Channel 13 is primarily the “bridge-to- Note that separate channels are allocated
bridge” channel, where “bridge” is defined for the use of commercial and noncom-
as the control station of a vessel. Most com- mercial vessels. If the traffic load is spread
mercial vessels are required to monitor this across all available channels, there are plenty
channel, and it is used to coordinate vessel of channels for each type of vessel. All too
movements in meeting, crossing and over- often traffic gets concentrated on one or two
taking situations. Yachts and small boats are channels; Channel 68 is frequently overused
not required to monitor 13, but doing so will for boat-to-boat communications. Each type
allow you to become much more aware of of vessel, commercial or noncommercial,
the intentions of commercial vessels around should use only a properly assigned channel.
you. In many areas, Channel 13 is also used to The only channel common to both commer-
communicate with bridge and lock tenders. cial and noncommercial vessels in all areas is
Channel 9 is the primary channel for inter- Channel 9 (there is also 79A and 80A on the
ship communications between commercial Great Lakes, and 72 in the Puget Sound area).
and noncommercial vessels. To relieve con- Channels 24– 28 and 84– 88 are designated
gestion on Channel 16, Channel 9 is now be- for“public correspondence”. These channels
ing encouraged as a calling and reply channel were once commonly used by boats to connect
for yachts and recreational boats. In some to a marine operator who could patch calls be-
areas, Channel 9 is used for communicating tween boats and shore-based telephone num-
with bridge tenders to relieve congestion on bers. However, with the advent of DSC, cell
Channel 13. phones and satellite phones, there are virtually
Channel 22A, sometimes referred to as no marine operators in the U.S. anymore.
merely 22, is the normal working frequency Because these are duplex channels, with the
for communications to Coast Guard stations vessel transmitting on one frequency and the adio
and vessels. The Coast Guard will frequently shore station on a different frequency, boats
broadcast navigational safety information on cannot use unassigned public correspondence
22A. These broadcasts are usually preceded by channels to talk among themselves.
an announcement on Channel 16. At times, Ship-to-shore communications to marinas,
VHF R
the Coast Guard will also work on Channel 12. yacht clubs, and similar places—termed by
Channel 70 is dedicated exclusively to the FCC as“private coast stations”—take
establishing contact using Digital Selective place on simplex channels that have been
Calling (DSC). DSC requires the use of a authorized for that purpose, such as 9 or 68.
nine-digit “maritime mobile service identity” The National Weather Service uses three
number; this can be requested on a ship sta- VHF frequencies to transmit continuous omms
tion license application (see the previous broadcasts of current conditions and forecasts.
C
section on “VHF-DSC MMSIs on page 817). With very few exceptions, these transmissions
Calls using DSC techniques can also be made are on channels Wx-1, Wx-2, or Wx-3, all of
on a working frequency if it’s known that the which are on all marine VHF transceivers. For
other station listens to that frequency. more on this service, see the Weather chapter.
819