VHF Marine Radio Service Frequency Table

This table is the frequency chart for the VHF Marine Radio Service. There are specifically designated channels for specific usage, as indicated in the chart below. Frequencies are in megahertz. Note that the letter A 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. The U.S. does not currently use B channels for simplex communications in this band. Boaters should normally use channels listed as Non-Commercial.

Channel 16 is used for calling other stations or for distress alerting. Channel 13 should be used to contact a ship when there is danger of collision. All ships of length 20m (slightly more than 65 feet) or greater are required to guard VHF

channel 13, in addition to VHF channel 16, when operating within U.S. territorial waters. Some channels are available in VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) areas only. Users may be fined by the FCC for improper use of these channels.

As of 2004, AIS is available in certain areas. Picture a shipboard radar display, with overlaid electronic chart data, that includes a mark for every significant ship within radio range, each as desired with a velocity vector (indicating speed and heading). Each ship "mark" could reflect the actual size of the ship, with position to GPS or differential GPS accuracy. By

"clicking" on a ship mark, you could learn the ship name, course and speed, classification, call sign, registration number, MMSI, and other information. Maneuvering information, closest point of approach (CPA), time to closest point of approach (TCPA) and other navigation information, more accurate and timely than information available from an automatic radar plotting aid, could also be available. Display information previously available only to modern Vessel Traffic Service operations centers could now be available to every AIS-equipped ship.

With this information, you could call any ship over VHF radiotelephone by name, rather than by "ship off my port bow" or some other imprecise means. Or you could dial it up directly using GMDSS equipment. Or you could send to the ship, or receive from it, short safety-related E-Mail messages.

The AIS is a shipboard broadcast system that acts like a transponder, operating in the VHF maritime band, which is capable of handling well over 4,500 reports per minute and updates as often as every two seconds. It uses Self-Organizing Time Division Multiple Access (SOTDMA) technology to meet this high broadcast rate and ensure reliable ship-to-ship operation.

Marine VHF Designated Frequencies

Ship

Ship

Channel Transmit Receive

Intended And Designated Use

Number

MHz

MHz

Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in

01A

156.050

156.050 New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.

Port Operations or VTS in the Houston, New Orleans and

05A

156.250

156.250 Seattle areas.

06

156.300

156.300 Intership Safety

07A

156.350

156.350 Commercial

08

156.400

156.400 Commercial (Intership only)

09

156.450

156.450 Boater Calling. Commercial and Non-Commercial.

10

156.500

156.500 Commercial

11

156.550

156.550 Commercial. VTS in selected areas.

12

156.600

156.600 Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.

Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m 13

156.650

156.650 length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters.

14

156.700

156.700 Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.

15

--

156.750 Environmental (Receive only). Used by Class C EPIRBs.

International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to 16

156.800

156.800 carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel.

17

156.850

156.850 State Control

18A

156.900

156.900 Commercial

19A

156.950

156.950 Commercial

20

157.000

161.600 Port Operations (duplex)

20A

157.000

157.000 Port Operations

21A

157.050

157.050 U.S. Coast Guard only

Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime Safety Information

22A

157.100

157.100 Broadcasts. Broadcasts announced on channel 16.

23A

157.150

157.150 U.S. Coast Guard only

24

157.200

161.800 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

25

157.250

161.850 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

26

157.300

161.900 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

27

157.350

161.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

28

157.400

162.000 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in

63A

156.175

156.175 New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.

65A

156.275

156.275 Port Operations

66A

156.325

156.325 Port Operations

67

156.375

156.375 Commercial. Used for Bridge-to-bridge communications in lower Mississippi River. Intership only.

68

156.425

156.425 Non-Commercial

69

156.475

156.475 Non-Commercial

70

156.525

156.525 Digital Selective Calling (voice communications not allowed) 71

156.575

156.575 Non-Commercial

72

156.625

156.625 Non-Commercial (Intership only)

73

156.675

156.675 Port Operations

74

156.725

156.725 Port Operations

77

156.875

156.875 Port Operations (Intership only)

78A

156.925

156.925 Non-Commercial

79A

156.975

156.975 Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only

80A

157.025

157.025 Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only

81A

157.075

157.075 U.S. Government only - Environmental protection operations.

82A

157.125

157.125 U.S. Government only

83A

157.175

157.175 U.S. Coast Guard only

84

157.225

161.825 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

85

157.275

161.875 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

86

157.325

161.925 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

87

157.375

161.975 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

Automatic Identification System #1 (AIS) - Special equipment

AIS 1

161.975

161.975 required!

88

157.425

162.025 Public Correspondence only near Canadian border.

Automatic Identification System #2 (AIS) - Special equipment

AIS 2

162.025

162.025 required!

88A

157.425

157.425 Commercial, Intership only.

NOAA

Weather 1 WX1

162.550

NOAA

Weather 2 WX2

162.400

NOAA

Weather 3 WX3

162.475

NOAA

Weather 4 WX4

162.425

NOAA

Weather 5 WX5

162.450

NOAA

Weather 6 WX6

162.500

NOAA

Weather 7 WX7

162.525