Marine VHF conventions

Exercise 1.1 General rules of using VHF radio

Read aloud the example transmissions given below by:

(i) speaking slower than in normaI conversations
(ii) pronouncing each word clearly:

(i) Offshore Star. This is Aberdeen harbour. Warning. The

leading lights are not lit. Over.

(ii) All ships in River Weser. This is Weser Riviere Radio.

Navigational lnformation: heights of tide. Information, one:
position: Robbenplatz; height of tide one-decimal-five
metres, time: now. Information, two: position: Fischereihafen,
height of tide one-decimal-four metres, time; now.
Over .

(iii) Gulf Trader, this is Nippon Maru. Switch to VHF channel

zero-six. Over.

Nippon Maru, this is Gulf Trader. Agree VHF channel zero-

six. Over.

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Exercise 1.2. Transmission of letters & abbreviations

Phonetic Alphabet Code

Phonetic
Letter Code word Spoken as
transcription
A Alfa AL FAH 'ælf@
B Bravo BRAH VOH 'brA:v@U
C Charlie CHAR LEE 'tSA:lI
D Delta DELL TAH 'dElt@
E Echo ECK OH 'Ek@U
F Foxtrot FOKS TROT 'fOkstrOt
G Golf GOLF gOlf
H Hotel HOH TELL h@U'tEl
I India IN DEE AH 'IndI@
J Juliett JEW LEE ETT dZulI'Et
K Kilo KEY LOH 'ki:l@u
L Lima LEE MAH 'li:m@
M Mike MIKE 'maIk
N November NO VEM BER n@U'vEmb@
O Oscar OSS CAH 'OskA:
P Papa PAH PAH 'pA:pA:
Q Quebec KEH BECK kE'bEk
R Romeo ROW ME OH 'r@UmE@U
S Sierra SEE AIR RAH sI'e@r@
T Tango TANG GO 't{ng@U
U Uniform YOU NEE FORM 'ju:nI,fO:m
V Victor VIK TAH 'vIkt@
W Whiskey WISS KEY 'wIskI
X X-ray ECKS RAY 'EksreI
Y Yankee YANG KEY 'j{ŋkI
Z Zulu ZOO LOO 'zu:lu

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(a) Say the following ship names and call signs aloud, using the phonetic alphabet for the
ship's call sign:

e.g. THIS IS ZADAR EXPRESS, HOTEL ROMEO, X-RAY, FOXTROT

TELEPORTO NBJ4
ABIGAIL ABM
CHABAHAR PRIDE IR7F
MASSACHUSSETS JMI5
MORNING STAR GLM
JUPITER OCQ
COURAGEOUS DVC2
INTREPID KFU6
CICEK ZLX
MAKARSKA HR3

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(b) Say the following abbreviations aloud, using the alphabet, then spell it, and finally say
what these abbrieviations stand for:

VTS /'vi: 'ti: 'es/ VICTOR–TANGO–SIERRA Vessel Traffic Service

IMO
SMCP
STCW
SOLAS
ITU
UTC
TCPA
LNG
LPG
COGSA
ETD
SAR
SATCOM
NAVAID
ETA
RO-RO
VHF
SATNAV
LORAN

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Exercise 1.3.1

Phonetic Alphabet 2 – Calling a ship station using the ship's name and call sign

Sample VHF exchange:

CALLING STATION:

MV 'Evening Star' DGNB7, MV 'Evening Star' DGNB7. This

is MT 'Horizon' CHSX. This is MT 'Horizon' CHSX.
Over

RESPONDING STATION:

MT 'Horizon' CHSX. MT 'Horizon' CHSX. This is MV

'Evening Star' DGNB7, MV 'Evening Star' DGNB7.
Over

PAIR WORK: Now, following the example above, call the ship's station using the name of
the ship and her call sign. Your station is: MV River Star, BM6Y:

AROSA SEXTO EGHM

YASSIN SBMQ
BRAVERY VRGN
CHARLES R HUNTLEY VDCX
DUBNO UBFM
EURO CARRIER DGDU
GORYN UUVS
ILKE PKMR
JIJIA YQMW
LAGOVEN PARIA YYBG
MARYUT SYPY
NOJIMA JAZP
OSHIMA MARU JIIA
SEALAND PACER KSLB
VILLE DU PONANT DNPX
ENGADINE GRBU

