VHF radio course

[kerny]

Originally Posted by kaman

Top quality post and helpful link to boot.

Call me bitter but with hindsight I don't think the VHF course was worth the money.

Maybe it's because im used to speaking on a digital handset at work to large numbers of work colleagues and have no fear of broadcasting live on my VHF.

I just didn't feel that I had learnt anything more having sat the course, than I had already learnt through my own home studies.

I would have rather kept the 100 plus pounds for the course and put it towards a better VHF radio, but hey ho!

That's just my thoughts.
Maybe others on here found it really beneficial?

There were 3 commercial fishermen and another pleasure boater on my course.
We all went for a pint and a bar meal at lunch time and all concurred that the course was not worth doing.

Maybe it was just a bad instructor?????!

I agree with you on this but unfortunately it is a legal requirement to have got your ticket to use one.

[Seaflyer02]

Originally Posted by HughN

I seem to recall the cost and duration of the VHF course has increased recently.

When I did it there was another chap in the group who had bought a boat with a VHF. His first radio transmission was in an emergency and consisted of pressing the button and saying "'Ello? Is there anybody there??". Getting trained was 'suggested' by the Coastguard.

A few years ago there was TV programme on the crew of the Humber pilot boats, one of the pilots told how he was listening on VHF - (the story went something like this) over the radio came..........Comeback for a copy............(nothing)........Comeback for a copy...............(nothing)..........Comeback for a copy is there any friendlies out there........(this went on for a short while until)...'This is Humber coastguard The person transmitting on channel ** you are contravening the 1949 wireless telegraphy act ect, ect,ect. Unlawful use of the marine frequencies can result in prosecution resulting in a fine and confiscation of your radio equipment..............
All went silent for a while and then came the reply........


Your not a friendly bear!

[kaman]

I can fully appreciate why there is a requirement to register VHF devices with Ofcom.

This registration is done online for free once you have passed your exam.
What my objection is the course / exam fees.

You can skip the course and do the exam - 60 quid for a 30 min exam?

That's 2 pound a minute!

For the occasional pleasure boater / fisherman most I know have skipped Ofcom registration, VHF course and exam.

They keep their unregistered VHF handy should it be required in an emergency.

As long as people are not tieing up the airways with babble and stick to genuine emergencies, then they will be fine.

I can see that commercial operators AMD larger vessels should have all the relevant
documentation in place for their usage.

What would be better is a cheaper online learning / exam / registration package which could be done for a minimum fee.

I think this would increase the uptake in learning procedures and registering devices.

[kerny]

Originally Posted by kaman

What would be better is a cheaper online learning / exam / registration package which could be done for a minimum fee.

I think this would increase the uptake in learning procedures and registering devices.

I'm sure that I have seen something on here where this is in the pipeline.

And yes I agree I think that this would work well.

[SPR]

I am a RYA training centre.

The SRC exam is

- 30 min written paper
- 30 min practical per each person

The £60 fee - RYA gets £30 for the processing like before and examiner gets the other £30 for there time and travelling.

Online courses can be done, I offer them and the new exam procedures etc can be found on my website:

www.vhf-courses.co.uk

You now must do a course online or face to face or upgrade old certificate - No Direct Examination.

regards

Scott






www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

[kerny]

So it is now up and running nice one Scott

What do you mean by upgrade old certificates ?
I did mine 5 years ago.

[SPR]

yes - you still need to do the final examination at RYA teaching centre after the online course - £60

this need not be the centre you bought the course from

S.


www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

[SPR]

Originally Posted by kerny

What do you mean by upgrade old certificates ?
I did mine 5 years ago.

if you had around pre-1989 certificate which didn't cover DSC - your will be fine


www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

[kerny]

Originally Posted by SPR

if you had around pre-1989 certificate which didn't cover DSC - your will be fine


RYA First Aid at Sea - Scotland
Home - RYA Training Courses - Laser Flares

Thank fook for that I'm saving up for one of you laser flares...

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by kerny

Thank fook for that I'm saving up for one of you laser flares...

