Scanner for listening to Marine traffic

glomar

Hi all just looking at scanners on line ( on a tight budget )
I really am after something that will allow me to listen to marine traffic . I live about 2km from the sea .
Its not going to be a serious hobby but something to use while passing the time on nights .. any suggestions ?

Thanks

Atlantic Dawn

I bought this a while back, cheap and chearful, it's able to pick up Channel 16 marine transmissions around Dublin Bay. Cost about €30, took around 4 weeks to arrive from China. I'm sure there's UK/EU suppliers also offering it...
https://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-BAOFENG-UV-5R-Dual-Band-Handheld-Transceiver-Radio-Walkie-Talkie-p-61066.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

Here's some marine frequencies to tune in on it...
https://longcom.ie/product.aspx?id=197&p=marine-frequencies

Yakov P. Golyadkin

@Atlantic Dawn, is there much to listen to on the marine frequencies?

CJhaughey

Port ops would be the main thing but it depends on where you are.
Fishing vessels don't use R/T much, generally they use Internet and Mobile but larger vessels like cargo and tankers would use VHF for pilots and tugs.
SSB is used very little these days, cheap satellite phones have killed off most of the old marine stations as well.

Atlantic Dawn

Yakov P. Golyadkin wrote: »

@Atlantic Dawn, is there much to listen to on the marine frequencies?

It's mostly Dublin Radio (think that's the term) who talk to ships in the area, also lifeboat training and general shipping. I'd sometimes leave it on in the background, might hear something every 15-20 minutes on average.

Storm 10

You can hear the Coastguard also giving out weather, talking to ships and the Rescue Helicopters, they use Tetra now for personal info but general chat is in the clear

AndyBoBandy

You 'could' buy a cheap handheld marine VHF radio, but technically to own/operate one, you need a Ships Radio Licence (SRL) (and to get a SRL, you need A. a vessel to associate the licence to & B. a Short Range Certificate ((SRC) operators licence)), but that's not going to stop anyone selling you one.

They would cost a little bit more that the scanner Atlantic Dawn has linked, but being close to the water, if you were ever out on the water in any capacity, a VHF radio is an excellent means of communication in an emergency. (If transmitting a Mayday on Channel 16, no one will be looking for your SRL or SRC, or looking to prosecute you afterwards for not having them, though it would help to familiarise yourself with the procedures for using them).
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9b42f6-maritime-radio-operating-procedures-for-small-craft/

Heres one in Marine Parts in Swords for €79.95;
https://marineparts.ie/electronics/vhf/handheld-vhf-radios/lapel-speaker-mic-for-cobra-h-held-vhf-clone/

Depending on where you are, you can pick up the local port operations (usually channel 12 or 14 (Dublin Port (Callsign: VTS Dublin) operate on Channel 12).
You can also pick up the local Coast Guard Stations (Carlingford Channel 04, Dublin Channel 83, Wicklow Channel 02, Rosslare Channel 23, Mine Head Channel 83). The Coast Guard stations regularly broadcast weather forecasts, gale warnings, small craft warnings & navigation warnings. These Coast Guard stations are Duplex stations, meaning on a standard marine VHF, you'll only hear the base station broadcasting, and you won't hear other vessels returning transmissions to them.

And of course Everyone listens on Channel 16 for Emergency, Distress & Calling. For instance I was out on Tuesday and Dublin Coast Guard Radio were calling various vessels on Channel 16 requesting Radio Checks (asking the vessels to move to channel 83 (their 'working channel') and perform the radio checks there).

glomar

i read that some frequencies are at 166 .. is this the same for irish waters ? whats the difference between tx and rx frequencies ?

antietam1

Can you lads tell me is it UK or international we set our VHF hand held radios on here in Ireland?
Looks like it will be months yet before I can do the course.
Expecting to hear the weather forecast at 16.03 on ch16 and every 3 hours thereafter?

AndyBoBandy

antietam1 wrote: »

Can you lads tell me is it UK or international we set our VHF hand held radios on here in Ireland?
Looks like it will be months yet before I can do the course.
Expecting to hear the weather forecast at 16.03 on ch16 and every 3 hours thereafter?

International.

There’s only 2 settings: U.S. & International.

