Question: I have checked the ALRS Vo!. 6 entry for a port we expect
to visit shortly and, although 'Frequency' and 'Procedures' are listed,
there is no 'Call' (unlike your examples). What form of 'Call' should
I use?
Answer: Look at other port entries in the same country for the
preferred call (e.g. 'Pilote Brest' and 'Capitainerie Brest'). Otherwise,
try the following:
- If calling a Pilot Station, use 'Place Name Pilots'
- If calling a PorUHarbour Master's Office, try 'Place Name Port
Control'
- If calling a Vessel Traffic Service, try 'Place Name VTS'
(If they answer using anything diffirent - use the 'Amendments to ALRS'
page in your ALRS Vol. 6 (or other volume) to forward the new information
to the publishers}.
Intership communications
Marine VHF Radio and Marine SSB Radio both have available
'intership' channels/frequencies, to allow vessels to talk directly to each
other - without making a 'pay' call through a Coast Radio Station or
Inmarsat. A 'Table of Transmitting Frequencies in the 156-174MHz band
for Stations in the Maritime Mobile Service' is included in ALRS Vo!. 1,
and in ALRS Vo!. 6. The 'Table of Transmitting Frequencies .. .' provides
the following information, for all International Channels in the Marine
VHF Band:
- Channel Designators: Lists all international Marine VHF Channels
from 01 to 88.
- Transmitting Frequencies: tells you the ship/coast station (where
applicable) transmitting frequency, in Mega Hertz (MHz) for each
Channel - and then goes on to show which Channels can be used
for:
(i) Intership.
(ii) Port Operations.
(iii) Ship Movement.
(iv) Public Correspondence services.
Notes: which explain any limitations/special conditions about the
use of some of the channels listed.
There are twelve Intership channels:
Ch 06; 08; 09 ; 10; 13; 15; 17; 67; 69; 72; 73; 77.
MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 43
