What channel

[WALLEYE MIKE]

What channel should we go to after 68. for a little privacy? 71,72,78 or 79? Pm me with your answers.

[Hunt4Ever]

Hey I found this the other day on the BoatUS website.

VHF Radios


Most VHF radios on the market today have in excess of twenty twenty-five usable channels. Aside from the U.S. channels there are also International and Canadian channels, all of which come standard with many of the newer units on the market.

The most important channels on your VHF radio are 13, 16, 19, 22, and 70. Channel 13 is used by commercial shipping to communicate their actions and confirm passage. Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) VHF-FM is designated by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) as the national distress, safety and calling frequency. All vessels must monitor this channel while underway. Calls to other vessels are normally initiated on Channel 16 except for recreation vessels which may use (voluntarily) Channel 09 VHF-FM. The FCC has designated Channel 09 as a recreational calling channel in order to eliminate congestion on Channel 16 VHF-FM. However, it is important to take note that the United States Coast Guard does not monitor Channel 09 VHF-FM for distress calls. Any vessel in distress should use Channel 16 VHF-FM (which the Coast Guard does monitor). Channel 22 is the most common working channel for USCG in the event of an emergency.

The following list of channels are those available in the United States for VHF Radio communications. Always remember to check locally for channels authorized for use in your area as well as any local restrictions.

Channel 16 -- Distress calling and safety, ship-to-ship and ship-to-coast. Users must switch to a "working" channel after making initial contact (except in emergencies). All vessels must monitor Channel 16 when not using the VHF radio for other purposes.

Channel 09 -- Secondary calling channel (a new FCC Rule has designated Channel 9 to be the preferred channel for calling). The purpose of this change is to free Channel 16 for distress calls.

Channel 06 -- Ship-to-ship safety messages, and communication with search and rescue and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft.

Channel 13 - Ship to bridge or lock master, ship to tender calls. Commercial vessel use primarily. One watt of power, used for close in communicating.

Channel 22 -- Used to speak with Coast Guard after initial contact on Channel 16.

Channel 68, Channel 69, Channel 71 and Channel 72 -- Used solely for communications between vessels.

Try to remember that your VHF is not a private telephone. It's more like an old-fashioned party line. Everyone can hear your conversation. Keep the conversation short and to the point as there will be others waiting to use the channel. Also, do not allow children play with the VHF radio.

Channel 01, Channels 07 through 11, Channel 18, Channel 19, Channel 63, Channel 67, Channel 79 and Channel 80 -- Commercial working channels and are reserved for commercial vessels only. Also note that Channel 63 has no listen.

Channels 24 through 28 and Channels 84 through 88 -- Are reserved for Marine Operator communications for the purpose of sending or receiving ship-to-shore phone calls. There is a charge for these calls, which is either applied to a personal account with the phone company or treated as a collect call. All of these marine communication services, (except for distress calls) - cost money.

Channel 13 and Channel 67 -- These are navigational channels. Channel 13 (all vessels) is for one watt of transmission power only. Channel 67 (Commercial Only) is for one-watt transmission power only. These radio channels are also known as the "bridge-to-bridge" channels. These channels are used for listening to ship movements in tight waterways, locks, etc.

Channel 70 -- Digital Selective Calling. Those few vessels with DSC radios should use this channel for distress and calling channel instead of 16. DSC may become mandatory by about the year 2000.

Channel W1 through Channel W10 -- These channels are reserved for weather transmissions. For the most part only Channels W1 through W4 are receiving weather broadcasts from NOAA. These are receive-only channels.

ALL OTHERS - Virtually every radio manufactured today has every available channel. If your radio has channels that you do not see on this list do not use them. These extra channels are reserved for government, commercial, or vessel use only.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

PM me for our "private channel". We'll try this one for now.

[Hunt4Ever]

Hey Mike,

Do you have a code phrase for when to switch? You know something like......Let's go talk to Steve........ or....Call me at Steve's house........or.......We should ask Pappa bear....


:D:D:D:D:D

[ESOX]

http://wireless.fcc.gov/marine/vhfchanl.html

[WALLEYE MIKE]

We can just say "go to our channel"

[Ed Michrina]

Why don't we all just say "Go to the Bass channel" everyone bump up to 71 for a quick update.

[Big Bob]

Hey Guys,

71 works for me, go to the bass channel sounds good Ed. Is everyone hanging on to their hats today?

Fish on...........

[Joe_G]

The comraderie and sharing of information between fishermen and sportspersons is what makes this site so much different than the other "sites". I think that a private network for information sharing may be a step in the wrong direction. I've known for some time that channel 68 is used for initial contact with fellow fishermen, then a quick switch to channel 71 is used to further discuss details of the current action. HOWEVER, I also understand how frustrating it can be to have 50 boats anchored at your favorite fishing hole just as you're arriving for a nice day of fishing.
I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers here, but why should a "PM" be sent to find out what channel us LSC fishing comrades are going to use "for a little privacy"?.

[tubejig]

Joe_G, I don't really think its a matter of there not being enough fish to go around because there are plenty. I think the main problem is that when you have 100 boats in a small area it makes it difficult to turn with all of the boats going every which way. If there were some traffic lights and one way signs out there, it would be a heck of a lot easier.:)


tubejig

[Ed Michrina]

I don't think pm's need to be sent? . I think the whole point is. to get info to others on the lake from our site ,without inviting the whole lake to your spot.

[1fife]

the pm was meant for a discussion on a signal and a channel

this all came about when walleye mike was nice enough to put myself, big bob and hotwire on a school of fish he was on

maybe 6 boats in the area before the info

50 after he told us on the radio-68

its not a secret from everyone-just a little fib