Marine VHF Radio for Charter Sailors: Channels, Procedures, and Etiquette

Why VHF Radio Skills Matter on a Charter

Your VHF radio is the most important safety device on the yacht after the life raft. In an emergency, it is your lifeline to rescue services, nearby vessels, and the coastguard. In routine operations, it connects you to marinas for berth reservations, to other boats in your flotilla, to weather broadcast services, and to harbor authorities for passage clearance.

Despite its importance, VHF radio procedure is one of the most neglected skills among charter sailors. Many bareboat charterers go through an entire week without transmitting, simply because they are unsure of the correct protocol. This guide covers everything you need to communicate confidently and correctly.

Channel Essentials

Channel 16: The Distress and Calling Channel

Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) is the international distress, safety, and calling channel. All vessels should monitor Channel 16 at all times when at sea. This is the channel you use to make initial contact with another vessel or station, and then switch to a working channel for your conversation. It is also the channel for all distress calls (Mayday) and urgency calls (Pan-Pan).

Never use Channel 16 for routine conversations. Make your initial call, agree on a working channel, and switch immediately.

Channel 9: Secondary Calling Channel

In some regions, particularly the United States, Channel 9 serves as an alternative calling channel to reduce congestion on Channel 16. In the Caribbean and Mediterranean, Channel 16 remains the primary calling channel.

Working Channels

After establishing contact on Channel 16, switch to a working channel for your conversation. Common inter-ship working channels include 6, 8, 72, and 77. Marina and port operations often use designated channels; check your cruising guide or call the marina on Channel 16 to ask which working channel they monitor.

Regional Weather Channels

Weather broadcasts are a critical daily resource for passage planning.

Mediterranean: NAVTEX broadcasts on 518 kHz (requires a separate NAVTEX receiver, often installed on charter yachts). Greek Coast Guard broadcasts weather on Channel 16 at scheduled times. VHF weather forecasts in the Adriatic (Croatia) are broadcast on Channel 67, Channel 73, and Channel 69, depending on the station, at 0535, 1435, and 2135 local time.

Caribbean: The US National Weather Service broadcasts on WX channels (WX1 through WX7), which are receive-only weather channels on VHF sets equipped with NOAA weather radio capability. The most relevant for the BVI and eastern Caribbean is the San Juan forecast on 162.55 MHz. In addition, Caribbean Safety and Security Net broadcasts on VHF Channel 72 in some areas.

United States: NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts continuously on seven frequencies (162.400 to 162.550 MHz). Most marine VHF radios can access these directly via the WX button.

Distress Procedures: Mayday

A Mayday call is made when the vessel or a person aboard faces grave and imminent danger requiring immediate assistance. This includes sinking, fire, or a life-threatening medical emergency. Do not hesitate to make a Mayday call when the situation warrants it. False modesty costs lives.

The Mayday Procedure

1. Check that your radio is on full power (25 watts)
2. Select Channel 16
3. Press and hold the transmit button
4. Speak slowly and clearly:

MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY

This is [vessel name], [vessel name], [vessel name]

MAYDAY [vessel name]

My position is [latitude/longitude or bearing and distance from known point]

Nature of distress: [sinking/fire/medical emergency/etc.]

I require [immediate assistance/medical evacuation/etc.]

[Number] persons on board

[Any other useful information: vessel description, MMSI number]

OVER

1. Release the transmit button and wait for a response
2. If no response after 15 to 30 seconds, repeat the entire call

After the Mayday

Maintain a continuous watch on Channel 16. Respond to any requests for further information. Keep the radio on and the antenna connected. If your situation improves and you no longer require assistance, cancel the Mayday with a MAYDAY SILENCE FINI call.

Urgency Procedures: Pan-Pan

Pan-Pan is used when there is an urgent situation concerning the safety of a vessel or person, but there is no immediate danger to life. Examples include engine failure with a vessel drifting toward shore, a non-life-threatening injury requiring medical advice, or loss of navigation in poor visibility.

