VHF SRC Resources

Below are some resource which you might find of use if you are taking the VHF SCR Course

How DSC VHF works?
Watch the video below to see how:

Things to Learn

Phonetic Alphabet
Use these slides to help you learn the phonetic alphabet - then test yourself be sleeping out every day words.

For more help with the phonetic alphabet see this video:

Channel List
Learn the commonly used channels and what they are used for.

Calling the Coastguard
For guidance calling the Coastguard, see this article.

Alerts, Calls and Messages

What do the words mean?

Alert
The digital part of the message (like sending a text message)

Call
The initial voice message used to invite a reply (ie. Clubhouse, Clubhouse, this is Deepsea, Over)

Message
The information that you are trying to send (ie. Where do you want this racing mark laid?)

Standard Message Formats

During the course we will use specially adapted radios, which do not transmit, this allows us to practice all of the different types of alerts, calls and messages.

Please DO NOT practice these on 'real' VHF radios.

Below are the main four alerts, calls and messages which we will be using on the VHF course. It would be useful for you to revise the format of these calls before the course.

Mayday Message (Distress Alert)
This is when you get to press the red button! Enclosed is a listing of the Distress Alert, Call and Message format.

Pan Pan Message (Urgency Alert)
Sent a 'All Ships - Urgency' alert followed by the enclosed Pan Pan Call and Message.

Mayday Relay Message (Urgency Alert)
Sent a 'All Ships - Urgency' alert followed by the enclosed Mayday Relay Call and Message.

Securite Message (Safety Alert)
Send a 'All Ships - Safety' alert followed by the enclosed Securite Call and Message.

Ship Licensing

Ships Radio Licenses are issued in the UK by OfCom. See the OfCom Licensing Centre for more details [OfCom...]

Get to know our radios

On our course you will be using ICOM M421 VHF radios, you may wish to read through the manual to become familiar with how to use it.

Icom M421 Manual
Do not think you have to read every page of this manual (unless you have a lot of time on your hands!) focus on the first few pages to get a feel for the radio.

Pre-Course Assessment

Before the day of your course you will need to take the Pre-course Assessment to prove that you have learnt the basics.

Pre-course Assessment