VHF Marine Radio

VHF MARINE RADIO. — The International Telecommunications Union, since the Titanic sank, has allocated a large block of spectrum for maritime purposes, which is provided for in the VHF maritime mobile band.

The VHF maritime mobile band consists of channels operating in the frequency range 156.000 MHz to 162.050 MHz, except for those portions within this range that are allocated to the land mobile service.

The regulatory framework governing channel arrangements and uses in Australia is set out in the instruments identified. The following VHF maritime mobile band channel allocations are to be read in conjunction with these legislative instruments, Australian and international law.

Whilst anyone in Australia can listen to VHF Marine Radio, it is illegal to possess or use VHF Marine radios without the appropriate Maritime Radio Operator’s Certificate, issued by, or under the authority of, the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

With some exceptions, the VHF Marine Radio service is analogue, not digital.

Marine Radio Victoria (MRV) provides 24/7 VHF marine weather broadcasts in Victoria, with scheduled forecasts on Channel 67 at 06:48 and 18:48 EST, and warnings broadcast hourly. Channel 16 is used for initial warnings. Services cover coastal waters up to 20 nautical miles out to sea.

Please read the notes following the table.

CH	SHORE RX (MHz)	SHIP TX (MHz)	TYPE	OFFSET (MHz)	MODE	USE(S)/USERS
01	160.6500	156.0500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
02	160.7000	156.1000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
03	160.7500	156.1500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
04	160.8000	156.2000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
05	160.8500	156.2500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
06	156.3000	156.3000	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	SEARCH & RESCUE OPERATIONS (WORLDWIDE) & INTERSHIP SAFETY
07	160.9500	156.3500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
08	156.4000	156.4000	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	COMMERCIAL SHIP TO SHIP, TUGS & PILOT SHIPS
09	156.4500	156.4500	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	BOATER (RECREATIONAL) CALL CHANNEL
10	156.5000	156.5000	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	COMMERCIAL VESSELS
11	156.5500	156.5500	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	VESSEL TRAFFIC SYSTEM (VTS)
12	156.6000	156.6000	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	VESSEL TRAFFIC SYSTEM (VTS)
13	156.6500	156.6500	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
14	156.7000	156.7000	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	VESSEL TRAFFIC SYSTEM (VTS)
15	156.7500	156.7500	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	ENVIRONMENTAL (EPA etc)
16	156.8000	156.8000	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	EMERGENCY DISTRESS SAFETY & CALLING ONLY
17	156.8500	156.8500	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	GOVERNMENT MARITIME CONTROL & INLAND WATERS
18	161.5000	156.9000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
19	161.5500	156.9500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	COMMERCIAL VESSELS
20	161.6000	157.0000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
21	161.6500	157.0500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	AUSTRALIAN VOLUNTEER COAST GUARD 1
22	161.7000	157.1000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	AUSTRALIAN VOLUNTEER COAST GUARD 2
23	161.7500	157.1500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
24	161.8000	157.2000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
25	161.8500	157.2500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
26	161.9000	157.3000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
27	161.9500	157.3500	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
28	162.0000	157.4000	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
60	160.6250	156.0250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
61	160.6750	156.0750	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
62	160.7250	156.1250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
63	160.7750	156.1750	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
64	160.8250	156.2250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
65	160.8750	156.2750	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
66	160.9250	156.3250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
67	156.3750	156.3750	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	WEATHER WARNINGS (via Marine Victoria), Secondary EMERGENCY & BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
68	156.4250	156.4250	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	NON COMMERCIAL USERS
69	156.4750	156.4750	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	NON COMMERCIAL USERS & NAVY
70	156.5250	RX ONLY			DIGITAL	DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC)
71	156.5750	156.5750	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	NON COMMERCIAL USERS & FISHING
72	156.6250	156.6250	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	NON COMMERCIAL USERS
73	156.6750	156.6750	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
74	156.7250	156.7250	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
75	156.7750	156.7750	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
76	156.8250	156.8250	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
77	156.8750	156.8750	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS SHIP TO SHIP
78	161.5250	156.9250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
79	161.5750	156.9750	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
80	161.6250	157.0250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
81	161.6750	157.0750	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
82	161.7250	157.1250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	GOVERNMENT BODIES (POLICE, FIRE, MARINE etc)
83	161.7750	157.1750	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	PORT OPERATIONS
84	161.8250	157.2250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
85	161.8750	157.2750	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
86	161.9250	157.3250	DUPLEX	-4.6000	NFM	SEAPHONE
87	157.3750	157.3750	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	SEAPHONE
88	157.4250	157.4250	SIMPLEX	NONE	NFM	SEAPHONE
ASM 1	161.9500	161.9500	SIMPLEX	NONE	DIGITAL	APPLICATION-SPECIFIC MESSAGING
ASM 2	162.0000	162.0000	SIMPLEX	NONE	DIGITAL	APPLICATION-SPECIFIC MESSAGING
AIS 1	161.9750	161.9750	SIMPLEX	NONE	DIGITAL	AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
AIS 2	162.0250	162.0250	SIMPLEX	NONE	DIGITAL	AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

Under the Marine Safety Regulations 2023, a marine radio must be a minimum 25-watt VHF marine radio approved by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and compliant with AS/NZS ETSI EN 302 885:2018. This ensures reliable communication and safety on the water due to their longer range.

Radios with less than 25 watts of power, including 27MHz Marine radios, no longer fall within the legal definition of a Marine Radio in Victoria to meet the requirement to carry a Marine Radio when operating more than 2 nautical miles from the coast in coastal waters.

To legally operate a VHF marine radio, you must hold a relevant qualification or be supervised by someone who does. Operating without the proper qualification is a breach of the Radiocommunications Act 1992 (Cth). The Australian Waters Qualification (AWQ) is the basic, most accessible certification for recreational boaters operating within 12 nautical miles of the Australian coast.

Marine Radios must be ACMA-approved VHF radios – this provides robust 24/7 monitoring, weather forecasts, safety alerts and radio checks in Victoria through the government-funded Marine Radio Victoria.

It should be noted that ships more than 12 nautical miles from Australian territorial waters should also have an HF Marine Radio available by international and Australian law and SOLAS requirements.

Regulation