Menu
  • Home
  • News
    • Offshore
    • Shipbuilding
    • Coastal & Inland Waterways
    • Bluewater
    • Passenger Vessels
    • International Workboat Show
    • Wind
    • Government
    • Video Interviews
    • People and Products
    • Coast Guard
    • Technology
  • Viewpoints
  • Videos
  • Resources
    • Jobs & Marketplace
      • Place an Ad
    • Reports
      • The 2020 Outboard Directory
      • The 2019 Diesel Directory
      • FREE REPORT: Offshore Wind Turbines
      • FREE REPORT: Achieving Cybersecurity on the Water
      • FREE REPORT: Drones in Maritime and Offshore Services
      • FREE REPORT: Construction Survey
    • Think Tank
    • Webinars
    • Online Membership
    • Workboat Composite Index
    • Brand Partners
    • Significant Boats
    • WorkBoat + Wind
  • Events
    • International WorkBoat Show
    • Pacific Marine Expo
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue & Archives
    • Subscription Information
  • About
    • Newsletter
    • Advertise
    • The WorkBoat Brand
    • Contact Us
    • Authors
    • Associations & Organizations
WorkBoat
  • Join
  • Login

Menu
  • Latest News
  • Viewpoints
  • Shipbuilding
  • Videos
  • Think Tank
  • Jobs & Marketplace
  • Newsletter
  • Why Workboat?

October 20, 2020

Performing a VHF marine radio check

U.S. Coast Guard

  • Viewpoints

SHARE

VHF radio technology has come a long way in the past 20 years.
U.S. Coast Guard photo
The Coast Guard Inspections and Compliance Directorate has issued MSIB 20-20 to inform mariners of the proper procedure for performing a VHF radio check.

Sea Tow Automated Radio Check System no longer available:

For several years, Sea Tow operated an Automated Radio Check System, which was available on VHF Channels 24 to 28 for the benefit of mariners in over 130 locations. However, on Oct. 2, 2020, that service was discontinued.

How to test a VHF Radio using Rescue 21:

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to offer an automated digital selective calling (DSC) test call capability from each of its Rescue 21 coastal stations. All fixed mount marine radios certified by the Federal Communications Commission since 1999 are required to have a DSC capability. All such radios sold since 2011 must also have a DSC test call capability. Marine radios transmitting and successfully receiving a response from a DSC test call can be expected to operate acceptably in the voice mode as well.

To perform a DSC test call, enter the Coast Guard’s coast station group identity “003669999” into the radio’s DSC memory. Once entered and stored, a DSC test call can be made by executing the following three steps:

  1. Select “Test Call” from the radio’s DSC menu,
  2. Select the USCG number entered into memory, and
  3. Transmit the call.

The radio display should indicate when that test call is acknowledged and display the acknowledging station’s nine-digit identity. That identity may be different than the group identity previously entered into memory.

Please use VHF Channel 09 and do not use VHF Channel 16:

VHF Channel 16 is not for the purpose of radio checks. Please use VHF Channel 09, which has been designated by the FCC as a boater’s calling channel.

Questions concerning this notice may be forwarded to Coast Guard Spectrum Management and Communications Policy Division (CG-672) at [email protected] or to the Coast Guard Navigation Center’s “Contact Us” page by selecting ”Maritime Telecommunications” as subject.

  • Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard

  

Related

Read Next

The commercial fishing vessel Pappy's Pride was outbound from Galveston, Texas, when it collided with the tanker Bow Fortune Jan. 14, 2020. NTSB graphic.
November 4, 2021

NTSB faults lack of communication in fatal Texas collision

The new fireboats were acquired to boost MDFR’s maritime firefighting capability and will replace existing vessels in its fleet. Metal Shark photo
February 1, 2021

Metal Shark delivers two 50' fireboats to Miami

Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Levi Read
January 21, 2021

Coast Guard issues warning to mariners turning off AIS

Latest News

Read Next

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered the keynote address at the Coast Guard Academy during the 141st Commencement Exercises May 18, 2022. The Coast Guard Academy graduated 252 new officers along with nine international students. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Thieme)
May 19, 2022

Harris delivers Coast Guard Academy keynote address

The Malta-flagged Minerva PSARA LNG tanker was taking on cargo at Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass export terminal in late 2021. Cheniere Energy Inc. photo.
May 19, 2022

U.S. LNG exports help fill supply gap

BOEM image
May 19, 2022

Wind advocates buoyant at New Jersey forum

The R/V Shackleford is a 73'x26.7' semidisplacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. AAM artist's rendering
May 19, 2022

All American to build 73' offshore wind survey vessel

Brand Partners

April 25, 2022

Nearly Two Decade History of Fighting for Maritime Workers

March 28, 2022

Upgrading onboard electronics: Blending existing sensors the 'smart' way

March 1, 2022

Ferry service looks to electronic maintenance management to drive next gen SMS

Photography / WorkBoat © Doug Stewart 2021.
January 3, 2022

Lyon Shipyard announces $24 million expansion


WorkBoat + Wind

BOEM image

Read current and past issues ›


Upcoming Events

International WorkBoat Show

Nov 30 - Dec 2, 2022
New Orleans, LA

Learn More

WorkBoat logo

International WorkBoat Show logoPacific Marine Expo logo

Menu
  • Resources
    • Jobs & Marketplace
    • Webinars
    • Reports
    • Brand Partners
    • WorkBoat Composite Index
  • About
    • Advertise
    • The WorkBoat Brand
    • Associations & Organizations
    • Authors
    • Contact Us

Subscribe to the Newsletter

You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street, Portland, ME 04101 | +1 207-842-5500

Login
  • Privacy Policy
  • DSAR Requests / Do Not Sell My Personal Info
  • Terms of Use
  • Locations
  • Events, Products & Services
Diversified Communications
© 2022 Diversified Communications. All rights reserved.