Many skippers have a radio on board, but use it as rarely as possible. Yet VHF marine radio is far more than just an emergency system. It can defuse unclear situations, avoid misunderstandings and save lives in an emergency. In the YACHT interview, Sven M. Rutter explains why radio remains indispensable on board, what mistakes often happen and why the red distress button is no substitute for radio understanding.
Many do not dare to use the radio"
Sven, many skippers have a radio on board but are reluctant to use it. Why is that?
In any case, I often notice that although radios are on board, they are hardly ever used in everyday life. That's a shame, because radios are not just for emergencies.
What role does marine radio still play in everyday life on board today?
A very big one. With the marine radio licence, you not only acquire the ability to make an emergency call. It allows you to participate in traffic on the water much more consciously. For me, the great benefit lies in communicating with other ships.
I have often solved unclear or potentially dicey situations by simply reaching for the spark. One example: I was travelling at night in a narrow fairway with a large sailing yacht and a lot of draught. I couldn't get out of the fairway. Large ships were approaching from astern and I didn't know if they had seen me. So I called one of the ships. The officer on watch responded immediately, apologised and reduced the speed. That resolved the situation.
For me, that's the main benefit of radio: you can talk to each other directly.
Radio is not a competitor to the telephone"
When should you radio and when is it better not to?
This is actually one of the great uncertainties. Radio is a nautical communication solution. It is not a competitor to the telephone. Anything that is not nautically relevant does not belong on marine radio.
But if I have an unclear traffic situation, if I want to address a harbour or if I need to send a safety message, then radio is the right tool. You should always ask yourself: Is it about navigation, safety or specific coordination on the water? Then radio makes sense.
How do you send a sensible radio message?
That depends on the situation. Am I calling another ship, a coastal radio station or all radio stations? On channel 16 or when calling everyone, I have to adhere to international standards so that everyone understands what I'm talking about. On a working channel with a harbour or a known yacht, it can be much more relaxed.
In essence, it remains simple: I call the station called, then myself, my callsign and ask if I can be understood. If I don't know the name of a ship, I can call it using its position and course. If I have AIS on board, I can call the ship more specifically via its MMSI.
Do you always have to repeat names and callsigns three times?
Officially, you can do this up to three times. In practice, I do it depending on the situation. If it's urgent and it's clear who is meant, sometimes once is enough. In other situations, it makes sense to repeat it so that the other person understands who is calling.
You should be able to spell your own ship's name"
How well do you need to know the radio alphabet?
You should definitely be able to spell your own ship's name. You may be asked for it. Place names can also be important. What sounds clear to us may sound completely different to an international crew. There are letters on the nautical chart and a radio message must refer to precisely these letters.
For example, when I send a safety message, I write down the radio message beforehand. Then I can read it out calmly without rushing. This is a simple practical tip that provides a lot of security.
Nevertheless, many have respect for the strict radio discipline. Especially in harbour radio, some things seem very correct. How do you deal with this?
I always listen in first. Especially in harbours, you quickly notice how people speak there. Some want to be very formal, others are more relaxed. Then I adapt.
When in doubt, you should remain clear and unambiguous. That's more important than perfect radio lyricism. If I address the harbour correctly, name myself and ask if I am understood, I have already gained a lot. Friendliness also helps with berth enquiries. A friendly tone often opens doors.
English is not always needed"
What misconceptions do you encounter particularly often?
A big misconception is that English must always be spoken. That is not true. English is important when I'm transmitting on channel 16, when I'm addressing all radio stations or when I don't know whether the other person understands my language.
If I call a harbour in Germany, I can speak German. If I'm talking to a friendly yacht on a working channel, the same applies. You can also hear pilots or other parties speaking German to each other on the radio. This is not an offence against radio discipline.
The second misconception is the fear of getting into trouble immediately because of a small mistake. Of course you shouldn't send nonsense. But the radio rules were not created to make things complicated, but to communicate clearly worldwide.
If you have a radio on board, you also need a radio licence"
Many people are legally unsure. Do you need a radio licence as soon as a device is on board?
The radio licence requirement depends on what is installed on board. If a marine radio system is on board, you need the appropriate marine radio licence, i.e. usually the SRC. For inland radio, this is the UBI. Whether the device is switched on or not is irrelevant.
And what if someone without a radio licence has to transmit in an emergency?
In an emergency, of course, anyone can use the radio. Nobody gets a fine for making an emergency call. That's why I include this in every safety briefing. Before every trip, I show the crew where the radio is and how it works.
