International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 4

Number 2

June 2010

137

1 VHF RADIO USAGE ACCORDING TO

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

1.1 SOLAS obligations for VHF radio equipment

The SOLAS 74/02 Convention states that each ves-

sel of Gross Tonnage 300-500 should carry at least 2

VHF radios while every passenger ship and every

cargo vessel of Gross Tonnage more then 500

should carry at least 3 VHF radios on board (SO-

LAS, 2006). VHF radios should not only be present

at the bridge, but also be properly situated. Headset

should be in the vicinity of officer's hand and the

speaker near his ears. Ship's wings should also be

fitted with VHF radio equipment to be use in emer-

gency situations or simply during manoeuvres.

The SOLAS states that there should be at least 2

separate ways to communicate in distress situation.

One of them is always VHF radio, since it is obliga-

tory to carry it when ship is operating in the A1 Sea

Area and so in all other areas (ALRS 5, 2007/08).

VHF equipment consists not solely of a speaker

and a headset. It is permanently connected to the

Digital Selective Calling device operating also in the

VHF band. The DSC device is capable of sending

and receiving DSC messages. The messages are sent

with a usage of 156.525 MHz frequency (channel

70). Monitoring on the VHF frequencies should be

continuous on the DSC channel 70 and broadcast

channel 16. SOLAS requires VHF radios to send and

receive communication on frequencies 156.300

MHz (channel 6), 156.650 MHz (channel 13),

156.800 MHz (channel 16) as in Table 1 (ALRS 5,

2007/08).

Table 1. VHF radio channels required by the SOLAS

______________________________________________

Channel Frequencies (MHz) Special purpose

_______________

ship | shore

______________________________________________

6 156.300 SAR communication

13 156.650 156.650 Safety of navigation

16 156.800 156.800 International distress,

safety and calling

70 156.525 156.525 DSC

__________________________________________

1.2 STCW obligations for VHF radio users

VHF radio operators should have proper GMDSS

qualifications (Walczak, 1996). At least the General

Operators Certificate (GOC) should be held by the

officer who is keeping a navigational watch on a

bridge and uses the GMDSS equipment. The STCW

Code (STCW Code, 2001) states, that the radio

watch shall not be disturbed by any communication

not connected with safety of ship and navigation so

any routine or private communication during watch

is forbidden.

2 ADVANTAGES OF THE VHF BAND

2.1 VHF range

English “VHF” abbreviation stands for Very High

Frequency and it describes those waves of the elec-

tromagnetic spectrum which length is a multiplicity

of meters. We can easily describe electromagnetic

waves as a self-propagating radiation. The term

"propagation" explains how the radio waves behave

in a vacuum or in a matter when they are transmit-

Advantages of Preservation of Obligatory

Voice Communication on the VHF Radio

Channel 16

S. Brzoska

Gdynia Maritime University, Gdynia, Poland

Channel 16 of the VHF radio band is the most commonly used way of communication between vessels. Alt-

hough there are strict rules not to use it for routine communication, many officers neglect them. When Digital

Selective Calling had been presented to the GMDSS system, it was no longer obligatory to keep a watch on

channel 16, however, on the waters of the United States such an obligation is still in force. Officers find DSC

system quite difficult to use so the European countries should revise their politics and consider restoration of

obligatory watchkeeping on channel 16.

138

ted. The propagation may be affected by many phe-

nomena like refraction or absorption.

Of all the ways that the electromagnetic waves

can propagate, those which are attached to the VHF

band (30 MHz to 300 MHz) propagate in an accu-

rate, but somewhat short way – with a use of a direct

mode or a "line-of-sight" mode. The term comes

from the fact that a VHF frequency wave propagates

between antennas that are visible to each other. It is

not exactly true, because of the air humidity and an

effect of refraction, the VHF propagation is some-

what farther then the line-of-sight and is assumed to

be more or less 30 Nm (Czajkowski, 2002).

It is rather an advantage then a disadvantage that

VHF waves propagate in a circle of only 30 Nm

from the sending station. Thanks to that fact a sender

might be sure that his message will be sent only to

stations in his line-of-sight and only those, who are

really concerned about his message, will get it.

