Sail Away

VHF Marine Radio Channels, Frequencies and Services

Channel
Number		 Tx [MHz]
mobile stations		 Simplex
Duplex		 Rx [MHz]
mobile stations		 Use
 
60 156.025 D 160.625 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
01 156.050 D 160.650 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
61 156.075 D 160.675 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
02 156.100 D 160.700 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
62 156.125 D 160.725 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
03 156.150 D 160.750 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
63 156.175 D 160.775 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
04 156.200 D 160.800 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
64 156.225 D 160.825 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
05 156.250 D 160.850 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
65 156.275 D 160.875 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
06 156.300 S 156.300 Intership Safety, Ships and Aircrafts engaged in SAR operations
66 156.325 D 160.925 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
07 156.350 D 160.950 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
67 156.375 S 156.375 Intership, Port Operations and Ship Movement
08 156.400 S 156.400 Intership
68 156.425 S 156.425 Port Operations and Ship Movement
09 156.450 S 156.450 Intership, Port Operations and Ship Movement
69 156.475 S 156.475 Intership
10 156.500 S 156.500 Intership, Marine Safety Information (UK)
70 156.525 S 156.525 NOT AVAILABLE: exclusively for Digital Selective Call
11 156.550 S 156.550 Port Operations and Ship Movement
71 156.575 S 156.575 Port Operations and Ship Movement
12 156.600 S 156.600 Port Operations and Ship Movement, VTS in selected areas
72 156.625 S 156.625 Intership
13 156.650 S 156.650 Intership and Navigation Safety Communications
73 156.675 S 156.675 Intership (not in coastal areas in Europe and Canada)
14 156.700 S 156.700 Port Operations and Ship Movement, VTS in selected areas
74 156.725 S 156.725 Port Operations and Ship Movement
15 156.750 S 156.750 Intership and On-Board Communications at 1W only
75 156.775 S 156.775 Restricted use at 1W only
16 156.800 S 156.800 Distress, Safety and Calling
76 156.825 S 156.825 Restricted use at 1W only
17 156.850 S 156.850 Intership and On-Board Communications at 1W only
77 156.875 S 156.875 Intership
18 156.900 D 161.500 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
78 156.925 D 161.525 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
19 156.950 D 161.550 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
79 156.975 D 161.575 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
20 157.000 D 161.600 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
80 157.025 D 161.625 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
21 157.050 D 161.650 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
81 157.075 D 161.675 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
22 157.100 D 161.700 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
82 157.125 D 161.725 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
23 157.150 D 161.750 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
83 157.175 D 161.775 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
24 157.200 D 161.800 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
84 157.225 D 161.825 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
25 157.250 D 161.850 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
85 157.275 D 161.875 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
26 157.300 D 161.900 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
86 157.325 D 161.925 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
27 157.350 D 161.950 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
87 161.975 S 161.975 AIS (Automatic Identification System)
28 157.400 D 162.000 Public Correspondence, Port Operations and Ship Movement
88 162.025 S 162.025 AIS (Automatic Identification System)


Some channels are configured as duplex channels, which requires the assignment of two distinct frequencies for simultaneous transmission and reception. The communication hardware must be configured such that the transmit frequency of one station is the receive frequency of the other station. Therefore, for duplex channels, the frequency allocation in the transmit and receive channels must be differentiated between the coast station (fixed) and the ship station (mobile). In the table above, the channel frequencies for the mobile stations are given.

Intership channels are for communications between ship stations and can only be simplex channels (both stations must have the same Tx/Rx frequency!). The IMO has designated only Channel 13 for bridge-to-bridge communication but after communication has been established, another channel for intership communication may be used but this should be restricted to Channels 6, 8, 69, 72 and 77. Only if these are not available, the other channels marked for Intership may be used.

Channel 70 is used exclusively for Digital Selective Call (DSC) and is not available for regular voice communications.
The use of Channels 75 and 76 should be restricted to navigation related communication only and precautions should be taken to avoid harmful interference to Channel 16. Transmit power is limited to 1 Watt.
Channels 15 and 17 may also be used for on-board communications provided the effective radiated power does not exceed 1 Watt.

Channels 87 and 88 are used exclusively for the "Automatic Identification System" (AIS). All ships equipped with AIS permanently broadcast via the two dedicated VHF channels (CH 87B and CH 88B) information about their MMSI-number, call sign, name, position, course, heading, speed, rate of turn and type of vessel. AIS enables all participants (ships and VTS stations) to receive information about traffic in there vicinity and to use these data for their own purpose, especially for collision avoidance.

Notice: The letter "A" following a channel number 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. Some "B" channels are currently in use in Canada and the AIS system uses the "B" channels of CH 87 and CH 88.
The general usage of channels may differ between the international radio regions (e.g. Channels 75 and 76 are reserved as guard bands for Channel 16 and may not be available for regular voice communications).