need to designate a VHF channel for marinas

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Thanks guys. Learned something new every day, although I thought BC was different (they are ... in so many ways ).

Anyone know why the difference? Gord?

So as to be compatible with the FCC channel use for marinas in the Puget's Sound - Salish Sea and thereby not have a distinction across the border.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Montanan

So as to be compatible with the FCC channel use for marinas in the Puget's Sound - Salish Sea and thereby not have a distinction across the border.

Makes sense to be coordinated.

So... the US has designated a different set of channels on the west coast vs the east and Great Lakes? Seems odd. Why would that be?

[roland stockham]

Yep, you keep learning. Did not resize chanle M was UK specific, thanks for the clarification.

[Cadence]

With the limited range of VHF, marinas may use 16 as a hailing channel if locals would use it as such and go elsewhere to discuss how big or many fish they caught.
I heard a lock keeper tell someone on 13 that it was a working channel and they should get a CB to discuss their fish. He beat me to it. Since I was relying on contacting him with an ETA.
Maybe people should read the intention of each channel. I don't think any are for gabbing about whatever.

[psk125]

A common marina channel could be quite a mess. In some harbors there may be six or more marinas. They would each have to listen to EVERY call on that channel to find out if theirs was the one being called. If not - wasted time listening. A marina that didn’t respond immediately might find their competitor horning in on the exchange, telling "MV Moneybags” to turn right and look for “A” dock, slip 10, where a hand will be stationed to catch their lines, and letting “SV Moneyless” go unanswered. Using Dockwa means someone who’s already on a computer can monitor an email that is directed solely at them and respond without having to worry about fuzzy reception or engine noise. If it ain’t too broke, don’t fix it too much.

[GordMay]

Chanel 37 = 157.850 / 157.850 Ship to Ship/Ship to Shore simplex, private Island Sailing Club, Royal London Yacht Club, Warsash Contro,l Royal Southampton Yacht Club, Seastart, Various other Yacht Clubs, Old yacht channel M1

➥ https://www.traconed.com/files/pub/29702960_TDS.pdf

[garychurch]

Allocation of radio spectrum is done by the ITU (International Telecommunications Union). As noted many countries may use or designate some of these frequencies or channels uniquely.

While on the surface the request for a single channel sounds reasonable there are a myriad of regulatory and practical reasons that stand in the way. In other words it's a quagmire.

[GWilly]

In my region (Puget Sound, San Juan’s) I think almost all marinas are on 66A, 69, or 70. Doing a bit of homework on marina websites before a trip usually tells you want they’re using.

[Scott Berg]

in the US every marina will have either a public or private coast station (Marine Coastal, or MC) from the FCC. That will list the ship to shore frequencies they are allowed to use. Some seem oblivious to the regulations and operate on a range of unauthorized frequencies (ship to ship, public safety, port operations, etc). For example, marinas may use VHF 68, 69, and 71 for Ship to Shore but not 72 (Intership only). I never cease to be amazed at how poor US radio practice is compared to much of the world. For those who are interested, here are the proper allocations and uses: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtvhf

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Makes sense to be coordinated.

So... the US has designated a different set of channels on the west coast vs the east and Great Lakes? Seems odd. Why would that be?

Hi Mike:

Reasonable question, but then you are dealing with governments.
I get that the Kanuks, our cousins, up norta from Montana decided that it would be beneficial to collaborate the radio frequencies. Why? The usual answer is: BECAUSE.


Recommend the data listings in the link below, the west coast being a long ways from the east coast has no reason to be consistent in its radio frequencies since VHF will not transmit across the continent and thus become interfering with different regional uses.

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtvhf


Hell, when I was beginning I just keep spinning the dial say, "Hello, Any One listening?" Until someone replies; usually works when fiddling about when flying an airplane. Staring with repeating January Day, then February Day, March Day, April Day [I was married on April Fool's Day, the first, going on near 40 years now of bliss and blessing], and then progressing to May Day, seems that I rarely need to extend to yelling June Day, July Day, August Day before someone, ANYONE replies.

I recall in college one of my roommates setting up his Ham radio that he built from schematics and a soldering iron with many bits of tiny electronics. He would string a slinky toy around our apartment for an antenna and then fired up his high powered radio and we would watch as all of the fluorescent lamps would turn on with in a distance of about 150 feet and I recall our beer cans unfavorably becoming quite hot as we held them, less hot if the beer can was full of cold beer but much, MUCH warmer if the beer can was nearing empty. Quit wondering why about frequency designations after my beer became very hot, too hot to handle. Now I wonder why it was I too was warm and thus in need of another cold beer. Understanding the physics now I realize that the cold beer kept in the refrigerator was more or less insulated by a Faraday Cage from the radio waves. It was cool to talk to other ham radio operators around the globe a long ways from San Luis Obispo, California even if we could not speak the same languages. It was NOT COOL to have our aluminum [aluminium] beer cans become warmed. And I recall the neighboring apartments complaining about their flourescent lamps coming on in the middle of the night when my roommate turned on his ham radio. We never did tell them about that source of powering their lights, said it must be ghosts.

[cal40john]

I've always used a cruising guide to find what channel the marina is on.

[Caliber40]

Seriously? Channel 16 works fine! I get thru 95% of the time! I call, they answer, they tell me what channel to switch to....couldn’t be easier....why over think this!!!!!

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

>>>


Learned something new every day, although I thought BC was different (they are ... in so many ways ).

Anyone know why the difference? Gord?

Mike,


Doesn't your first sentence answer the second one?

[billknny]

Originally Posted by David Mathis

It seems that the USCG and FCC could designate a VHF channel(s) for marinas. Calling a marina on 16 will sometimes bring a response but often the call goes unanswered. Only after approaching the marina close enough to read the sign do we learn that their self-designated channel might be 16, 9, 19, 74, or various other channels. Many marinas in New York and Vermont do not monitor 16 and will respond only to calls received on "their channel". Perhaps designating one or more of the now rarely used old radiotelephone channels as a marina contact and communication channel could eliminate some of the radio traffic congestion.

Everyplace I have ever been from Canada to the eastern Caribbean and the west cost of North America and Hawaii you hail the marina on 16 and they tell you what channel to use. In crowded places with lots of marinas they each need to use a separate channel to avoid stepping on each other.

This method works just fine. Everywhere. Of course you can always just use your cell phone. That works.

You are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be. If your local marinas don't monitor 16, then they need to be told that's the right thing to do, just like the rest of the world.