Today there were more boats out then I've ever seen. Owl's Creek was absolutely nuts, boats lined up and down General Booth in both directions. Guys were parking on the medians. (Some had gifts from the city waiting for them on their windshields )Ch 68 was a buzz, so much so, you couldn't get a word in. I tried to call some of the guys who said they were heading out today, but no luck getting them.

I am proposing that we VBSF'ers start monitoring/scanning ch 72 along with the others. This way we can call each other on 72 and actually be able to talk to one another.

What do you think??

--Don

Good plan and fall back on cell phones (although coverage can be an issue sometimes). I am sure all of the chatter today was very productive and enlightening as it usually is.

--Brett

Ohhh Yeah...very enlightening...I've never heard some of those words before!!

It is amazing to see/hear how little some the boaters and fishermen know about the basic rules of the road and radio communication.
All in all, was a good day and we didn't do too bad. One short of limit.

Good job Capt, glad you got into some action!!!

Thanks, Don.
I called on you guys too, but I was stepped on, so I stayed quiet.
Nice looking boat, you guys running.

Don,

I agree, the chatter was unbelievable. I'll switch to monitoring 72.

Pete

Yeah, I tried to call you around 11:00 today and couldn't get threw, but from your report, you did just fine!!!

I'm all for Ch 72. Being in Richmond, I dont get down there and out as much as the locals do, but on many occasions that I make the trip I do bring the kids along and I know they dont need to hear that crap. And to think its adults acting in that manner.

I think by 11:00 we had turned the radio off or at least turned the volume down. I also tried getting a word in a few times and finally just gave up. You would think with all the catching that was going on, people would be to busy to chat on the radio. Guess they should spend more time fishing.

Don,

Great idea, I was monitoring 68 today until about 9:00AM, I heard more %$#@ in a 30 minute span and had to turn er down. We should talk as a group on 1 channel as we do on this board. Is 72 a clear channel for pubic use?

Travis AKA FINSTOKED

68 was non stop, switched to 72 and there were lots of idiots on there too, switched to weather station, then off.

106.9 w/ the volume turned up was the ticket yesterday!!!

I 2nd that.

Travis, I pretty sure it is a clear channel. I know sometimes when we can't get on 69, we goto 72. Another possibility is Ch 80. We'll figure something out, because on busy days 68 is nuts.

Bythegills..you've got the right idea. We had the radio going last weekend and got our limit by 8:20. This weekend we had issues with fuses so no radio...I ended up having to sing and then we caught fish...Music sooths the savage beast!!

Folks who know me know I am on 78 most of the time because of the silly stuff on 68. I will switch up to 72 next time out and see what happens.

Hey Al,

The Salt Weapon looks great with the fish next to it. Wayne called me this morning and told me the Cabo is offical with the BANDIT name on the back. Look forward fishing with you.

we had always used 68 to hale and would pick a channel to converse. 72 is usually what we switch up too.

72 is the yakers channel

I heard about OC being full up. Good thing I was in currituck shooting ducks for 12 straight hours.

WOOWEE Im sore

Eric

I wouldn't call them adults. Just bored kids that weren't catching anything.

Hi hank.
What a combination? Bandit and A Salt Weapon. Hahahaah.
I see you guys later.
Have fun.

I am in with ya !!!!!! Donna Sea gets back from the V I's this week I'll make sure he knows about the switch!



CYA on the water / and at the Feb m/g


Kerby / beawolf

Don,

Count me in......I'll be on 72 from now on. There was not a lot of useful info on Saturday...but you really didn't need it....the fish were there. I left too soon though, understand it got hot again at about 3:00 on Saturday..

CONFIDENCE switching 72.

- Salmon

I'll be on 72 also. I'm no pro but i know when people are full of (*&*^%(& Give me some good info and quick hello. I don't need the jibba jabba

Ch 72 looks like it's ok to use to me.

Marine VHF channel frequencies and usage
Channel 16 (distress and calling) will be quiet, except when pleasure boats are
active. Commercial vessels rarely use it except to make "safety" broadcasts as
they approach narrow channels, etc.

Commercial vessels will normally communicate with a Vessel Traffic Management
Center, reporting their position and intentions at specified calling-in points.
Traffic will then tell them what other vessels they should expect to meet.
Vancouver Traffic uses channels 11 and 12 locally, and Seattle Traffic uses 5A
in Puget Sound.

