Tools / Marine VHF channels

Marine VHF channels

The frequency and use of every international marine VHF channel. Channel 16 is for distress, safety and calling, 70 is for digital selective calling only, and duplex channels use a coast station frequency 4.6 MHz above the ship's.

Find a channel or frequency

Channel	Ship transmits (MHz)	Coast transmits (MHz)	Mode	Use
1	156.050	160.650	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
2	156.100	160.700	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
3	156.150	160.750	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
4	156.200	160.800	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
5	156.250	160.850	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
6	156.300	–	Simplex	Intership safety, search and rescue
7	156.350	160.950	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
8	156.400	–	Simplex	Intership
9	156.450	–	Simplex	Intership, port operations. US: boater calling
10	156.500	–	Simplex	Intership, port operations. UK: SAR and pollution
11	156.550	–	Simplex	Port operations, VTS
12	156.600	–	Simplex	Port operations, VTS
13	156.650	–	Simplex	Bridge to bridge, navigation safety (1 W)
14	156.700	–	Simplex	Port operations, VTS
15	156.750	–	Simplex	On-board communications (1 W)
16	156.800	–	Simplex	Distress, safety and calling
17	156.850	–	Simplex	On-board communications (1 W)
18	156.900	161.500	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
19	156.950	161.550	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
20	157.000	161.600	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
21	157.050	161.650	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
22	157.100	161.700	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
23	157.150	161.750	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
24	157.200	161.800	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
25	157.250	161.850	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
26	157.300	161.900	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
27	157.350	161.950	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
28	157.400	162.000	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
60	156.025	160.625	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
61	156.075	160.675	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
62	156.125	160.725	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
63	156.175	160.775	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
64	156.225	160.825	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
65	156.275	160.875	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
66	156.325	160.925	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
67	156.375	–	Simplex	Intership, port operations. UK: small craft safety with HM Coastguard
68	156.425	–	Simplex	Port operations, marinas
69	156.475	–	Simplex	Intership, port operations
70	156.525	–	Simplex	Digital selective calling (DSC) only, no voice
71	156.575	–	Simplex	Port operations
72	156.625	–	Simplex	Intership
73	156.675	–	Simplex	Intership, port operations. UK: HM Coastguard working
74	156.725	–	Simplex	Port operations
75	156.775	–	Simplex	Navigation-related only, 1 W
76	156.825	–	Simplex	Navigation-related only, 1 W
77	156.875	–	Simplex	Intership
78	156.925	161.525	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
79	156.975	161.575	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
80	157.025	161.625	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
81	157.075	161.675	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
82	157.125	161.725	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
83	157.175	161.775	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
84	157.225	161.825	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
85	157.275	161.875	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
86	157.325	161.925	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
87	157.375	161.975	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
88	157.425	162.025	Duplex	Port operations, public correspondence with coast stations
AIS 1	161.975	–	Data	Automatic identification system (channel 87B)
AIS 2	162.025	–	Data	Automatic identification system (channel 88B)
M (37A)	157.850	–	Simplex	UK marinas and yacht clubs
M2	161.425	–	Simplex	UK marinas, race control

Channel 16 and channel 70

Channel 16 (156.800 MHz) is the international distress, safety and calling channel, and every vessel with a VHF should listen on it while at sea. After making contact on 16, move to a working channel. Channel 70 (156.525 MHz) carries digital selective calling (DSC) only. A DSC radio connected to GPS can send a distress alert with your position at the press of a button. Voice is never used on 70.

Simplex and duplex

Simplex channels use one frequency, so ships can talk to each other. Duplex channels use a pair: the ship transmits on the lower frequency and the coast station 4.6 MHz higher, which allows telephone-style conversation with a coast station but not between ships. In the US, many duplex channels are used in simplex on the ship frequency, called "A" channels, such as 22A (157.100 MHz) for the US Coast Guard.

Licences

In the UK, a fixed or handheld marine VHF needs a free Ofcom Ship Radio Licence or Ship Portable Radio Licence, and the operator needs a Short Range Certificate (SRC). In the US, recreational boats in US waters don't need a station licence, but DSC radios need an MMSI number. Marine VHF is for use on the water, and using it on land is only allowed for licensed coast stations.

Range

VHF is line of sight, so range depends on antenna height. A handheld at deck level reaches about 5 nautical miles to another boat, and a masthead antenna 15 to 25 miles, further to a coastguard station on a hill. The link budget calculator works out the radio horizon for any antenna height.

Questions

What is marine VHF channel 16?

156.800 MHz, the international distress, safety and calling channel.

Which channel do I use to call the coastguard in the UK?

Channel 16 for distress and urgency. For routine safety calls, call on 16 and you'll be moved to a working channel such as 67.

What is channel 13 used for?

Bridge-to-bridge navigation safety between ships, at 1 W.

Do I need a licence for a handheld marine VHF?

In the UK, yes: a free Ship Portable Radio Licence from Ofcom, and an operator's certificate such as the SRC.