|
|
|
|
| New Channel Number | Old Channel Number | Ship Transmit MHz | Ship Receive MHz | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 01A | 156.050 | 156.050 | Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area. |
| 1005 | 05A | 156.250 | 156.250 | Port Operations or VTS in the Houston, New Orleans and Seattle areas. |
| 06 | 06 | 156.300 | 156.300 | Intership Safety |
| 1007 | 07A | 156.350 | 156.350 | Commercial. VDSMS |
| 08 | 08 | 156.400 | 156.400 | Commercial (Intership only). VDSMS |
| 09 | 09 | 156.450 | 156.450 | Boater Calling. Commercial and Non-Commercial. VDSMS |
| 10 | 10 | 156.500 | 156.500 | Commercial. VDSMS |
| 11 | 11 | 156.550 | 156.550 | Commercial. VTS in selected areas. VDSMS |
| 12 | 12 | 156.600 | 156.600 | Port Operations. VTS in selected areas. |
| 13 | 13 | 156.650 | 156.650 | Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters. |
| 14 | 14 | 156.700 | 156.700 | Port Operations. VTS in selected areas. |
| 15 | 15 | -- | 156.750 | Environmental (Receive only). Used by Class C EPIRBs. |
| 16 | 16 | 156.800 | 156.800 | International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel. See our Watchkeeping Regulations page. |
| 17 | 17 | 156.850 | 156.850 | State & local govt maritime control |
| 1018 | 18A | 156.900 | 156.900 | Commercial. VDSMS |
| 1019 | 19A | 156.950 | 156.950 | Commercial. VDSMS |
| 20 | 20 | 157.000 | 161.600 | Port Operations (duplex) |
| 1020 | 20A | 157.000 | 157.000 | Port Operations |
| 1021 | 21A | 157.050 | 157.050 | U.S. Coast Guard only |
| 1022 | 22A | 157.100 | 157.100 | Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime Safety Information Broadcasts. Broadcasts announced on channel 16. |
| 1023 | 23A | 157.150 | 157.150 | U.S. Coast Guard only |
| 24 | 24 | 157.200 | 161.800 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 25 | 25 | 157.250 | 161.850 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 26 | 26 | 157.300 | 161.900 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 27 | 27 | 157.350 | 161.950 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 28 | 28 | 157.400 | 162.000 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 1063 | 63A | 156.175 | 156.175 | Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area. |
| 1065 | 65A | 156.275 | 156.275 | Port Operations |
| 1066 | 66A | 156.325 | 156.325 | Port Operations |
| 67 | 67 | 156.375 | 156.375 | Commercial. Used for Bridge-to-bridge communications in lower Mississippi River. Intership only. |
| 68 | 68 | 156.425 | 156.425 | Non-Commercial. VDSMS |
| 69 | 69 | 156.475 | 156.475 | Non-Commercial. VDSMS |
| 70 | 70 | 156.525 | 156.525 | Digital Selective Calling (voice communications not allowed) |
| 71 | 71 | 156.575 | 156.575 | Non-Commercial. VDSMS |
| 72 | 72 | 156.625 | 156.625 | Non-Commercial (Intership only). VDSMS |
| 73 | 73 | 156.675 | 156.675 | Port Operations |
| 74 | 74 | 156.725 | 156.725 | Port Operations |
| 77 | 77 | 156.875 | 156.875 | Port Operations (Intership only) |
| 1078 | 78A | 156.925 | 156.925 | Non-Commercial. VDSMS |
| 1079 | 79A | 156.975 | 156.975 | Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only. VDSMS |
| 1080 | 80A | 157.025 | 157.025 | Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only. VDSMS |
| 1081 | 81A | 157.075 | 157.075 | U.S. Government only - Environmental protection operations. |
| 1082 | 82A | 157.125 | 157.125 | U.S. Government only |
| 1083 | 83A | 157.175 | 157.175 | U.S. Coast Guard only |
| 84 | 84 | 157.225 | 161.825 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 85 | 85 | 157.275 | 161.875 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 86 | 86 | 157.325 | 161.925 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 87 | 87 | 157.375 | 157.375 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
| 88 | 88 | 157.425 | 157.425 | Commercial, Intership only. VDSMS |
| AIS 1 | AIS 1 | 161.975 | 161.975 | Automatic Identification System (AIS) |
| AIS 2 | 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.
Four-digit VHF maritime channel numbers were established by the International Telecommunications Union World Radio Conference meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, 2-27 November 2015. Its purpose was to improve spectrum efficiency, making allowances for countries making simplex use of duplex channels, just as the US had done beginning in 1965. US channel 05A is now designated and recognized internationally by the channel 1005, and the US Coast Guard channel 22A is now designated and recognized internationally by the channel “1022”. These new channel number designations are being displayed on new models of VHF marine radios.
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.
More information regarding Marine VHF use can be found at USCG
Navigation Center:
Maritime Telecommunications
Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSIs)
Radio Information For Boaters
Sailing Scuttlebutt
World on Water Video
Learning Center