|
Channel Number |
Ship Transmit MHz |
Ship Receive MHz |
Simplex | Duplex | Use |
| 01A | 156.050 | 156.050 | x | Port Operations and Commercial. VTS in selected areas. | |
| 05A | 156.250 | 156.250 | x | Port Operations. VTS in selected areas. | |
| 06 | 156.300 | 156.300 | x | Intership Safety | |
| 07A | 156.350 | 156.350 | x | Commercial | |
| 08 | 156.400 | 156.400 | x | Commercial (Intership only) | |
| 09 | 156.450 | 156.450 | x | Boater Calling. Commercial and Non-Commercial. | |
| 10 | 156.500 | 156.500 | x | Commercial | |
| 11 | 156.550 | 156.550 | x | Commercial. VTS in selected areas. | |
| 12 | 156.600 | 156.600 | x | Port Operations. VTS in selected areas. | |
| 13 | 156.650 | 156.650 | x | Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters. | |
| 14 | 156.700 | 156.700 | x | Port Operations. VTS in selected areas. | |
| 15 | -- | 156.750 | Environmental (Receive only). Used by Class C EPIRBs. | ||
| 16 | 156.800 | 156.800 | x | International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel. | |
| 17 | 156.850 | 156.850 | x | State Control | |
| 18A | 156.900 | 156.900 | x | Commercial | |
| 19A | 156.950 | 156.950 | x | Commercial | |
| 20 | 157.000 | 161.600 | x | Port Operations (duplex) | |
| 20A | 157.000 | 157.000 | x | Port Operations | |
| 21A | 157.050 | 157.050 | x | U.S. Coast Guard only | |
| 22A | 157.100 | 157.100 | x | Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime Safety Information Broadcasts. Broadcasts announced on channel 16. | |
| 23A | 157.150 | 157.150 | x | U.S. Coast Guard only | |
| 24 | 157.200 | 161.800 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 25 | 157.250 | 161.850 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 26 | 157.300 | 161.900 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 27 | 157.350 | 161.950 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 28 | 157.400 | 162.000 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 63A | 156.175 | 156.175 | x | Port Operations and Commercial. VTS in selected areas. | |
| 65A | 156.275 | 156.275 | x | Port Operations | |
| 66A | 156.325 | 156.325 | x | Port Operations | |
| 67 | 156.375 | 156.375 | x | Commercial. Used for Bridge-to-bridge communications in lower Mississippi River. Intership only. | |
| 68 | 156.425 | 156.425 | x | Non-Commercial | |
| 69 | 156.475 | 156.475 | x | Non-Commercial | |
| 70 | 156.525 | 156.525 | x | Digital Selective Calling (voice communications not allowed) | |
| 71 | 156.575 | 156.575 | x | Non-Commercial | |
| 72 | 156.625 | 156.625 | x | Non-Commercial (Intership only) | |
| 73 | 156.675 | 156.675 | x | Port Operations | |
| 74 | 156.725 | 156.725 | x | Port Operations | |
| 77 | 156.875 | 156.875 | x | Port Operations (Intership only) | |
| 78A | 156.925 | 156.925 | x | Non-Commercial | |
| 79A | 156.975 | 156.975 | x | Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only | |
| 80A | 157.025 | 157.025 | x | Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only | |
| 81A | 157.075 | 157.075 | x | U.S. Government only - Environmental protection operations. | |
| 82A | 157.125 | 157.125 | x | U.S. Government only | |
| 83A | 157.175 | 157.175 | x | U.S. Coast Guard only | |
| 84 | 157.225 | 161.825 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 85 | 157.275 | 161.875 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 86 | 157.325 | 161.925 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 87 | 157.375 | 161.975 | x | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) | |
| 88 | 157.425 | 162.025 | x | Public Correspondence only near Canadian border. | |
| 88A | 157.425 | 157.425 | x | Commercial, Intership only. | |
| AIS 1 | 161.975 | 161.975 | Automatic Identification System (AIS) | ||
| AIS 2 | 162.025 | 162.025 | Automatic Identification System (AIS) |
Data from the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Telecommunications Information
WX1 |
-- |
162.550 |
WX2 |
-- |
162.400 |
WX3 |
-- |
162.475 |
WX4 |
-- |
162.425 |
WX5 |
-- |
162.450 |
WX6 |
-- |
162.500 |
WX7 |
-- |
162.525 |
See the NOAA Weather Radio Homepage for more information.
