VHF Marine Radio Operators Course

Next course running on Saturday 16th June 2012 ...make enquiry !

Title: VHF Marine Radio Operators Course

Price: £85 p/p (+ £30 RYA VHF licence fee - only payable on successful completion of course)

Duration: 7/8 hours (1 Day)

Location: See Google map at bottom of page - The School House, Church Lane, Twineham, Haywards Heath RH17 5NR.

About 25 minutes from the M25 - London (junction 7) or 15 minutes from the A27 - Brighton.  Just off the A23 Hickstead / Twineham / Burgess Hill turnoff, Mid Sussex.  Please be aware that not all car navigators think that RH17 5NR is the far end of Church Lane.  Drive to the end of Church Lane and park by the church in the school car park.  See Geo tag in the booking system for exact location or call Alan on 07980984497

Parking: Free, in the school's car park.

Usual VHF Candidates: Boat owners, coastal/offshore workers, Coastal/Yachtmaster candidates

(NB: Please bring along a passport sized photograph, a cheque made out to the RYA for £30, and something to take notes with.  Also familiarize yourself with our VHF Training Notes before the course or check out the Pre-Course SRC Test on the RYA website)

Frequently asked questions:

What Does VHF, DSC and SRC actually stand for? - VHF - Very High Frequency.   DSC - Digital Selective Calling.  SRC - Short Range Certificate

Do I really need a licence to operate a VHF marine radio? - Even though skippering a powerboat or yacht in the UK requires no formal skippers licence or qualification, to use a VHF radio you DO need a licence for the VHF set itself AND ALSO a Marine Radio Operators Certificate/Licence.

What if I use a VHF radio without a VHF operator’s licence? - Operation of a VHF radio without a licence is illegal, and may lead to fines of up to £5000 and a prison sentence of up to 6 months, so this course is a must for boat owners, coastal/offshore workers and Coastal/Yachtmaster offshore candidates.

Do I need to renew my old VHF licence? - Courses previous to 2000 may not have included DSC training. Although old (pre 2000) licences are still legally valid, VHF's equipped with DSC are rapidly replacing old VHF’s so it is advisable to make sure your vhf radio training is up to date. 

Is there a VHF exam at the end of the course? - The course includes a VHF/DSC assessment which includes a practical assessment of VHF/DSC operational procedure and a multi choice section on VHF theory and GMDSS. As long as you have paid attention during the course there is no reason you won’t be able to breeze through the assessment.  An immediate re-sit is possible if you don’t get through on the first attempt.  To date we have a 100% pass rate!

Where will my VHF licence be valid? - VHF/ DSC Short Range Certificate (SRC) authorises the holder to operate a VHF fitted with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) on board any British and most foreign vessels, and is an internationally recognised licence.  

What is the right VHF Radio Course to take, there seems to be so many? - This one day course tends to be referred to in many ways -

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...but don’t worry, it is all the same course!

Why choose this RYA VHF/DSC SRC Operators Course when all courses follow a similar syllabus? - Many RYA Sea Schools use unrealistic computer simulators - we use genuine DSC training radios (transmitters removed obviously!).  In other words, real VHF Radios fitted with DSC controllers.  We also use only multi disciplined, experienced instructors who use VHF radios in day to day operations.  Friendly instructors also ensure you have individual attention and have a successful and fulfilling day.

Is there a fee for issuing a VHF/DSC SRC Operators Licence? - Unfortunately, we have no control over the issuing fee, it is dictated by the RYA, and is paid direct to the RYA via a £30 cheque.  However, unlike some RYA training centres, we do not charge upfront for this fee and you only pay it once you have successfully completed and passed your course.  

Are there any other hidden costs? - No.  If you book online, there are no ‘claw back’ credit card charges, VAT charges, parking fees or any other charges, which can quickly push up the price of a ‘cheap’ VHF course.  If you book over the phone however, a 2% credit card charge (not Debit Card) will still apply.

Do you do group discounts, special dates, special offers or ‘on location’ VHF training? - For groups of 4 or more, we are happy to discuss your specific needs, whether it be a VHF Course group discount rate, a date to suit you, holding the course at your dive club, boat club, marina, crew house or business.  We can arrange dedicated VHF courses in London and other city based marina businesses.  

What does the Marine Radio course cover?

VHF communications 
Controls found on marine VHF set 
Channels (simplex & duplex) 
VHF communication range 
VHF DSC (Digital Selective Calling) 
Distress, Safety and Routine Calling 
MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) numbers 
Ships licence and radio regulations 
Voice procedures 
Maydays, Pan-Pans etc. 
NAVTEX 
MSI (Martine Safety Information) broadcasts 
Stations 
Portable safety equipment 
EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Indication Radio Beacons) 
SARTs (Search & Rescue radar Transponders)

Catchment area: VHF courses serving London, Brighton and the counties of East and West Sussex, Kent and Surrey in the South East of the UK.  About 45mins from Eastbourne's sovereign harbour, 25 minutes from Newhaven harbour and Lewes to the East.  About 40 minutes from Croydon and 20 minutes from Crawley, 15 minutes from Haywards Heath and 25 minutes from Gatwick Airport to the North.  About 30 minutes from Worthing, 45 minutes from Littlehampton and 20 minutes from Shoreham Harbour Yacht Club.  Central London takes about 1 hour.