Chan Ship Tx Ship Rx Area Use
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
01 156.050 160.650 IC Ship/shore - telephone
02 156.100 160.700 IC Ship/shore - telephone
03 156.150 160.750 IC Ship/shore - telephone
04 156.200 160.800 I Ship/shore - telephone
04A 156.200 C Canadian Coast Guard - authorized stations
05 156.250 160.850 I *Ship/shore - telephone
06 156.300 Intership - Safety
07 156.050 160.650 *Ship/shore - telephone
07A 156.350 Intership-Ship/shore - commercial
08 156.400 Intership - commercial
09 156.450 Intership-Ship/shore
10 156.500 Intership-Ship/shore - commercial
11 156.550 Vessel Traffic Management
12 156.600 Vessel Traffic Management
13 156.650 Bridge to bridge - 1 watt - Safety of Nav.
14 156.700 Vessel Traffic Management
15 156.750 EPIRB Buoy
16 156.800 International Distress/Safety/Calling
17 156.850 Pilotage - vessel docking/maneuvers
18 156.900 161.500 I *Port Operation
18A 156.900 Intership-Ship/shore - commercial
19 156.950 161.550 I *Port Operation
19A 156.950 *Port Operation
20 157.000 *Port Operation
21 157.050 161.650 I *Port Operation
21A 157.050 A US Coast Guard - authorized stations
21B 161.650 C Canadian Coast Guard - Weather Broadcasts
22 157.100 161.700 I *Port Operation
22A 157.100 CA US/Canadian Coast Guard - Public Working Freq.
23 157.150 161.750 IC Ship/shore - telephone (in Canada)
23A 157.150 *Port Operation (USCG)
24 157.200 161.800 Ship/shore - telephone
25 157.250 161.850 Ship/shore - telephone
26 157.300 161.900 Ship/shore - telephone
27 157.350 161.950 Ship/shore - telephone
28 157.400 162.000 Ship/shore - telephone

60 156.025 160.625 IC Ship/shore - telephone
61 156.075 160.675 I *Ship/shore - telephone
61A 156.075 C Intership-S/S - Can. Coast Guard Private
62 156.125 160.725 I *Ship/shore - telephone
62A 156.125 C Intership-S/S - Can. Coast Guard Private
63 156.175 160.775 I *Ship/shore - telephone
63A 156.175 C Intership-Ship/shore - commercial
64 156.225 160.825 IC Ship/shore - telephone
65 156.275 160.875 I *Ship/shore - telephone
65A 156.275 CA Port Operation (Canadian Coast Guard Private)
66 156.325 160.925 I *Ship/shore - telephone, Port Operation
67 156.375 Intership-Ship/shore
68 156.425 Intership-Ship/shore - non-commercial
69 156.475 Intership-Ship/shore
70 156.525 Digital Selective Calling - Distress and Safety
71 156.575 Vessel Traffic Management
72 156.625 Intership
73 156.675 Intership-Ship/shore
74 156.725 Vessel Traffic Management
( 75 and 76 not used )
77 156.875 Pilotage - vessel docking/maneuvers
78 156.925 161.525 *Port Operation
78A 156.925 Intership-Ship/shore - commercial
79 156.975 161.575 I *Port Operation
79A 156.975 Intership-Ship/shore - commercial
79B 161.575 C Commercial Fishing - Receive only
80 157.025 161.625 I *Port Operation
80A 157.025 Intership-Ship/shore - commercial
81 157.075 161.675 I *Port Operation
81A 157.075 A *Port Operation (USCG)(CCG anti-pollution)
82 157.125 161.725 I *Port Operation, s/s telephone
82A 157.125 A *Port Operation (USCG)(CCG)
83 157.175 161.775 I *Ship/shore - telephone (CCG)
83A 157.225 A *Intership, Port Operation (USCG)
84 157.225 161.825 Ship/shore - telephone
85 157.275 161.875 Ship/shore - telephone
86 157.325 161.925 Ship/shore - telephone
87 157.375 161.975 Ship/shore - telephone
88 157.425 162.025 IC *Ship/shore - telephone
88A 157.425 A *Intership

Weather Channels: (as in Icom IC-M55)
Wx1 162.550
Wx2 162.400
Wx3 162.475
Wx4 161.650 Marine 21B - CCG West Coast Weather Broadcasts
Wx5 162.425
Wx6 162.500
Wx7 162.525
Wx8 162.450
Wx9 161.775 Marine 83B - CCG Great Lakes & East Wx Broadcasts
Wx10 163.275
(Wx5 - Wx10 are not listed in the manual, but are in the radio)

The channel usage marked with an asterisk (*) are from tables in Icom IC-M2
and IC-M55 marine radio manuals, and are probably fairly "generic", and
subject to change in different jurisdictions. Other channel usage is from my
station license for the Canadian West Coast, and from things overheard on the
air. "Your usage may vary."

Channels marked (CCG) or (USCG) are for Canadian or US Coast guard authorized
stations only.

Channel 70 is supposed to be reserved for a future selective calling distress
and safety system, but is (illegally) being used for intership communications
(even by the RCMP!)
The letters under "area" mean:
I: International only (non-US) according to Icom
C: Canadian usage
A: American usage

Channels with an "A" suffix are simplex operation on the ship transmit
frequency of an international duplex channel.

Canada uses a "B" suffix to denote broadcast (one-way) use of the shore
transmit side of an international duplex channel.

There are no repeaters (as hams know them) in the marine service . If you
are willing to pay for a phone call, the telco might let you place a call
to another vessel on the same (or different) channel, and so get the effect
of a repeater

72 it is I'll be out Thur or fri. Same thing with me, if its to noisy Ill turn it off and crank up 106 100.5 or 96x.
JC