2.2 VHF channels

In maritime radio communication the wave-bands

are marked by the letters. The maritime VHF band

range is between 156 MHz and 174 MHz and is

marked by letter “V”. In that range of frequencies

separate channels have been divided. The separation

between channels is usually 25 kHz with an excep-

tion for 12.5 kHz division if local authority finds

such a division necessary (ALRS 5, 2007/08). To

make the usage of VHF channels easier, they have

been marked with 2 digits. Instead of entering a long

numbered and hard-to-remember frequencies (like in

the MF/HF devices) user can simply enter 2 digits

and the VHF radio will be tuned to the proper fre-

quency.

2.3 The VHF communication rules

Finding usage of the VHF radio so easy makes it the

most practicable tool for marine communication in

the world. VHF radios are user-friendly devices,

similar to cell phones, which are nowadays used by

almost everyone. A well qualified user (e.g. a holder

of the GOC certificate) should have no problem with

VHF voice communication. He simply needs to

know some basic rules, implemented in the "Sea-

speak", Standard Marine Communication Phrases

(SMCP), International Code of Signals and Admiral-

ty List of Radio Signals. Basic rules e.g. implement-

ed in the "Seaspeak" are:

− don't make unnecessary calls,

− use proper procedures,

− use proper channel,

− speak slowly and fluently,

− avoid disturbance of other calls (Weeks, 1984).

If the officers would fallow these rules there

shouldn't be any problems or mistakes in the VHF

communication. Unfortunately, maritime courts of-

ten find misusage of the VHF radio as a cause of a

collision or a marine accident. VHF radio equip-

ment cannot be blamed for that. It's usage is so easy

that the only ones to blame are the officers them-

selves. Among the typical mistakes they make are:

− not applying to communication rules of the

SMCP and "Seaspeak",

− language mistakes, especially those caused by lit-

tle English knowledge,

− wrong identification of vessels, e.g. not using

names, call signs, MMSI numbers,

− keeping conversation on channel 16 or channel

restricted for VTS communication.

Little English knowledge is becoming a problem.

Since many maritime schools and training centres

lowered their requirements for the candidates for fu-

ture officers the level of education has also been

lowered. They rarely follow SMCP and "Seaspeak"

rules and when the rules are disobeyed it may lead to

a disaster. The "weakest chain" in the maritime

communication system is again the "human factor".

As it was already said the VHF radio equipment

is easy to handle. However, when it comes to the

DSC VHF system, which is connected to the voice-

broadcast VHF device, it becomes much more com-

plicated.

2.4 Digital Selective Calling on the VHF band and

it's disadvantages

Digital Selective Calling was introduced to the

GMDSS system on MF, HF and VHF bands. It was

intended to make easy, automatic communication

with shore stations and other vessels. DSC device

can either send automatic messages, like distress

message (by simply pushing a "distress" button for 5

sec.) or recently prepared messages by the officer in

charge of a navigational watch. The preparation is

done only by choosing (Czajkowski, 2002):

− format specifier (distress, individual, geograph-

ical area, all ships, groups),

− MMSI number of the receiving station (not nec-

essary if the message is addressed to "all sta-

tions"),

− proper category (from listed: distress, urgency,

safety and routine),

− special information (e.g. about nature of distress,

from listed: piracy, sinking, listing, fire on board,

etc.).

So it is not possible to send a typed message, like

a cell phone's SMS.

139

The DSC system works perfectly well when it

comes to a distress message. The only thing the op-

erator needs to do is push the right button for a fixed

amount of time and the message will be sent auto-

matically. The user problem appears when it comes

to preparation of a more complicated message. The

DSC equipment panel is not as user-friendly as was

the VHF voice communication device. In fact is ra-

ther user-unfriendly system. The ITU Regulations

are very complicated and it is difficult for an officer

to remember when he can and when he cannot send

confirmation of a distress. Preparing a message is al-

so quite difficult, especially with a device's display

consisting of two lines of black and white text. Peo-

ple who nowadays work on the Personal Computers

(PC) which has big, colourful screens, with wide

windows and easy-to-choose options, find DSC

equipment somehow old-fashioned. Officers are of-

ten afraid to use the DSC equipment because they

don't comprehend all the rules and the device itself.