The Pan-Pan Procedure

The format mirrors the Mayday call but opens with:

PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN

ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS (or directed to a specific station)

This is [vessel name], [vessel name], [vessel name]

Continue with position, nature of problem, type of assistance required, number of persons aboard, and any other relevant information.

Pan-Pan calls receive priority over routine traffic but do not command the immediate response obligation of a Mayday. Coastguard stations will typically respond and coordinate assistance.

Routine Communication Procedure

Making a Call

To contact a marina, another vessel, or a port authority:

1. Select Channel 16
2. Transmit: "[Station name], [station name], [station name], this is [your vessel name], [your vessel name], [your vessel name], OVER"
3. Wait for response
4. When the station responds, say: "Request to switch to Channel [number], OVER"
5. Both parties switch to the agreed working channel
6. Conduct your conversation
7. End with "[your vessel name], OUT"

Key Rules

Use "OVER" when you expect a reply. Use "OUT" when the conversation is finished. Never use "OVER and OUT" together, as they are contradictory. Keep transmissions brief and to the point. Wait for the other party to finish before transmitting. If a channel is busy, wait for a clear pause before transmitting.

Phonetic Alphabet

Use the NATO phonetic alphabet for spelling vessel names, callsigns, and any critical information:

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

Numbers are spoken individually: 1-5-0 (one five zero), not "one hundred and fifty."

Digital Selective Calling (DSC)

Modern marine VHF radios include DSC capability, identified by a red distress button (usually under a protective cover) on the unit. DSC is a digital protocol that automates distress alerting and enables direct radio-to-radio calling.

MMSI Number

Every DSC-equipped radio should be programmed with a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number, a unique nine-digit identifier for your vessel. On charter yachts, this is already programmed by the charter company. Verify during your checkout briefing that the MMSI is displayed on the radio's screen.

DSC Distress Alert

Lifting the cover and pressing the red distress button for five seconds transmits an automated digital distress alert on Channel 70 (the dedicated DSC channel). The alert includes your MMSI, your GPS position (if the radio is connected to a GPS, which it should be on any modern charter yacht), and the nature of distress if you have time to select it from the menu.

After sending a DSC distress alert, immediately follow up with a voice Mayday call on Channel 16. The DSC alert tells rescue services who and where you are. The voice call tells them what is happening and what you need.

Routine DSC Calls

You can use DSC to call another vessel directly by entering their MMSI number, similar to making a phone call. The receiving radio rings, and when answered, both radios automatically switch to an agreed working channel. This feature is underused but very practical for coordinating between boats in a flotilla.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Talking Too Long on Channel 16

Channel 16 is for calling and emergencies only. State your vessel name, the station you are calling, and your requested working channel. That is all. Do not discuss your dinner plans on Channel 16.

Not Monitoring Channel 16

When under way, keep your radio on and tuned to Channel 16 with the squelch set just above the noise threshold. You might hear a Mayday call that you are best positioned to respond to. You might also hear a Securite broadcast warning of a navigation hazard in your area.

Forgetting to Switch Back

After a conversation on a working channel, always switch back to Channel 16. It is easy to leave the radio on Channel 72 and miss critical traffic.

Speaking Too Fast

Radio transmissions suffer from static, interference, and compression. Speak slowly, clearly, and at normal volume. The microphone should be about two inches from your mouth. Pause between key pieces of information to allow the listener to process and write down details.

Before Your Charter

During the yacht checkout briefing, locate the VHF radio, confirm it is working, check that the MMSI is programmed, verify GPS connectivity to the DSC unit, and note the radio's channel selection method. Ask the charter company which channels local marinas and port authorities use in your cruising area. Write the key channel numbers on a piece of tape and stick it next to the radio. Those 60 seconds of preparation could matter enormously if you ever need to make that call.