VHF Radio Course
Overview
Our VHF Radio Course is for anybody who owns or would like to operate a VHF/DSC radio onboard a yacht, motorboat or RIB. You will learn how to use the VHF radio and understand the language, etiquette and emergency procedures.
The course does not include a £60 exam fee payable to the RYA
Course programme
This course is a must for anybody going to sea. The course will give you the practical experience of how to use a VHF radio all in the comfort of a warm classroom. We use the latest Icom VHF training radios providing a realistic experience of what it would be like to send an emergency message.
There is a serious side: if there is an emergency you will need to know what to do. The classroom is a perfect place to practice what to say and make sure you feel comfortable with the equipment and DSC procedure.
If you are working towards your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Power or Sail qualification then you are required to hold the VHF radio certificate before you sit the Yachtmaster exam.
Inclusions
- RYA VHF Handbook.
- £60 exam fee not included. Payable to the RYA before you take the practical exam.
Dates & pricing
| Starts | Ends | Location(s) | Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/08/2021 | 15/08/2021 | Cowes, Isle of Wight | Waitlisted, please call +441983 280641 | |
| 05/09/2021 | 05/09/2021 | Cowes, Isle of Wight | Waitlisted, please call +441983 280641 | |
| 26/09/2021 | 26/09/2021 | Cowes, Isle of Wight | Waitlisted, please call +441983 280641 | |
| 17/10/2021 | 17/10/2021 | Cowes, Isle of Wight | Waitlisted, please call +441983 280641 | |
| 14/11/2021 | 21/11/2021 | Cowes, Isle of Wight | Waitlisted, please call +441983 280641 | |
Pre-requisite experience and qualifications
No previous experience is needed.
Full itinerary
The course starts at 9:00 and finishes at 5:00pm. Expect to cover:
- The basics of VHF radio
- Different types of radio
- Licencing
- Practical use of the sets
- Routine calls to other VHF radios
- VHF Channels used
- Phonetic alphabet
- GMDSS
- Digital selective calling (DSC)
- Mayday, urgency and security messages
At the end of the course, there is a written and practical exam.
Related courses
To work as a professional crew member you need STCW certificates, so a perfect next step would be to attend our STCW Basic Safety Training Course which covers everything you need to know to work on a Superyacht in six days.