I also prepare a scheme for the mayday call. The most important elements are already noted in it. Only the position and type of emergency are left blank. If I, as the skipper, am needed elsewhere, for example in the event of water ingress or technical safety, someone else can make the emergency call.
A person in the water is always an emergency"
What happens if someone calls Mayday even though it is not actually a Mayday case?
This cannot be said in general terms. It depends on which rescue chain was triggered and how the individual case is assessed. You should therefore think very carefully about whether it really is an emergency.
But there are clear cases. One Man in the water is always an emergency. If I send Mayday or press the distress button and the person is back on board shortly afterwards, I can then cancel the emergency call. Then it wasn't a false alarm, but an emergency that has been dealt with.
What should you do if you accidentally press the red distress button?
You should first switch the device off and then on again. Many devices repeat the alarm until it is confirmed. Switching it off first interrupts this. Some devices also have a cancel function, but switching off and switching on is the safe basic step.
You must then immediately transmit on channel 16 and cancel the false alarm. In other words: "Please cancel my distress alert", plus the time and your own details. It is important to react quickly before help runs out unnecessarily.
Mayday Relay remains important"
Have you ever had to make a mayday call yourself?
Fortunately, I don't have my own Mayday yet. But I have already sent a mayday relay once, i.e. forwarded an emergency call. That was in the Balearic Islands. I saw a motor yacht that suddenly caught fire. People were already jumping from the boat, but there was no distress call on the radio. So I sent the mayday relay.
The system depends on others helping out. Sailing yachts in particular, with their high aerials, are often able to pass on signals. If I hear an emergency call and no rescue coordination centre responds, I may be the one who has to pass it on.
Some people say: I don't listen to channel 16, so I don't have to help.
I have no sympathy for such an attitude. It contradicts the whole point of the system. Maritime radio is a common safety system. Anyone travelling at sea benefits from it and also bears responsibility.
The mobile phone does not replace marine radio"
Many people rely heavily on their smartphones these days. Why isn't that enough?
The first question is: Who do I actually call? Many people don't have a clear answer to this. More importantly, however, a marine radio distress call not only enables me to reach a rescue coordination centre, but also all ships in the vicinity.
That is the decisive difference. Even in the middle of the Atlantic, I would make an emergency call on the VHF, even though the range might only be 20 nautical miles. Because the ships that hear me there are possibly the only ones that can help quickly. A satellite distress transmitter alerts a control centre, but the immediate surroundings are initially unaware of this.
For me, AIS is part of the marine radio system"
What role does AIS play in interaction with the radio?
AIS is an excellent addition to marine radio. I can see other ships, get their names and MMSI and can address them specifically. Conversely, an active AIS transceiver makes me visible myself.
This is particularly important for pleasure craft. Plastic yachts are often poor radar targets. AIS improves visibility vis-à-vis other vessels, especially large vessels that require equipment. At the same time, AIS should not be misunderstood. The display of received targets is not a fully-fledged collision avoidance system. You must always check how up-to-date and reliable the data is.
What other emergency call systems do you think should be on board?
I see them as a supplement, not a replacement for marine radio. An EPIRB is very valuable because it works independently of the on-board power supply and alerts a rescue control centre via satellite. The disadvantage is that it is initially a silent alarm for shipping in the vicinity.
In addition, there are SART devices, today often AIS-supported. They can send an emergency position to ships in the vicinity. For man-overboard situations, I think AIS MOB transmitters are a big step forward. They are worn on the lifejacket and transmit a position when triggered. This is enormously helpful for your own yacht and for ships in the immediate vicinity.
The handheld radio does not replace a fixed system"
Many also have a handheld radio on board. How important is that?
A handheld radio is particularly valuable as a reserve that is independent of the on-board power supply. If I have to go over to the life raft, I can take it with me and communicate with potential rescuers. It is unrivalled for this purpose.
For everyday use on board, however, I recommend a fixed built-in radio system. It uses the mast antenna and therefore has a much better range. If you don't want to go below deck all the time, you can use a device with a second control unit in the cockpit. This is usually a better solution than a handheld radio as the main unit.
Radio is not as bad as many people think"
What is the most important message to skippers who have respect for the radio?
Don't be shy. Of course you should know what you're doing. But marine radio is logically structured and much less complicated than many people think. If you familiarise yourself with the most important procedures before setting sail, have a radio panel on board and explain to the crew how an emergency call works, you will be much better prepared.
The radio is not just a decorative item or an emergency button. It is a tool for communicating clearly, quickly and comprehensibly on the water. And that's what you should use it for.
The interview was conducted by Timm Kruse for the YACHT sailing podcast. You can listen to the podcast here.
Sven M. Rutter
Freier Mitarbeiter
