Marine Radios Overview - Side Bar

[Jim Sexton]

U.S. VHF and SSB Channels
Channel	Transmit	Receive	Intended use
1A 5A 6 7A 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18A 19A 20 20A 21A 22A 23A 24 25 26 27 28 63A 65A 66A 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 77 78A 79A 80A 81A 82A 83A 84 85 86 87 88 88A	156.05 156.25 156.3 156.35 156.4 156.45 156.5 156.55 156.6 156.65 156.7 156.8 156.85 156.9 156.95 157 157 157.05 157.1 157.15 157.2 157.25 157.3 157.35 157.4 156.175 156.275 156.325 156.375 156.425 156.475 156.525 156.575 156.625 156.675 156.725 156.875 156.925 156.975 157.025 157.075 157.125 157.175 157.225 157.275 157.325 157.375 157.425 157.425	156.05 156.25 156.3 156.35 156.4 156.45 156.5 156.55 156.6 156.65 156.7 156.75 156.8 156.85 156.9 156.95 161.6 157 157.05 157.1 157.15 161.8 161.85 161.9 161.65 162 156.175 156.275 156.325 156.375 156.425 156.475 156.525 156.575 156.625 156.675 156.725 156.875 156.925 156.975 157.025 157.075 157.125 157.175 161.825 161.875 161.925 161.975 162.025 157.425	Port operations and commercial Port ops USCG VTS in Seattle Intership safety only Commercial working ch. Comercl. intership only Boater calling, comercl. & non- comercl. Comercl. working ch Commercial, VTS in selected areas Port operations. VTS in selected areas Intership navigation safety (bridge to bridge) Port operations VTS in selected areas Environmental (rcv. only); Class C Epirbs Distress, safety, & calling. listening watch State control Commercial Commercial Port operations (duplex) Port operations U.S. Coast Guard only USCG liaison & maritime safety info U.S. Coast Guard only Public use (marine operator) Public use (marine operator) Public use (marine operator) Public use (marine operator) Public use (marine operator) Port operations & commercial Port operations Port operations Comercl intership only Non-commercial Non-commercial Digital selective calling only Non-commercial Non-commercial (intership only) Port operations Port operations Port operations (intership only) Non-commercial Commercial Commercial U.S. Government only. EPA ops U.S. Government only U.S. Coast Guard only Public use (marine operator) Public use (marine operator) Public use (marine operator) Public use (marine operator) Public use only near Canadian border Commercial intership only
Note: VTS (Vessel Traffic Services)

Single Sideband Radio
Frequency	Intended Use
2182 kHz 2670 kHz 4125 kHz 6215 kHz 8291 kHz 12290 kHz 16420 kHz 2.5 MHz 5.0 MHz 10.0 MHz 15.0 MHz 20.0 MHz 3330 kHz 7335 kHz 14670 kHz	International hailing & distress USCG Safety, NTM's, & WX Primary HF distress & safety Primary HF distress & safety Primary HF distress & safety Primary HF distress & safety Primary HF distress & safety WWV & WWVH U.S. time signal WWV & WWVH U.S. time signal WWV & WWVH U.S .time signal WWV & WWVH U.S .time signal WWV & WWVH U.S .time signal CHU Ottawa Canadian time signal CHU Ottawa Canadian time signal CHU Ottawa Canadian time signal
Note: Refer to DMA Pub. 117, Radio Navigation Aids for a complete listing

HF Frequency Selection Guide
Local Time	200-750NM	over 1500NM	6-11 Mhz
0 400 800 1200 1600 2000	3-5 MHz 3-5 MHz 3-7 MHz 4-7 MHz 4-7 MHz 3-7 MHz	6-9 MHz 4-7 MHz 6-11 MHz 8-13 MHz 8-13 MHz 6-11 MHz	6-9 MHz 11-22 MHz 13-22 MHz 13-22 MHz 11-22 MHz
Note: This table is very simplified and doesn't take into consideration seasons of the year or sunspot activity and their cycles. If you can hear traffic from a calling station clearly, you should be able to transmit to them successfully on that same channel.

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