Maritime Radio Use in the VHF
Frequency Range
Special Channel Assignments
Operating Frequency Requirements
A radio designated for shipboard use must comply
with Federal Communications Commission Rule Part
80 as follows:
• on ships subject to Part II of Title III of the
Communications Act, the radio must be capable of
operating on the 156.800 MHz frequency.
• on ships subject to the Safety Convention, the
radio must be capable of operating:
• in the simplex mode on the ship station
transmitting frequencies specified in the
156.025 – 157.425 MHz frequency band, and
• in the semiduplex mode on the two frequency
channels specified in the table below.
Note:
Simplex channels 3, 21, 23, 61, 64, 81, 82,
and 83 cannot be lawfully used by the general
public in US waters.
Additional information about operating
requirements in the Maritime Services can be
obtained from the full text of FCC Rule Part 80
and from the US Coast Guard.
Table 1: VHF Marine Channel List
Channel Num-
ber
Frequency (MHz)
Transmit Receive
1 156.050 160.650
2 156.100 160.700
* 156.150 160.750
4 156.200 160.800
5 156.250 160.850
6 156.300 –
7 156.350 160.950
8 156.400 –
9 156.450 156.450
10 156.500 156.500
11 156.550 156.550
Maritime Radio Use in the VHF Frequency Range
400
English