VHF Radio What channels are best?

[fishinfool]

Well I finally went out and bought me one of those fancy VHF radios as an added safety feature to have. Now if any of you fellow Ifish members could help me out with the channels that are most common it would be greaty appreciated. I know I could just go out and scan the channels but if I had somewhere to start other than just one and hope I find something it would make life alot easier. Thanks in advance this board is great! Tim aka fishinfool [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[DF]

Good stuff I have one to
Just listin to 16 ALL the time, And if somone calls you then you will be move off to anoyher channel. 68, 69, 72 and stuff like that
search the net and you will find more

[ol tuna skipper]

Fishinfool

Channel 9 is the boater calling channel for commercial and non-commercial (recreational) hailing. once you have made your initial hail,(Example: This Is tuna skipper to fishinfool over) and contact is made, request going to another channel such as 68, 69 or 78A,(Example: Go To 68 over).

Be sure to end your transmission by stating your call sign and the word OUT. Call signs should be used at the biggining and end of your transmission.

Channel 16 is the international distress, safety and calling channel, therefore I do not hail on that channel myself, but you can.

Be sure a channel is clear before transmitting.

Channel 13 is used at docks and bridges. Channel 67 is used nav. traffic between vessels.

I hear a lot of conversations bewteen fisherman when on the Columbia on 88 which is a ship to coast channel. Not 88A (alpha) this is a Commercial, inter ship only channel.

I don't know what channel is most popular when in the big blue.

Be sure to switch back to 16 for monitoring when finished transmitting. I scan both 9 and 16.

I've heard people use 72. The marine channel chart says this is a non-commercial (inter-ship only) channel

anybody else.

[AngleThis]

Ol Tuna Skipper has it right...and most of the docuemtation I've seen on the subject confirms. However, I have also read that "all vessels so equipped are required by law to monitor ch 16". I think that was part of the Oregon Boater Safety exam???

In any case, if not most of the boaters in this area have 9 and 16 reversed...16 for hailing and 9 for emergencies. Don't ask me why, but if you set your scan feature to monitor both channels, you'll hear many more hails on 16 than on 9...?????? Also, I have heard the coast card telling persons doing a radio check on 16 that 16 is a hailing channel....maybe a law got recently changed or something?

In any case, I reccomend you monitor 16, and then when you contact your party, one of you suggest 66, 67, or 68 to shift your traffic to. The other channels are stricly for everything from commercial doc operations to dam locks.

If U turn around and see your stearn with a foot of water in it, switch to nine, scream for help, and then do the same on 16. If the coast guard doesn't respond and tell you to switch to 22, your antena isn't working; break out the PFDs. "May Day, May Day, May Day!!!....I forgot my f***ing drain hole plug!"