aranzuglia 0 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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 Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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 Link to post Share on other sites
grant 44 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 the channel changes next year wont require any change to your radio, you will just use different channels than you do now in some places. Link to post Share on other sites
aranzuglia 0 Posted November 11, 2015 Author Share Posted November 11, 2015 Thank for your answers. So, it's always needed to program the radios. Isn't it possible to select the frequency using the buttons on the unit? I'm thinking in buying from China. Any thoughts in Baofeng UV-5R? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
grant 44 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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.... Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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. Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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 Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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 Link to post Share on other sites
SthnJeff 18 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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. Link to post Share on other sites
grant 44 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 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. http://www.boatingeducation.org.nz/courses/3/maritime-vhf-radio-operator-certificate/ Link to post Share on other sites
Dambo 44 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 The call sign is $45, the online course is $79. Link to post Share on other sites
SanFran 15 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 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) Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 ^ if anyone has an old call sign lying around... Link to post Share on other sites
Dambo 44 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 ^ 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. Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 if colin doesn't need it anymore he might prefer to swap it for beer Link to post Share on other sites
Dambo 44 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 if colin doesn't need it anymore he might prefer to swap it for beer 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 Link to post Share on other sites
DrWatson 382 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 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? Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Doc, many of us here don;t get to work in the field of Time travel. Or are you just planning to still be around in 2916? I also was kinda thinking technology may have evolved beyond a VHF by then Link to post Share on other sites
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