Marine Radio Operator's Certificate

This course consists of 3 nights (about 2 hours each) of instruction on Thursday nights. Course begins on October 18th, 2007 and ends on November 8th, 2007 with the examination.

Successful completion of this course will qualify the student for a “Restricted Operator’s Certificate (Maritime)” ROC (M), with DSC endorsement. It is good for life and no annual renewal needed.

New Marine Radios are being manufactured with DSC capability and therefore it is important to know how to use them properly.

This is a modular course so that people who already have their VHF certificate can take only the second module if they wish.

Module One:
Introduces the student to Maritime Mobile Service, Regulations and Procedures. Students are taught the uses of marine radios, choice of frequencies, operation, phonetic alphabet, procedural words and phrases.

Module Two:
Covers Digital Selective Calling and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, (DSC/GMDSS). This module is of great importance. The availability of DSC is being greatly expanded. All mariners, including recreational boaters, will want to take advantage of the many features and capabilities of this innovative form “automatic “ radio.


About the VHF-DSC Marine Radio
The traditional marine radio (VHF/MF/HF) has been enhanced with the addition of a feature known as DSC. This feature enables vessels to automatically maintain the required watch on distress and calling channels instead of the current aural listening watch. A DSC receiver will only respond to the vessel's unique Maritime Mobile Service Identity number (MMSI#), similar to a telephone number, or to an "All Ships" DSC call within range. Once contact has been made by DSC, follow-up communications take place by voice on another frequency.


GMDSS Signals in New Era in Marine Safety
The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is changing marine distress and safety signaling.

In 1979, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization improved maritime safety by establishing a global distress and safety system with a coordinated search and rescue infrastructure.

GMDSS is mandated for vessels subject to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which includes most merchant vessels traveling internationally and weighing more than 300 tons. In the US, passenger ships that carry more than six people and yachts that weigh more than 600 tons also must carry GMDSS equipment.

More efficient, more reliable and easier to use than its predecessors, GMDSS ensures that all nearby SOLAS-regulated vessels and coastal stations receive automatic alerts so a coordinated search and rescue operation can begin without delay. Since the system uses terrestrial and satellite technology, distress signals may be sent and received over short and long distances.

The communications equipment on all SOLAS-regulated vessels and coastal stations must have Digital Selective Calling (DSC). Since 1999, The FCC has required marine radio manufacturers to include DSC capability in all new models of marine radios for sale in the US.

VHF-DSC marine radios automatically monitor channel 70 so the skipper can steer the vessel instead of monitoring channel 16. Signals received on channel 70 will alert the skipper that a call is being received.

After February 2005, all SOLAS-regulated vessels will no longer be required to monitor VHF channel 16. This means that if you notice a large container ship coming fast on your rear, the quickest way to get his attention will be to make an all-ships call on channel 70.

GMDSS is here and even recreational boaters who do not venture onto the high seas should become familiar with the VHF-DSC marine radio.


This article has been reprinted from The USPS Ensign.

This course is open to members, non-members and their families.
Cost: $65