Ocean Navigator: Newsletter #8


The License Labyrinth

Though the rules behind marine radio licensing can seem labyrinthine and confusing to a newcomer, they've actually been significantly simplified in recent years.

The current situation is that recreational non-inspected vessels sailing between domestic ports only and operating only VHF, EPIRB, and radar do not need to obtain a radio station license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). There are three parts to this rule:

1) Your vessel must not be required to have a radio station installed, but you have chosen to do so voluntarily. For the most part, the only boats not *required* to carry a radio are recreational boats under 20 meters. Just about all recreational boats do carry at least one VHF, but technically this isn't a requirement (merely a really good idea).

2) Your vessel must sail only to and from domestic ports and may not transmit to foreign radio stations. And yes, even though they're very close -- Canada and the Bahamas are still foreign countries and any vessel bound for ports in these countries would be obligated to get an FCC license. An odd technicality is that voluntary vessels without an FCC license are allowed to travel into international waters, but are not
allowed to visit foreign ports or broadcast to foreign stations. So you can take your 19 meter sailboat halfway across the Atlantic and back and still not be required to carry a radio license.

3) Your vessel may not operate any radio equipment other than a VHF, EPIRB, GPS, Loran, depth finder, CB radio, radar, or amateur radio. The minute you install a single sideband transceiver or Mini-M satellite phone you'll be required to fill out the FCC forms. Keep in mind that if you install a single sideband receiver (without the capability to transmit) such as the Si-Tex NavFax, Grundig Yachtboy, or Icom
PCR-1000 then you're not required to license it. If you meet the three conditions above, you're officially a "voluntary vessel" as far as the FCC is concerned and you don't need to have a ship station radio license or an operator's license. Oddly enough, even if you're not required to have a VHF onboard, you are required to keep a listening watch on channel 16 if you have one installed and it's turned on and not currently otherwise in use.

Now the fun starts -- remember the new digital selective calling (DSC) radios that are now available? Remember how you need to get a mobile maritime service identity (MMSI) number for your new DSC radio? Well, this MMSI can be allocated to you by the FCC when you apply for your radio license. But what if you're a voluntary vessel and choose not to get a radio license - can you still get an MMSI? Yes you can. BoatUS (www.boatus.com), MariTEL (www.maritelusa.com), and SeaTow (www.4seatow.com) are all authorized by the FCC to distribute MMSI numbers to voluntary vessels at no charge. However, it's important to note that this process is limited to
voluntary vessels only. So if you just bought a DSC radio, and you're planning on sailing to the Bahamas - don't bother getting your MMSI from BoatUS, go straight to the FCC for your ship station license, your radio operator's license, and your MMSI.

There are no tests for any of the licenses mentioned above. The only skill you need to have is knowing how to sign your name on the bottom of a check made out to the FCC. You'll also be required to follow the rules about when/how/what you're allowed transmit.

Even when you follow all of the rules above, you're still not allowed to use your handheld VHF on land to communicate with the boat, and you're not allowed to use two VHFs to communicate with each other onboard the same vessel. For these purposes you'd be better served by the Family Radio Service (FRS) -- the 2 way radios now commonly available for a variety of uses. Note that these FRS radios are not licenses for use in foreign countries. If you find yourself in the British Virgin Islands and you need to communicate with someone up on the bow from the cockpit - you'll have to resort to the oldest form of long-distance communication: shouting really loudly. The rules for what to shout and at whom to shout are far too complex for a newsletter topic, but suffice it to say that if you shout the wrong words at the wrong person the long
terms effects to your health may be far more detrimental than a few stray radio waves.

- Dan Piltch
dpiltch@MarineComputer.com