Club VHF radio usage guidelines

Both Topknot and Rósan have in-built VHF radios for communicating with other vessels and shore stations.

• Only people who have done a VHF radio course should use the radios
• Always keep the radio on when at sea
• Use the radios on ‘dual watch’ mode (channel 16 + another channel):
  Use the coastguard working channel or an agreed ship-to-ship channel as one channel, whilst monitoring channel 16
• Know the local coastguard working channel
• Keep on low power setting if transmitting to nearby boats

Working channels

For talking to other club boats, simplex channels 06, 08, 72 and 77 are available. Where possible, choose a channel that is not in use by other boats and change channel if necessary.

Working VHF channels for coastguard stations in Ireland

The international calling and distress channel 16 and digital selective calling (DSC) channel 70 are operational nationwide. Channel 67 is also used by coastguard stations throughout Ireland. In addition, local channels are used as shown on this map (data from the Irish Dept of Transport, checked in Aug 2011, but no longer presented on the dept website).

Stations from Carlingford to Mine Head come under the control of Dublin MRCC, stations from Cork to Galway under Valentia MRSC, and stations from Clifden to Malin under Malin MRSC.