
157.275
|
161.875
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 86
|
157.325
|
161.925
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 87
|
157.375
|
161.975
|
Public Correspondence
(Marine Operator) |
| 88
|
157.425
|
162.025
|
Public Correspondence
only near Canadian border. |
| 88A
|
157.425
|
157.425
|
Commercial, Intership
only. |
Data from the U.S. Coast Guard
Maritime
Telecommunications Information
NOAA Weather Radio
Frequencies, in MHz
|
WX1 |
-- |
162.550 |
|
WX2 |
-- |
162.400 |
|
WX3 |
-- |
162.475 |
|
WX4 |
-- |
162.425 |
|
WX5 |
-- |
162.450 |
|
WX6 |
-- |
162.500 |
|
WX7 |
-- |
162.525 |
See the
NOAA Weather Radio Homepage
for more information.
Frequencies are in MHz. Modulation is
16KF3E or 16KG3E.
NOTE: USCG District 1 (Northeast
US) is now reserving Channel 16 for Distress and International Hailing
only. Channel 9 is now the recommended hailing channel. Once contact is
made on a hailing frequency, boaters should switch to a working
frequency to engage in conversation. This practice should keep the
hailing frequencies relatively clear of "idle chatter".
Note that the letter "A" indicates
simplex use of the ship station transmit side of an international duplex
channel, and that operations are different than international operations
on that channel. Some VHF transceivers are equipped with an
"International - U.S." switch for that purpose. "A" channels are
generally only used in the United States, and use is normally not
recognized or allowed outside the U.S. The letter "B" indicates simplex
use of the coast station transmit side of an international duplex
channel. The U.S. does not currently use "B" channels for simplex
communications in this band.
Boaters should normally use channels
listed as Non-Commercial. Channel 16 is used for calling other stations
or for distress alerting. Channel 13 should be used to contact a ship
when there is danger of collision. All ships of length 20m or greater
are required to guard VHF channel 13, in addition to VHF channel 16,
when operating within U.S. territorial waters. Users may be fined by the
FCC for improper use of these channels. See
Marine Radio
Watch Requirements for further information.
The chart below summarizes a
portion of the FCC rules -- 47 CFR 80.371(c) and 80.373(f)
Data from the
Federal Communications Commission - Marine Service Division
| Type of Message
|
Appropriate channel(s) |
| DISTRESS SAFETY AND CALLING - Use
this channel to get the attention of another station (calling) or in
emergencies (distress and safety). |
16 |
| INTERSHIP SAFETY - Use this channel
for ship-to-ship safety messages and for search and rescue messages
and ships and aircraft of the Coast Guard. |
6 |
| COAST GUARD LIAISON - Use this
channel to talk to the Coast Guard (but first make contact on
Channel 16). |
22 |
| NONCOMMERCIAL - Working channels for
voluntary boats. Messages must be about the needs of the ship.
Typical uses include fishing reports, rendezvous, scheduling repairs
and berthing information. Use Channels 67 and 72 only for
ship-to-ship messages. |
9(fn6), 68, 69, 71, 72, 78,
79(fn4), 80(fn4), 67(fn7). |
| COMMERCIAL - Working channels for
working ships only. Messages must be about business or the needs of
the ship. Use channels 8, 67, 72 and 88 only for ship-to-ship
messages. |
1(fn5), 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18,
19, 63(fn5), 67, 72(fn7),
79, 80, 88(fn1) |
| PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE (MARINE
OPERATOR) - Use these channels to call the marine operator at a
public coast station. By contacting a public coast station, you can
make and receive calls from telephones on shore. Except for distress
calls, public coast stations usually charge for this service. |
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 84, 85,
86, 87, 88(fn2) |
| PORT OPERATIONS - These channels are
used in directing the movement of ships in or near ports, locks or
waterways. Messages must be about the operational handling movement
and safety of ships. In certain major ports, Channels 11,12 and are
not available for general port operations messages. Use channel 20
only for ship-to-coast messages. Channel 77 is limited to intership
communications to and from pilots |
1(fn5), 5(fn3), 12, 14, 20,
63(fn5), 65, 66, 73, 74, 77 |
| NAVIGATIONAL - (Also known as the
bridge-to-bridge channel.) This channel is available to all ships.
Messages must be about ship navigation, for example, passing or
meeting other ships. You must keep your messages short. Your power
output must not be more than one watt. This is also the main working
channel at most locks and drawbridges. |
13, 67 |
| MARITIME CONTROL - This channel may
be used to talk to ships and coast stations operated by state or
local governments. Messages must pertain to regulation and control,
boating activities, or assistance to ships. |
17 |
| DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING - Use this
channel for distress and safety calling and for general purpose
calling using only digital selective calling techniques. |
70 |
| WEATHER - On these channels you may
receive weather broadcasts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. These channels are only for receiving. You cannot
transmit on them. |
Wx-1 162.55
Wx-2 162.4
Wx-3 162.475 |
Footnotes to table
- Not available in the Great Lakes, St.
Lawrence Seaway, or the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and
its approaches.
- Only for use In the Great Lakes, St
Lawrence Seaway, and Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de fuca and
its approaches.
- Available only In the Houston and New
Orleans areas.
- Available only in the Great Lakes.
- Available only In the New Orleans
area.
- Available for Intership, ship, and
coast general purpose calling by noncommercial ships.
- Available only In the Puget Sound and
the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
|