In the times when there are 3.3 billion operating

cell phones in the world and thus every second man

on the planet has a cell phone (Kobel, 2007), would-

n't it be easy to change DSC messages into user-

friendly SMS system like the one in the GSM net?

2.5 DSC watch keeping obligation

The SOLAS convention states that monitoring on

the VHF frequencies should be continuous on the

DSC channel 70 and broadcast channel 16, however,

in special areas, like VTS, local authorities can rec-

ommend their own broadcast channels for watch

keeping.

DSC was intended to eliminate the need of keep-

ing continuous watch on radio receivers on voice ra-

dio channels, including VHF channel 16. After 1

February 1999, according to SOLAS, every ship had

to keep continuous watch on channel 70 simply with

having such a device on board. The DSC receiver

works automatically - when a message comes a

buzz-signal is sound. The officer simply needs to

push appropriate button, read the message and tune

the radio to the right VHF voice channel (recom-

mended in the message itself) and wait for the com-

munication to come.

Thanks to the DSC system it is certain that the re-

cipient will receive the message because the mes-

sage is stored in the device and can be read in any

time. That’s the main advantage of the DSC system.

With voice communication, when officer is busy and

cannot lift the headset, the message broadcasted by

voice might not be received. DSC message comes

whether he likes it or not – it is stored in the device,

just like SMS message is stored in a cell phone. To

make the sending station sure that the message

came, receiving station can send a confirmation

(however it is forbidden to send such a DSC confir-

mation to a distress message from a ship, because

then the message might not get to the appropriate

SAR station).

3 VHF COMMUNICATION ON CHANNEL 16

3.1 Legal issues concerning channel 16

Despite the above mentioned advantages of DSC

system it is still practised to keep a listening watch

on the VHF channel 16. It is a good seamanship to

do so and here it is where the rules are not comply-

ing with the practise. SOLAS convention states in

chapter IV/12 that “Ships 300 tons and over and

passenger ships on international voyages must

maintain, where practicable, a continuous listening

watch on VHF channel 16 until 1 February 2005”

(SOLAS, 2006). In May 2002, IMO decided to post-

pone cessation of a VHF listening watch aboard

ships until 1 February 2005. In ITU Regulations

there is a statement: “All ships should, where practi-

cable, maintain watch on channel 16 when within

the service area of a VHF maritime coast station

(ITU, RR 38-16). So there is no longer strict obliga-

tion to do so. The statement “where practicable” in

both SOLAS and ITU Regulations might be read as

an admittance for not listening to the channel 16. For

example, in places where both VTS and harbour

master are using channels different than 16 (e.g. in

Gdynia harbour ships are listening to channel 71 for

VTS Zatoka and 12 for Gdynia harbour master), a

ship with two VHF radios may not listen to the 16

channel at all.

The problem comes with a small pleasure crafts,

fishing vessels and sailing vessels, with low-

qualified crew, who are often not listening to the

VTS channels or 16 channel or are absolutely diso-

beying the Rule 5 of the COLREGS “Look-out”

(like the skipper of “Our Sarah Jayne” the case of

which is described in the next chapter of the paper).

When a disaster comes, because of not listening

to 16 channel and not responding to a call, the cap-

tains of such vessels might afterwards explain them-

selves that they were not obliged to do so. The

communication between vessels would be much eas-

ier if there was still an obligation to listen to the 16

channel. Not “where it is practicable” but every-

where, e.g. with a usage of the “dual watch” availa-

bility of the VHF radio.

Such a problem does not exist in the United

States because the US Authority - Federal Commu-

nications Commission - stated that "any vessel

equipped with VHF marine radiotelephone must

maintain a watch on channel 16, whenever the radi-

otelephone is not being used to communicate" (FCC:

140

Title 47). The usage of word "must" grants that of-

ficers will keep a watch on channel 16.

