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VHF radio requirements


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Hi there,

 

I've looking to VHF radios and would like to ask you the following, keeping in mind that will be used for emergency purposes only:

  • Do I need an operator license?
  • Do I need a call sign?
  • Can you suggest an entry level model? Uniden? Baofeng?

Thanks

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to buy and listen in to usual traffic - no licence is required

 

to broadcast in emergency - no licence is required

 

to transmit a trip report to coastguard or otherwise "talk" to somone else - a licence and call sign is required

 

early next year?

 

nz vhf channels will be shuffled slightly to suit new international regs.

 

won't affect auckland much

 

but some places like kaikoura 

 

will end up with channels that aren't currently programmed on to vhf sold in nz

 

so either wait until next year to buy

 

or buy something cheap off trademe to use until then

 

or buy something new that the seller will reprogram next year

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Whatever the name of the department that is doing the changes have said that hardware changes will not be necessary, I did suggest they publiscise that more due to the variety of other information floating around....

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Beofeng UV-5r is not a Marine Radio. It is an amateur Ham Radio unit. Wrong thing.

Because you don't understand much about this, I really really strongly advise you go to a NZ retailer and buy one. You are going to need a lot of advise.
Buying from overseas when you have no clue will likely have you end up with a unit that will not work in NZ, not the right thing for Marine use and no one to be able to help you with advise on how to operate it.
Another advantage with a proper Marine Handheld is being waterproof and floats. A huge advantage safety wise. If you ever end up in the water, which is highly possible with a Nolex22, you may need to operate it from in the water or at least, very wet situation.


 

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Do I need a new radio?

No, your current maritime VHF set will be able to access all the available channels after the changes take place. However you may need to switch to a new channel number to continue to access your local repeater or listen to the weather forecast.

 

http://www.rsm.govt.nz/projects-auctions/current-projects/changes-to-the-maritime-mobile-repeater-allocations

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some discussion on using the baofeng as a marine handheld

 

I'm about to order a UV-5R to play around with. I'm in need of a handheld marine VHF and want to make sure I can use it for this purpose. 

 

Nope. Not Part 80 approved. Also not waterproof, another important consideration.

 

You can program the marine frequencies into them and they will work like a charm. 

But they are not legal to use as marine radios.

 

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/674505_Baofeng_UV_5R_as_a_marine_VHF_radio_.html

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It will cost you $45 to do an online VHF operators course through Coastguard Education. It lasts a lifetime. Takes a couple of hours or so. As the Nike slogan says "just do it".

 

You never know when you may actually need to use it.

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Three options for a call sign....you can get a call sign by doing the course or you can get one that might go with the boat (when you buy) or you can get someone else's and transfered into your name (Which can be done online)

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^

 

if anyone has an old call sign lying around...  Come on Eric, it's only $45.00 :-)

I got one for Schzando - When I sold her, I called up CC and gave them the new owners' number - I don't think there was any cost for the transfer, he just need to provide them with some details... 

I also have one for the trailer sailor.

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reuse-or-renew-1.jpg

 

if colin doesn't need it anymore

 

he might prefer to swap it for beer ;-)

:thumbup:  Well, I still haven't worked out if the boat on the rocks at Waiheke was Schzando, but if it was he may be quite keen now :razz:

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Speaking of VHF,

 

Looking at replacing my Uniden Atlantis 250 - aerial broke off :( and it's the mount not the aerial .. :(

 

Anyway, looking around, apparently iCOM do quite a few nice handhelds.

 

New in 2916 will be the M25, replacing the M24?

 

In any case, looking around I can't find M24 for sale anywhere, but I can find M23 for sale (€150). 

 

Seems weird that I can't find the newer model especially as the newer model (24) is apparently about to be replaced in 2016 with an even newer one (25).

 

Also looking at the M91D which has GPS and DSC. €299. Is it worth going the extra for the fancy features on a handheld? (Don't have a built in -- boat's not really that suitable for it...)

 

Thoughts?

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