You’ll only hear the initial call on ch16, and then be told which coast guard channel to switch to to hear the actual forecast.

The call will be along the lines of;

All Stations (x3)
This is Carlingford, Dublin, Wicklow Head, Rosslare & Mine Head Radio.
For a repetition of the sea area forecast, please listen Dublin channel 83, channel eight three (or whatever your local transmitter is).

They’ll make the call on channel 16 from each transmitter separately, so for instance in Dublin you’d usually hear it 3 times (Carlingford, Dublin & Wicklow Head). Then once all the calls are made on 16, you’ll hear the broadcast simultaneously on each coast guard working channel.

antietam1

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

International.

There’s only 2 settings: U.S. & International.

You’ll only hear the initial call on ch16, and then be told which coast guard channel to switch to to hear the actual forecast.

The call will be along the lines of;

All Stations (x3)
This is Carlingford, Dublin, Wicklow Head, Rosslare & Mine Head Radio.
For a repetition of the sea area forecast, please listen Dublin channel 83, channel eight three (or whatever your local transmitter is).

They’ll make the call on channel 16 from each transmitter separately, so for instance in Dublin you’d usually hear it 3 times (Carlingford, Dublin & Wicklow Head). Then once all the calls are made on 16, you’ll hear the broadcast simultaneously on each coast guard working channel.

Thanks very much, I remember that much about switching to another ch.
My options on the standard horizon are USA, Canada, UK , Belgium.
I must be set up wrong as I am not hearing anything.

AndyBoBandy

antietam1 wrote: »

Thanks very much, I remember that much about switching to another ch.
My options on the standard horizon are USA, Canada, UK , Belgium.
I must be set up wrong as I am not hearing anything.

I’d set it to U.K. then (closest to home would usually be the best option).

Are you close to one of the stations in the map I posted above?

antietam1

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I’d set it to U.K. then (closest to home would usually be the best option).

Are you close to one of the stations in the map I posted above?

I was during the week, got a barely intelligible answer from the coastguard when set to Uk.
Will be using the radio on Lough Derg etc.
Thanks again for your help.

antietam1

Set it on UK and getting coastal messages here in Clondalkin.

Mech1

listen live to some here.
https://www.broadcastify.com/webPlayer/21466

Charlie-Bravo

If you've an interest in Marine communications it's definitely recommended to do the SRC course as described above. It gives you a good base to understand how the communications are built up. You'll also learn how to announce a mayday correctly, or even a mayday relay if you happen to be aware of something which Coast guard have not picked up on.

If you live on/near the coastline and have a local coast guard station or RNLI station, volunteering with the group will give you a huge learning into marine Search and rescue.

Regarding VHF channels, it's worth understanding the difference between simplex and duplex channels. For example, Ch16 is simplex and although it is the initial calling channel before moving to another channel, everybody can speak and talk to one another.

Where as with the working channels for the coast guard radio (Dublin Ch83) these are duplex channels. It has two frequencies, one inbound to the coast guard radio (normal VHF radios don't listen on this side of the channel) and one outbound that all vessels can hear.

Sparky84

I have an app called Broadcastify on my phone that allows me listen to Dundalk Bay and North Dublin Bay Marine.

AndyBoBandy

Sparky84 wrote: »

I have an app called Broadcastify on my phone that allows me listen to Dundalk Bay and North Dublin Bay Marine.

are they companies using a specific VHF channel, or are they the areas that are listened to?

I've never heard of North Dublin Bay Marine before.

what do you hear on these channels?

Sparky84

Its Ch16 so basically weather reports Coast Guard, RNLI, SAR etc

AndyBoBandy

Ah, OK, and do you actually hear the weather forecasts on it, as they are only announced on ch16, and to then go to the Coast Guard working channel (Dublin ch83 to hear the actual forecast).

Sparky84

Just after listening to small craft warning followed by Northerly gale warning.
Also got forecast from Holyhead CG

AndyBoBandy

the app must be switching channels then..

Sparky84

Looks like that

Felim_Doyle

In addition to Broadcastify, are there any other radio apps or online streaming services that cover Dublin Bay marine traffic? My brother is a keen sailor but is recovering from surgery at the moment so would like to do some armchair sailing. 😀