Just do a couple of Saturday mornings

[kaman]

Originally Posted by SPR

yes - you still need to do the final examination at RYA teaching centre after the online course - £60

this need not be the centre you bought the course from

S.

www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

You still need to spend 60 quid on exam then.

A lot of the guys - especially the older one's that I know recoil in fear at the prospect of having to do an 'EXAM'.
Half hour 'one on one's'.

'No chance' is what my old boy said!


This puts a lot of people off right away.
For them it reminds them of being a child at school.

My old boy has a 5 watt handheld on his boat.

He has only transmitted several times on it where there was no mobile phone signal to ask my uncle on a private channel how his fishing was going lol.

He listens to Ch16 and the met office weather.

For most this usage will suffice and they don't see that doing a course is worth the
hassle.

Most guys I know only go a few miles from shore a dozen or so times a year.
They see this a relatively low risk.
Therefore they skip the bureaucracy and red tape and just carry a mobile telephone and VHF should the shit hit the fan.

[SPR]

Originally Posted by kerny

I'm saving up for one of you laser flares...

Here is review straight from press! [Here]


S.

[kerny]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Just do a couple of Saturday mornings

I have to do them anyways just to put food on the table.... council waller remember

[SPR]

The new format course 2014 - we will only take 4 students at time, (unless 2 day) each will have a training radio each for the day.( unless 2 day)

We will spend a lot of time now practicing and using the radios - we can do this since we ask each student to do 3 hrs homework before course so when then arrive they have a good knowledge.

The examination process we try to make the students as relax as possible and the fact they have been prepared they are usually quite confident to sit the exam, if student or us think they need more tuition we will postpone the exam and provide addition instruction on another day free of charge.

The course is a good safety course - covers PLBs , EPIRB's , AIS - we cover CG66 registration as well.

Plenty of Tea, Coffee, Soft Drinks and Biscuits, Crisps and even Fruit or Cake! - plus we provide lunch as part of course makes it a very relax atmosphere.

We have now implemented - that any student can sit in another course for price of Lunch - once a year - subject to availability.


Yes - examinations can be scary , but we try our best to reduce the stress and having a good examiner helps too ...

Sorry for sales pitch - but I know you too far away! I am quite sure other centres can provide same level of service.



www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

[Poly]

You don't need an SRC operators certificate to register the hardware with Ofcom.

[SPR]

Originally Posted by Poly

You don't need an SRC operators certificate to register the hardware with Ofcom.

And don't need a Certificate of Competence to operate radio in an Emergency, but it sure does help to know what you are doing !

S.



www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

[Nos4r2]

I notice that those advocating no licence don't appear to consider that they might have to know how to use their VHF to help another vessel in distress...

[SPR]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I notice that those advocating no licence don't appear to consider that they might have to know how to use their VHF to help another vessel in distress...

The new course has increased focus on Mayday - Relay and is part of practical exam too...

S.






www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

[kaman]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I notice that those advocating no licence don't appear to consider that they might have to know how to use their VHF to help another vessel in distress...

Dont know who said that??

The guys in question that I have made reference to in this thread may not have done their VHF course but are well read in VHF procedures.

They hear transmissions when they are at sea so are familiar with basic procedures.

They and more than competent enough to relay a message for another vessel and convey via radio what needs to be said.
Heard it done several times by friends of mine.
Couldn't have much better of a job myself.
It ain't rocket science!

This course makes a big deal about what essentialy is a basic human skill -communicating through speech.

As said before we don't need a qualification to operate a telephone.
The VHF course exists to cut down the babble that gets transmitted accross the airways freeing it up for the important stuff.

I think an online cheaper exam /qualification / registration with less bureaucracy is the way to go.

More people who fit into the category I have described earlier would be willing to qualify and register.

Remember this is an inflatable boat thread - not a commercial shipping thread.

Can't see many other Sibbers, canoers, kayakers etc wanting to spend 100 plus quid for Ofcom registration for a small hand held VHF with limited range eithers.

[Nos4r2]

Are you reading the thread or just ranting? You don't have to pay £100 for Ofcom registration. Ofcom registration of a VHF is free.