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6
Exercise 1.3.2

Phonetic Alphabet 2 – Use the phonetic alphabet Calling a ship station using the ship's
name and call sign

PAIR WORK:
Now, following the model sample exchange above, Student A (Rijeka Radio) calls each
ship's station below in turn using the name of the ship and her call sign. Student B (i.e. any
ship's station below) responds to Rijeka Radio:

Student A:
Evening Dew FDLC, Evening Dew FDLC.
This is Rijeka Radio on VHF Channel 1-6. Over
Student B:
Rijeka Radio, Rijeka Radio. This is Evening Dew FDLC.
Over

RAFFAELLO IGHM
BAB EL MANDEB Q6AN
BRACKNELL UKGN
EDGAR A. POE USCX
KATOWICZE PN5R
EUROSPEAK EUDJ
PUSHKIN RU5S
HARBURG DEMR
SUSAK HRQW
HOLY SPIRIT CMBG
HASSAN LMPY
HIROSHIMA JZWP
MATAPAN TJU7A
MORNING STAR NLQB
MARESEILLE FB2T
SUOMI GLORY FRRU

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Exercise 1.4. Transmission of numbers

Letter to be Code word to

Spoken as **
transmitted be used
0 Nadazero NAH-DAH-ZAY-ROH
1 Unaone OO-NAH-WUN
2 Bissotwo BEES-SOH-TOO
3 Terrathree TAY-RAH-TREE
4 Kartefour KAR-TAY-FOWER
5 Pantafive PAN-TAH-FIVE
6 Soxisix SOK-SEE-SIX
7 Setteseven SAY-TAY-SEVEN
8 Oktoeight OK-TOH-AIT
9 Novenine NO-VAY-NINER
Decimal point Decimal DAY-SEE-MAL
Full stop Stop STOP

Exercise 1.4.1
Using ITU coded numbers (Radio Regulations) spell the following numbers aloud:

23 10 108 39 24
87 155 6 234 12
782 59 918 004 9
37 528 197 23 451
282 041 821 75 256
124 43 68 5 765

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Ex. 1.5. Transmission of numbers: standard units, quantities

The following pieces of information are not expressed in a form suitable for transmission. Convert each one to
IMO SMCP 2001:

Examples:

Long. 9° = longitude: zero-zero-nine degrees

25 metres deep = depth: two- five metres
15 meters draught = draught: one-five metres

Now you try the following:

1. latitude of 90°: 1. «nine zero degrees»

2. longitude of 90 degrees:
3. distance of one-hundred-
and-twenty nautical miles:
4. length of 250 metres:
5. twenty-four coils of rope:
6. wind speed of 10 knots:
7. increase speed to 10 knots:
8. 10 metres salt water
draught:
9. draught of 18 metres:
10. My tonnage is 30,000
gross:

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Ex. 1.6. Identification of Station

Remember: In any initial call, or at the beginning of your turn, it is essential to

give
(1) the name of the station you are calling/addressing,
(2) identify your own station by giving its name (and call sign).
Any such turn should be ended by the word Over.

Example:
Marlins GXBC to Split Radio:

SPLIT RADIO.
THIS IS MARLINS, GOLF XRAY BRAVO CHARLIE.
OVER.

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(1) Shore/Coast Station-to-ship:
PAIR WORK: Establish contact between the two stations!
e.g.:

Calling station: Responding station:

Dubrovnik Radio,
Dubrovnik Radio.
This is Coral Princess,
Coral Princess.
Over
Coral Princess, Coral
Princess.
This is Dubrovnik Radio.
Over

(a) Coral Queen to Colombo Radio.

(b) Alhambra HKJN is calling Oslo Radio.
(c) Neva 2 UFLR to Port Sudan Radio.
(d) Hong Kong VTS to Regal Pride BLKZ.
(e) Gothenburg Traffic to King Kong TSBA.
(f) Sava HRJK is calling Maas Pilot.
(g) Makarska H9ZE is calling Bangur Port Radio.