3.2 Using "dual channel" option

Thanks to the common sense of the officers and

“dual channel” options of the VHF radios the watch

on the channel 16 is still kept. “Dual channel” is an

option included in the VHF radio device which ena-

bles to listen to two channels in the same time – e.g.

channel one for 1 sec. and the other, main, for 9 sec.

When a message comes or any voice signal on one

of those channels is received the receiver tunes itself

automatically to that channel.

It's a very useful tool to use especially on those

ships which are equipped only with 2 VHF radios

(vessels of GT less than 300) or vessels which are

carrying radios voluntary because they are too small

to take part in the SOLAS convention. Those small

vessels, most of which are pleasure crafts, are usual-

ly carrying VHF radios and for them it is the only

way of communication.

4 PROBLEMS WITH DISOBEYING

COMMUNICATION RULES

4.1 Disobeying the Rule 5 "Look-out" of the

COLREGS.

The Rule 5 states that "every vessel shall at all times

maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as

well as by all available means appropriate in the

prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to

make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk

of collision", VHF radios are one of those mentioned

as "all available means" (Rymarz, 2004).

So not only SOLAS and ITU-R but also the Col-

lision Regulations demands keeping a watch with

using VHF radio (even if it is stated as "all means").

Disobeying the rules may lead to a collision. The

officer had to be focused on all aspects of the navi-

gation. He needs to have a whole view of the situa-

tion. To keep his full attention he needs to maintain

proper look-out and "proper" means "full". If in any

case he is not sure of what is going on he must have

an always ready-to-use tool to solve the situation.

VHF radio is such a tool and it's proper usage can be

as simple as keeping watch on channel 16.

If the officer neglects usage of that tool he may

cause a marine accident, just like the "Our Sarah

Jayne's" skipper did.

4.2 Collision between "Thelisis" and "Our Sarah

Jayne" as a result of disobeying Rule 5.

On 20 June 2001 in the Thames Estuary two vessels

collided. One of them was the 8904gt Greek-

registered ro-ro cargo vessel "Thelisis" and the other

was small registered fishing vessel "Our Sarah

Jayne" which was only 14m long. At the time of the

collision "Thelisis" was under pilotage and "Our Sa-

rah Jayne" was engaged in fishing (MAIB, 2002).

"Thelisis" was plying through Princess Channel

and spotted a white light in front of her bow. Both

pilot and the master were not sure of the source of

the light. The pilot called VTS to receive infor-

mation on the object, but the VTS operator also did-

n't know what it was. When the range between ships

was around 1Nm "Thelisis" recognised the object as

a fishing vessel and tried to call him on VHF chan-

nel 12, the channel which was used by the Thames

VTS in the area. Because of wrong identification

first he came into communication with other vessel

and started to agree manoeuvre. The pilot was sure

that the fishing vessel would give way and she did

not.

"Our Sarah Jayne's" skipper was not aware of the

imminent danger until the collision took place. That

was because he was completely disobeying the Rule

5 and was not keeping any look-out at all. He had

his VHF radio on and tuned to VTS' channel 12, but

the volume was set midway. He left the wheelhouse

unattended many times and probably didn't hear any

calling and even if he did heard them he was not

aware that he was the one referred to.

"Our Sarah Jayne" flooded then foundered almost

immediately after the collision. The skipper was res-

cued by a Thames pilot cutter.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Since VHF radio is such a useful tool and neglecting

it might be so dangerous the Authorities should en-

courage deck officers to use it. The channel 16

should be on at all times and a continuous watch

should be kept. DSC communication is helpful but it

shouldn't be the only recommended way of commu-

nication because of it's disadvantages mentioned in

the paper. Mostly because DSC devices are complex

and not at all user-friendly. If the local authorities

require keeping a watch on different channels then

the "dual watch" option should be used or even an-

other VHF radio installed onboard. The international

regulations should again expect the officers to keep

a channel 16 watch, like it is practicable on the Unit-

ed States waters.

141

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obsługa, Gdańskf, Skryba.

Federal Communications Commission. Title 47: Code of Fed-

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International Telecommunications Union, Radio Regulations

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Marine Accidents Investigation Branch, 2002, Report on the

investigation of the collision between Thelisis and Our Sa-

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