Two-Way Radio Communication

Two-Way Communication While Out Sailing – and why it’s important…

 

In this age of instant communication via “smart phone” some sailors have begun to question the need to have a two-way radio transceiver aboard their boat.  And, if there is a two-way radio, they might not turn it on at all.  Here are some thoughts:

First of all, cell phone coverage has some big “holes”.  In the inland northwest regions of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana there are many places where cell phone coverage is “spotty” at best.  Many of my friends complain bitterly that they spend lots of cash each month, but cannot use their “smart phones” for anything while aboard their boats.  The same thing is true at many of the ski resorts around the region – but that’s another story……  The point here is that if you are in trouble on your boat and are relying on your “smart phone” you might be surprised that you cannot make a call or a text.

Another problem with relying on the “smart phone” is that even if the phone works fine, you are probably calling someone who is nowhere near your location.  How is that person supposed to come to your rescue?  How is that person supposed to relay your information to someone else accurately?  Will that person have to patch you into some sort of conference call?  Don’t get me wrong - - I think that cell phones and other “smart” devices are terrific.  However, they are not the most efficient means of communication when your boat is in trouble.

Another thing to ponder if you don’t turn on your two-way radio is that you might be only a short distance away from someone in real trouble.  They might be calling a “Mayday” on their two-way radio.  If your two-way radio isn’t turned on, you’ll never hear the emergency call - - nor will you know that you could/should render assistance.  Personally, I would be mortified if I found out that I was the closest boat; that I could have helped; but that I never knew until someone back at the marina asked if I knew what had happened……

 

So, what kind of two-way radio is best.  Of course, best is relative.  And, best might have to do with what kind of radios most other sailors are using where you sail.  If most sailors are using CB radios, the CB is probably the best choice for you.  If most sailors are using VHF marine band radios, then VHF is the way to go.  If you are at sea, blue water voyaging to distant places you will probably have a single sideband radio or a “HAM” radio.  What are the differences?  Well, there are a lot of differences.  But, the most important difference is probably the transmit/receive range of the radio.  A CB radio transmits at about 5 watts and generally has a range of about four to five miles.  VHF marine band radios transmit at about 25 watts when on “high”; and those transmissions can be heard at distances of twenty to twenty-five miles.  Single sideband and HAM radios can often be heard thousands of miles away.  There are variables in transmit range such as how high up the antenna is mounted – the higher up the farther the range.

The important thing though is that your two-way radio should be similar to the radios most of the sailors in your area are using.  CB radios cannot hear a VHF transmission - - and visa-versa……  If your radio is similar to the radios that other sailors are using, then you improve your communication ability greatly.

Find out what channel most sailors are using to call other boats.  For CB that channel is often channel 9.  For VHF radios that channel is usually channel 16.  Know what the procedure is for using the radio.  CB radio procedures are much more relaxed than VHF procedures.  And HAM procedures are more involved than VHF.  Most of the sailors where Kathy and I sail are using VHF marine band radios and use channel 16 for initial calls and for emergency calls.  In the twenty-seven years Kathy and I have been sailing Snickerdoodle at Lake Pend Oreille, ID., I have been involved in three life-threatening rescue attempts.  The VHF radio was instrumental in all three.  If we had not had the radio on and monitoring channel 16, we would not have been able to help.

 

By-the-way - - - hand-held VHF radios are great… but, these two-way radios transmit with about 5 watts of power.  So, the effective range is reduced to about four or five miles.

 

So, have the right radio for your region and know the procedures for using that radio.

VHF procedures - - 

Use channel 16 to make emergency calls.  Emergency calls and special notification calls have set procedures.  There are three levels importance for these calls - - “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” is the most severe and implies a life-threatening situation.

“Pan, Pan, Pan” (pronounced “pawn, pawn, pawn”) is for serious but not yet life-threatening situations.  I heard the 90-foot yawl Odyssey call a “Pan, Pan, Pan” one day when I was sailing in the San Juan Islands.  The Odyssey had a man-overboard.  The reason that they broadcast a “Pan, Pan, Pan” instead of a “Mayday” was that they were sure that they could rescue the victim who’d fallen overboard.  And, they were successful.  Their radio transmission was to notify other boats and the Coast Guard that they had a serious situation that they were dealing with.

“Security, Security, Security” is for information situations.  I remember once I heard the American aircraft carrier USS Kennedy making a “Security, Security, Security” transmission on VHF as she was about to enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Her captain wanted to notify all boaters and sailors that this very large ship was entering the strait.  The Kennedy had restricted ability to maneuver and the captain wanted to make sure other boats stayed away.

If I needed to make one of these calls from Snickerdoodle, here’s what you would hear……  “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday – this is sailing vessel Snickerdoode – WSE-8015 – a 25-foot sailing sloop – at (give the location or latitude/longitude) – give the nature of the emergency aboard (fire, sinking, medical emergency, etc.) – Over”  

BTW: the WSE-8015 is my VHF call sign.  You don’t need to have this – I do have a call sign, so I broadcast that call sign.

Hopefully someone who can help will respond right away to your transmission.  If not, rebroadcast the message.

Use channel 16 to initially call the person/boat you want to communicate with.  Then, when contact has been established, switch channels to one of the “working” channels for personal/private communications (channel 9, 68, etc)

This contact transmission is pretty straightforward.  If I were trying to call my brother Bob aboard his sailboat Windsong you would hear - - “Windsong, Windsong, Windsong – this is Snickerdoodle – WSE-8015 – Over”

If Bob heard me, he would acknowledge by transmitting – “Snickerdoodle – this is Windsong – let’s go to 68”  We would then change channels to 68 and be able to talk with each other.  If other boats are already talking on 68 – we’d wait till they were through.  When I’m through talking with Bob on Windsong I’ll say, “Snickerdoodle back to 16”

So, have the two-way radio that is best for your region – the type that most sailors are using; know the procedures; and monitor the initial/emergency channel whenever you are at your boat.

And, please don’t make a call similar to one we heard a couple weeks ago where the caller’s engine had quit.  He was drifting toward a rocky shore about 300 yards away.  He identified himself as a 25-foot blue/white Bayliner near Granite Point.  Another boat immediately called back to let the first caller know that the rescuing boat was just leaving Garfield Bay about five miles away.  It would take the rescuing boat ten to fifteen minutes to get to the stricken vessel’s location.

Fifteen minutes later the first caller aboard the blue/white Bayliner called (with considerable distress in his voice).  He could not see the rescuer yet and was getting closer to the rocks.  The rescuer immediately called back saying that he was near Granite Point – but could not see any other boats – especially he could not see a 25-foot Bayliner.  This was when the Bayliner said that he thought he was located a couple miles north of Garfield Bay on the west side of the lake.  He thought the point was Granite Point.  I looked at my chart for Lake Pend Oreille and determined that the Bayliner was somewhere between Mineral Point and Camp Bay (a little more than a mile from Garfield Bay where the rescuer had come from).  The rescuing boat now had to drive back across the lake another ten to fifteen minutes.  We didn’t hear any more transmissions - - so, hopefully all went well after that.