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(2) Ship-to-ship
PAIR WORK: Establish contact between the two stations following the
example below:

Calling station: Responding station:

Sea Bass FUOY. Sea

Bass FUOY. This is Black
Sea Coral BRX5.
Over.
Black Sea Coral BRX5.
Black Sea Coral BRX5.
This is Drill Fish FUOY.
Over

(a) Mumbai Perl IRQB to Shellfish LKBD.

(b) Gold Bond Trail Blazer D5BW to Atlantica HPRK.
(c) Ambia Finjo ELBF5 is calling Myanmar Star TCCF.
(d) Batabano COGX is calling Cluj YQSQ.
(e) Anco Chaser GTEX to Cattleya D7AW.
(f) Dorg Bang 6MGI is calling to Fenn Victory KHVU.
(g) Xiang Hu CHWK to Global Trader NMSW

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(3) Ship / station to unknown ship
Ex. 1.6.2 - PAIR WORK: Establish contact between the two ship stations!

e.g.
Calling station:

All ships. All ships. All ships, in sea area Kingsport Bay.
Calling unknown ship. Type: container vessel. Hull colour: blue.
Position: bearing one three five degrees true from King Port
Fairway Buoy, distance two nautical miles.
This is King Port Pilot Station. King Port Pilot Station. Over.

Responding station:

King Port Pilot Station. King Port Pilot Station. This is Container
Vessel 'Aries', repeat Container Vessel 'Aries'. Position: Bearing
one three five degerees true from King Port Fairway buoy,
distance two nautical miles. Over.

a) Newport VTS is trying to call an unknown ship of

LPG type with red funnels in sea area Newport,
south of buoy C 15. (LASH ship: Murano ED9Z)

b) Meadow VTS is trying to call a car ferry in the sea

area Meadow approach, bearing 200 distance 2
miles from Buoy No. 18. (car ferry: Rijeka Express
HSSW)

c) Polaris GUWG is trying to contact an OBO ship in

sea area River Plate, course 126 degrees speed
13 knots. (OBO ship: Mbwanga RE8B)

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(4) Portable Ship Station to Portable Ship Station
(no call signs used)

Ex. 1.6.3 - PAIR WORK: Establish contact between the two shipboard
stations: e.g.

Calling station: Responding station:

Dory bridge. This is Dory

bow. Over.
Dory bow. (This is) Dory
bridge. Over.

(a) Hake bow* is calling Hake Bridge.

(b) Melita Stern** to Melita Bow.
(c) Grand Youth gangway to Grand Youth bridge.
(d) Travspor Bridge to second officer ashore.
(e) Coral Sea bridge calling Coral Sea lifeboat.
(f) Hamlet Number 3 calling Hamlet Number 1.
(g) Pula Bridge calling Pula Aft Station.
(h) Pula Poop calling Pula Bridge.
(i) Pula Forecastle calling Pula Stern.
(j) Pula Bridge calling Tugboat Homer.

*Bow = forecastle = forward station

**Stern = poop = after station

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Ex. 1.7 Time

Convert the following items of information into IMO SMCP 2001 and
practise transmitting them:
E.g.

Time: zero two three zero local

1.local time 02:30

2.local time 15:45
3.one o'clock in the morning local time.
4.ETA (in UTC) 13:30.
5.ETA (Iocal time) 11 :00.
6.a delay of 45 minutes.
7.Estimated Time of Departure, two thirty in the
afternoon.

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Ex. 1.8 Position

Ex. 1.8.1. Position by Latitude and Longitude

Example: 30° 50'N. latitude.

18 25.02'E. longitude.
23:30 UTC
Sample position using GP (latitude & Longitude):

Position:
(at) time: two-three-three zero UTC:
latitude three-zero, degrees, five-zero minutes North,
longitude: zero-one-eight. degrees, two-five decimal
zero-two minutes East.

