Making a VHF Radio Call

Your radio station call sign is "VX 4139" and is aboard a boat called "Tugboat Annie". (If you do not have a call sign, use your name or boat name.) Here's what you should do contact the boat "Queen Mary", whose call sign is "VA 7112".

1. Listen to Channel 16. Turn the squelch control down until you hear radio noise for at least 10 seconds to make sure no one else is using the channel.
2. You say:
   "Queen Mary, Queen Mary, Queen Mary, this is Tugboat Annie, Tugboat Annie, Tugboat Annie, Victor X-Ray Four One Three Niner. Over."
3. Wait at least ten minutes to allow Queen Mary's crew to check for an open channel.
   Queen Mary responds on Channel 16:
   "Tugboat Annie, Tugboat Annie, this is Queen Mary, Queen Mary, Victor Alpha Seven One One Two. Go to channel Seven One. I say again, Seven One. Over."
4. You reply:
   "Queen Mary, Queen Mary, this is Tugboat Annie. Roger, [switching to] seven one."
5. Now, you both switch to your working channel, making sure it's still "clear".
   You say:
   "Queen Mary, this is Tugboat Annie. Over."
6. If the channel is not clear, start over at #1; don't just "transmit over" people already using the channel.

• When your radio is on, always listen to Channel 16. This is the safety and calling channel.
• Use low power to call whenever practical. VHF radio range may be up to 80 miles in good conditions and everyone in that range can hear you! High power does not get more distance; it allows a strong signal so you have a better chance of being heard at a greater distance.
• Prearrange to call at a specific time on a working channel; you don't have to use Channels 16.
• To transmit, depress the microphone button, speak directly into the microphone without touching it, then release the button as soon as you have finished. Do not shout!
• Keep communication brief. VHF is for marine safety. If you like to chat, consider using a cellular telephone.
• Do not ask for a radio check on Channel 16. Call a specific radio station and move to a working channel to ask for a check.
• A signal of full strength and with full readability is known as a "5 by 5" signal. "2 by 5" is weak but very clear signal. The second number measures the readability of the signal.
  1. Bad (Unreadable)
  2. Poor (Readable now and then)
  3. Fair(Readable with great difficulty)
  4. Good (Readable with minor difficulty)
  5. Excellent (Perfectly readable)
• If you have children aboard, educate them not to use the marine radio except in emergencies. People's lives often depend on a clear channel.
• Post an emergency MAYDAY form for guests or children to call for help in an emergency.
• It is a criminal offence to call a false MAYDAY. If you are out of fuel but in no danger, anchor and call a marina or towing service.
• It is an offense to broadcast profanity.
• To identify the name of your vessel or its call-sign, use Phonetic Alphabet to say letters. For example, when you say a call-sign, instead of saying "VX 1984", you would say, "Victor X-ray One Niner Aayt Fo-wer".

Rookie Mistakes:

1. Calling every minute or less.
2. Not turning your "squelch" control off to listen before using a channel.
3. Using "high" power, when "Low" power would do. Your radio antenna hears a fraction of the transmissions that the Coast Guard tower hears!
4. Transmitting when the channel is being used.