Frequencies are in MHz. Modulation is 16KF3E or 16KG3E.
NOTE: USCG District 1 (Northeast US) is now reserving Channel 16 for Distress and International Hailing only. Channel 9 is now the recommended hailing channel. Once contact is made on a hailing frequency, boaters should switch to a working frequency to engage in conversation. This practice should keep the hailing frequencies relatively clear of "idle chatter".
Note that the letter "A" indicates simplex use of the ship station transmit side of an international duplex channel, and that operations are different than international operations on that channel. Some VHF transceivers are equipped with an "International - U.S." switch for that purpose. "A" channels are generally only used in the United States, and use is normally not recognized or allowed outside the U.S. The letter "B" indicates simplex use of the coast station transmit side of an international duplex channel. The U.S. does not currently use "B" channels for simplex communications in this band.
Boaters should normally use channels listed as Non-Commercial. Channel 16 is used for calling other stations or for distress alerting. Channel 13 should be used to contact a ship when there is danger of collision. All ships of length 20m or greater are required to guard VHF channel 13, in addition to VHF channel 16, when operating within U.S. territorial waters. Users may be fined by the FCC for improper use of these channels. See Marine Radio Watch Requirements for further information.
| Type of Message | Appropriate channel(s) |
|---|---|
| DISTRESS SAFETY AND CALLING - Use this channel to get the attention of another station (calling) or in emergencies (distress and safety). | 16 |
| INTERSHIP SAFETY - Use this channel for ship-to-ship safety messages and for search and rescue messages and ships and aircraft of the Coast Guard. | 6 |
| COAST GUARD LIAISON - Use this channel to talk to the Coast Guard (but first make contact on Channel 16). | 22 |
| NONCOMMERCIAL - Working channels for voluntary boats. Messages must be about the needs of the ship. Typical uses include fishing reports, rendezvous,scheduling repairs and berthing information. Use Channels 67 and 72 only for ship-to-ship messages. |
9(fn6), 68, 69, 71, 72, 78, 79(fn4), 80(fn4), 67(fn7). |
| COMMERCIAL - Working channels for working ships only. Messages must be about business or the needs of the ship. Use channels 8, 67, 72 and 88 only for ship-to-ship messages. |
1(fn5), 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19, 63(fn5), 67, 72(fn7), 79, 80, 88(fn1) |
| PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE (MARINE OPERATOR) - Use these channels to call the marine operator at a public coast station. By contacting a public coast station, you can make and receive calls from telephones on shore. Except for distress calls, public coast stations usually charge for this service. |
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88(fn2) |
| PORT OPERATIONS - These channels are used in directing the movement of ships in or near ports, locks or waterways. Messages must be about the operational handling movement and safety of ships. In certain major ports, Channels 11,12 and are not available for general port operations messages. Use channel 20 only for ship-to-coast messages. Channel 77 is limited to intership communications to and from pilots |
1(fn5), 5(fn3), 12, 14, 20, 63(fn5), 65, 66, 73, 74, 77 |
| NAVIGATIONAL - (Also known as the bridge-to-bridge channel.) This channel is available to all ships. Messages must be about ship navigation, for example, passing or meeting other ships. You must keep your messages short. Your power output must not be more than one watt. This is also the main working channel at most locks and drawbridges. | 13, 67 |
| MARITIME CONTROL - This channel may be used to talk to ships and coast stations operated by state or local governments. Messages must pertain to regulation and control, boating activities, or assistance to ships. | 17 |
| DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING - Use this channel for distress and safety calling and for general purpose calling using only digital selective calling techniques. | 70 |
| WEATHER - On these channels you may receive weather broadcasts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These channels are only for receiving. You cannot transmit on them. |
Wx-1 162.55 Wx-2 162.4 Wx-3 162.475 |