The VHF radio on each bareboat provides you with a high level of safety. Although VHF is line of sight and restricted to a range of about 80 km (50 miles), it is possible to navigate the whole of the Queensland Coast and stay in contact with radio stations by means of repeater stations at 80 kilometre intervals. As each repeater is battery powered they are equipped with automatic cut-outs which limit the time any one party can talk ...this conserves valuable battery power.

The radio is routinely powered from your boats house batteries - however, if this battery should fail (for any reason) most bareboats are provided with an emergency 'back-up' battery you can switch to.

Your VHF radio transceiver has a number of working channels and each bareboat has its own unique 7 digit call sign...this number is often recorded on (or near) your radio... alternatively it will be given to you when you do your boat brief.

You only use this VHF radio under the rules, regulations and guidelines set by the Radio Communications Act and the Commonwealth Navigation Act...this means you are required to operate the radio to comply with standard operating procedures.

To use your VHF radio first check that the 'radio' switch is on at the switchboard -

The repeater stations are powered by solar power and stop transmitting after 30 seconds. If you have longer transmissions to make simply release the microphone key briefly before continuing.

A further feature of VHF radio (but only if your boat is connected into the system) is the ability to hook into the normal Telecom network, enabling the caller to conduct a telephone conversation with any telephone number in the world... This feature which is known as QTC Seaphone can be used by calling 'Telstra Seaphone' and having the operator obtain the required number.

If you use a Seaphone facility while you are on charter you are required to log the call and notify the 'de-briefer' on your return - these calls are chargeable to you as the charterer.

It is useful to listen to other craft and learn the language of radio transmitting. Some of the abbreviations will sound strange at first, but they are all simple and effective. Some of the most common expressions you will hear used are:

To make transmissions easier to understand under poor conditions, each letter of the alphabet has a code word... Use this code, if you are having trouble getting through and need to spell out the message. It is not hard to learn -

If your boat's name was 'Magic', this is how you would call under bad conditions:

"Radio base, Radio base...This is Magic, Magic, I spell...Mike, Alpha, Golf, India, Charlie...over"

While it is not the purpose of these web pages to teach you to be a radio operator, here is a sample of a typical call you would make to Radio Base (name of your Charter Company) on the twice daily schedule:

Always state the called station two or three times before your vessel's name.

"Radio base, Radio base, Radio base...this is Magic, Magic on channel 80, over"

The answer should come back,

"Magic, Magic, Magic...this is Radio base, Radio base, go ahead please"

If you do not hear an immediate reply, repeat you call once or twice, then wait 5 to 10 minutes before calling again. Your charter operator sometimes scans different frequencies, and their radio could have been locked momentarily into another channel at the time you call.

Use the word 'over' at the end of the message to indicate to the other party that you have ceased transmitting.

Do not say 'over and out' at the end of your communication... Simply say 'listening out'. It's good practice not to turn your radio off immediately after use in case another station is trying to contact you.

If you are unable to contact your Radio base you can ask any other charter base or vessel to pass a message.

In the event of total radio failure, visit any other vessel anchored close by, their VHF radio will have the same frequencies as you...ask them to contact your charter operator on your behalf.