VHF Marine Radio Working Channels | Pat's Boating in Canada

Read our VHF page before using this summary chart. Original data is in RBR-2: Technical Requirements for the operation of Mobile Stations in the Maritime Service issued by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Spectrum Management.

X you may use the channel in that particular region. PC=Pacific coast, WA=West Arctic, Athabasca-Mackenzie, PR=Prairie Provinces, LW=Lake Winnipeg, Red River, EA=Eastern Arctic, GL=Great Lakes, NL=Newfoundland & Labrador, AC=Atlantic Coast. A=U.S. mode. B=International mode (Canada)

Channel	PC	WA	PR	LW	EA	GL	NL	AC	Canadian Usage
06	Primary working channel - all regions
09	Working channel Pacific Region
10						X		X	Ship movement, Search & Rescue
11	X					X		X	Ship movement, Pilotage, Victoria VTS
12	X	X				X		X	Port Operations, SM, Vancouver VTS
13	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	Bridge-to-bridge (hail ships); Great Lakes navigation safety (1watt)
14						X		X	Port Operations
15	X	X			X	X	X	X	1 Watt only, EPIRB buoy
16	ONLY for emergency and calling - all regions
17	X	X			X	X	X	X	1 Watt only, Pilotage
18A									Victoria, B.C. Port Operations
22A		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	Calling Canadian Coast Guard
65A			X						Great Lakes SAR, MARBs, Pollution
66A	X								Calling B.C. marinas
67	X	X	X	X
68	Primary working channel - all regions
	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	Calling marinas
69	X	X	X	X
71	*				X	X	X	X	Intership only, *Comox VTS only
72	X								Pacific Region
73	X	X	X	X					(B.C. marinas now use 66A)
74	X				X	X	X	X	SM, Victoria/Fraser/Tofino VTS
83A	X								Calling Coast Guard in B.C. (2007)
Channel	PC	WA	PR	LW	EA	GL	NL	AC	Canadian Usage

Channel

Canadian Usage

Primary working channel - all regions

Working channel Pacific Region

Ship movement, Search & Rescue

Ship movement, Pilotage, Victoria VTS

Port Operations, SM, Vancouver VTS

Bridge-to-bridge (hail ships);
Great Lakes navigation safety (1watt)

Port Operations

1 Watt only, EPIRB buoy

ONLY for emergency and calling - all regions

1 Watt only, Pilotage

18A

Victoria, B.C. Port Operations

22A

Calling Canadian Coast Guard

65A

Great Lakes SAR, MARBs, Pollution

66A

Calling B.C. marinas

Primary working channel - all regions

Calling marinas

Intership only, *Comox VTS only

Pacific Region

(B.C. marinas now use 66A)

SM, Victoria/Fraser/Tofino VTS

83A

Calling Coast Guard in B.C. (2007)

Channel

Canadian Usage

U.S. Channel	Usage in U.S. waters
16	Calling, Distress, and Safety
09	Calling
68, 69, 71, 72, 78	Recreational use
24-28, 84-87	Marine Operator
13	Locks, canals, bridges, pilots
66	Calling Pacific marinas
70	DSC (Digital Selective Calling) only

U.S. Channel

Usage in U.S. waters

Calling, Distress, and Safety

Calling

68, 69, 71, 72, 78

Recreational use

24-28, 84-87

Marine Operator

Locks, canals, bridges, pilots

Calling Pacific marinas

DSC (Digital Selective Calling) only