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When I did my vhf course 15 years ago I have to say it wasn't great. It was Coastguard.

They taught the theory but buggerall on practicality. The tutors were/are volunteers but not necessarily great teachers - but they're volunteers - so big ups to them!

I learnt more from a seasoned sailor afterwards (in 1/2 an hour in the cockpit of his boat as opposed to 3? nights course) than I did on the course.

 

Having said that, I'm a huge supporter of Coastguard and I hope/think their courses have improved since then.

I've done 3 Coastguard courses - and my belief is they need to get good teachers teaching the courses, as opposed to just knowledgeable teachers.

The ability to teach, to get the knowledge across, shouldn't be underestimated.

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The best way to learn radio protocol is to listen to the professionals. Keep your vhf on dual/triple watch on ch16 and a couple of the port operations working channels eg 12 / 13. And if you hear 2 ships or commercial traffic calling on ch16 switch with them to the working channel and listen. It will help your learn the lingo by infusion and when you come to do the course (or use the vhf for yourself) you’ll be more confident.

Do not listen to the trip report working channels Eg 60/64 - it will teach you bad habits and drive you nuts.

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On 19/06/2020 at 9:09 AM, Terry B said:

When I did my vhf course 15 years ago I have to say it wasn't great. It was Coastguard.

They taught the theory but buggerall on practicality. The tutors were/are volunteers but not necessarily great teachers - but they're volunteers - so big ups to them!

I learnt more from a seasoned sailor afterwards (in 1/2 an hour in the cockpit of his boat as opposed to 3? nights course) than I did on the course.

 

Having said that, I'm a huge supporter of Coastguard and I hope/think their courses have improved since then.

I've done 3 Coastguard courses - and my belief is they need to get good teachers teaching the courses, as opposed to just knowledgeable teachers.

The ability to teach, to get the knowledge across, shouldn't be underestimated.

This ^^^  x100

There's a huge difference between being good and knowledgable and being able to teach. 

Or even worse examine someone's knowledge. 

Example. What's the difference in the meaning of the following two statements?

1. "A vessel viewed from its port side."

2 "A vessel, of any size, viewed from its port side."

3. "A vessel, with or without grandmothers, viewed from its port side."

...

 

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Just to note, if you have a Coastguard membership, you get discount on VHF and other courses.

Also, if you become a Coastguard Radio Operator volunteer, you get it for free, of course.

cheers

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On 19/06/2020 at 8:56 AM, Island Time said:

Maritime school, and Mahurangi Tech and a few others IIRC

There will likely be one at Gulf Harbour Yacht Club soon. Being arranged now.

IT, I'm guessing that'll go up on the club calender?

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This came through via email from MNZ so maybe relevant ??

If you’ve ever wondered why your VHF radio isn’t working very well, we recommend carrying out a simple test to avoid a potential safety hazard.

The United States Coast Guard released a safety alert warning of the potential for LED lighting to compromise reception on VHF frequencies used for radiotelephone, Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and Automatic Identification System (AIS). The safety alert was issued after radio frequency interference caused by LED lighting created a hazard that led to a serious accident.
 
Similar issues have been reported in New Zealand, including on the FV Apollo in Timaru (see photo). So even if you’re not already aware of any problems with your radio, it could be worth testing for interference or desensitisation – caused by LED lighting or other electronic devices, such as battery chargers or solar charge regulators. Better to discover a problem now than when you’re trying to call for help.

We'll be issuing a detailed safety bulletin in upcoming months, but in the meantime, here’s how to test for desensitisation:  
  1. Turn off all equipment on your vessel apart from your VHF radio.
  2. Turn the squelch control back until you can hear noise, then up until the noise just stops.
  3. Tune the radio to a far away station – a distant nowcasting or weather broadcast works well. 
  4. Turn on all other equipment, one by one. If the VHF radio stops receiving the distant station or the signal is degraded, you have a desensitisation issue. 
Experiencing desensitisation? We recommend asking a surveyor or radio inspector for advice.
 
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On 29/07/2020 at 12:53 PM, Steve Pope said:

Coast guard has to be the easiest, nobody fails. Then you learn on the job. Were you once Scubash in another life?

Thanks Steve.

No, scubash must have been another drinking buddy/sparing partner/love interest, not me...  ;-)

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