Marine Radio Nets & Broadcasts

In addition to government marine weather broadcasts, cruisers can listen to any of the numerous volunteers who spend a significant portion of their time managing a number of radio "nets" which provide useful--even essential--information to cruisers. Radio nets also help cruisers keep in touch with friends and family. Many of these nets are activated during emergencies and will broadcast boat-watches for overdue vessels. Nets also help find cruisers whose families urgently need to make contact with them.

Note that the times given are in Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) and some nets move forward an hour when daylight savings time goes into effect in their main area. For additional nets, see the Appendix at the back of Jim Howard's excellent Handbook of Offshore Cruising, where there is a list of over a hundred ham radio maritime mobile nets around the world.

This list of nets and broadcasts was current to the best of our knowledge as of the end of our cruising period (summer, 2004). However, nets do change frequencies (usually up or down a few Hz) and times so we don't guarantee the accuracy of this list and are no longer actively maintaining it. However we do make changes when people email them to us.

1. Weather Nets

2. Weather Broadcasts

[NOTE: since this page of our website is no longer actively maintained, cruisers are advised
to check with the weather service for changes to this listing.]

The US National Weather Service broadcasts marine weather forecasts on 4426 kHz, 6501 kHz, 8764 kHz, 13089 kHz, and 17314 kHz. Offshore and high seas forecasts for the Atlantic and Caribbean begin at 0330 UTC, 0500 UTC, 0930 UTC, 1530 UTC, and 2130 UTC. Weather forecasts are also transmitted continually over the VHF (Weather Channels 2-5) along the east coast of the US. Storm warnings are broadcast on WWV (5000mHz, 10000mHz, 15000mHz, and 20000mHz) at 8 minutes past each hour.

BBC Radio 4 shipping forecasts are broadcast at 0048, 0535, 1201, and 1754 local time on 198 kHz (1515m).

Radio France International broadcasts a 24-hour weather forecast at 1140 UCT daily on 6175kHz (English Channel, North Sea, Bay of Biscay), on 11700kHz, 15530kHz, 17575kHz (North Atlantic east of 050 degrees West), on 11845kHz (West Africa to Gibraltar), and 15300kHz (Equator to 27 degrees North).

For a complete list of worldwide weather broadcasts, see NOAA's Worldwide Marine Weather Broadcasts or the British Admiralty List of Radio Signals.

3. Other Nets

4. Netiquette

Users of radio nets should be aware of the generally accepted etiquette for using and participating in radio information and contact nets. While there are no hard and fast rules, the following suggestions may be helpful.

• