No, I'm not talking about harmonica playing.

I know there are many who buy marine frequency radios for illegal use on land for hunting, camping, etc.  And I have no use for anyone who would engage in this illegal usage of marine band frequencies.

however, our ham club station is the defacto emergency communications center for our city/county.  We are located across the street from city hall and the fire department, in a city owned building, given three rooms for ham club use.  We get a lot of support, action, not just words, from the city and county, such as the antenna work in another thread.

During or after hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or other such events we would have the station manned 24/7.

We are located 1 very short block from the waterfront where ships would come for safe harbor during storms.  And we have a marine radio and antenna.  I know its a marine radio because it is white.

As far as I can tell, we would be allowed to communicate with ships, coming under the clause for harbors, docks, shore base facilities, dock workers, locks, and bridges, and be able to relay messages, phone patch, etc.  

So Question 1, do I read the FCC regs correctly for marine radio usage, that we could use these frequencies for this purpose, ship to shore comms?

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=service_home&id=coast_stations



Question 2, would we use our regular ham club call sign, or a "tactical" call, such as "City Emergency Communications" or some such?

Anything is allowed if its an emergency. I'd say its a good idea to at least have some emergency and calling channels available to you at your EOC or shelter. I do also believe you can get licenses from the FCC for a stationary marine base, but its been a while since I've read those papers.

I would think that at the very least we would come under the definition of "private coast stations include: marinas, radio repair shops, bridges, locks, and yacht clubs."

Commercial boats have to be licensed, but not small craft (private) boats.  I would want to know if we would need a license, and if so, what type?

I have found an email address for the FCC that may be appropriate to get clarification on this.

You already posted the answer:

You need a private coast station license.

If you don't use a "tactical" identifier you would be nuts... "Pleasant City EOC" or the like.

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=9c69dbab1a269a46193dc0ef7a159308&rgn=div6&view=text&node=47:5.0.1.1.1.11&idno=47

#10 looks of interest...

Marine VHF does require a license for shore use. It is difficult to justify and obtain. My marina applied and was denied as they don't do very much transient docking. Marinas that do a large amount of transient docking, drawbridges, and radio repair shops all get licensed easily.

The FCC should grant an EOC a VHF Marine Band license. Your club would use the call assigned.

Tony, yes, both #5 and #10 look to be appropriate:

(5) A nonprofit corporation or association, organized to furnish a maritime mobile service solely to persons who operate one or more commercial transport vessels; or is



(10) A nonprofit organization providing noncommercial communications to vessels other than commercial transport vessels.


We will explore this further.  Right now, we only monitor the marine radio.  And other than during a genuine emergency, we have no use for, nor reason to use, the marine band frequencies.

I THINK you would have to have a seperate license as all of the shipping companies and all vessels do.

BTW, there are VERY specific uses for the channels.

16 is the emergency/hailing channel, 22A is the Coast Guard working channel, 13 is Bridge to Bridge commo etc.



01A 156.050 156.050 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS.  Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.
05A 156.250 156.250 Port Operations or VTS in the Houston, New Orleans and 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.
13 156.650 156.650 Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge).  Ships >20m 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.
16 156.800 156.800 International Distress, Safety and Calling.  Ships required to 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
22A 157.100 157.100 Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime Safety Information 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)
63A 156.175 156.175 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS.  Available only in 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)
AIS 1 161.975 161.975 Automatic Identification System #1 (AIS) - Special equipment required!
88 157.425 162.025 Public Correspondence only near Canadian border.
AIS 2 162.025 162.025 Automatic Identification System #2 (AIS) - Special equipment 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




Version 1.1.1

In a true emergency situation licenses are a moot point. If you use a tac callsign...who's gonna spend the time, money, and effort to sort through all the possible operators having access to that station just to slap their pee-pee for helping promote the public safety?



Don't use it to do unlicensed ragchews and you'll be fine.

That's what I figured.