Now transmit your position using IMO SMCP 2001:

(a) 03° 46' N, 08° 48'E, time 15.53 UTC

(b) 53° 14.2'N, 08° 28'E, time 06.50 UTC
(c) 12° 06'N, 68° 56.2'W. 15:00 GMT.
(d) 12° 09 N, 69° 01 W. 01 :00 GMT.
(e) 63° 54 N, 38° 06.09 E. 10:00 GMT.
(f) 45° 23.27 S, 33°03 W. 22.000 GMT.

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Pair work (model exchange): e.g.:

Neva 2 UFLR. This is Port Sudan Radio.

Question: What is your position?
Over.

Port Sudan Radio. This is Neva 2 UFLR.

Answer: My position is 21 degrees N, 035
degrees east. Over

Produce the exchange on the position of the ship. The

ship's position is given in brackets):

(a) Colombo Radio to Coral Queen. (03° 46' N,

08° 48'E)
(b) Alhambra HKJN (53° 14.2'N, 08° 28'E) is
calling Oslo Radio.
(c) Neva 2 UFLR (12° 06'N, 68° 56.2'W) to Port
Sudan Radio.
(d) Gothenburg Traffic to King Kong TSBA (49°
23' N, 36° 12' E).
(e) Hong Kong VTS to Regal Pride BLKZ. (12° 09
N, 69°.01 W).
(f) Maas Pilot is calling Sava HRJK (63°.54 N,
38°.06 E).
(g) Bangur Port Radio is calling Makarska H9ZE
(45° 23 S, 33°.03 W).

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Ex. 1.8.2 Position by Bearing and Distance

e.g.

Marlins. This is Le Havre Pilot. Question. What

is your position?Over

Le Havre Pilot. This is Marlins. My position:

bearing two zero zero degrees true from Cap
Couronne;
distance 3 decimal one nautical miles. Over.
Pair work (student A and Student B):

Transmit your position using IMO SMCP 2001 and the above model
exchange:

(h) Colombo Radio to Coral Queen. (200°,3.1

miles from Bandar Point)
(i) Alhambra HKJN (340°, 4.6 miles from Uinga
Island West Point) is calling Oslo Radio.
(j) Neva 2 UFLR (220°, 1.3 miles from Hoek van
Baarland) to Port Sudan Radio.
(k) Gothenburg Traffic to King Kong TSBA (180°,
2.1 miles from Fjard Hallan).
(l) Hong Kong VTS to Regal Pride BLKZ. (92°,2.6
miles from Fairway Buoy).
(m) Maas Pilot is calling Sava HRJK (63°.54 N,
38°.06 E).
(n) Bangur Port Radio is calling Makarska H9ZE
(45°, 3,4 NM from Bangur Pilot Vessel).

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Ex. 1.8.3 Position by Navigational Marks

e.g.

Position:
approaching Buoy Number one seven.

Transmit your position using IMO SMCP 2001:

(a) Approaching Buoy number 17.

(b) NE from Goeree light beacon.
(c) Between Eurogeul buoys E 11 and E 13.
(d) Passing South from Deutsche Bucht light vessel.
(e) Leaving Barrow Deep
(f) East of Buoy B17

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Ex. 1.8.4 Position by Reporting Points

Transmit your position using IMO SMCP 2001:

e.g.

Position:
approaching waypoint T.5, Texas City.
11:11 local.

(a) Approaching waypoint T.5, Texas City. 11:11 local.

(b) Waypoint 10 Gryten. 12:00 local.
(c) Waypoint 30 Klubbensborg 06:30 local
(d) Waypoint, buoy number 135: Finkenwerder. 11:30
Iocal.
(e) Crayfordness Point. 20:00 local.

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Ex. 1.8.4 Position by Electronic Position Fixing References

Transmit your position using IMO SMCP 2001:

e.g.

Position:
Satnav lat. 50° 15.5'N, long. 22° 36'W.
16:00 UTC

(a) Satnav lat. 50° 15.5'N, long. 22° 36'W. 16:00 UTC
(b) Omega lat. 61° 44.5'N, long 31°56'W. 00:30 zone
Papa
(c) Loran C. lat. 31° 03'N long. 76° 25'W. 10:00 UTC

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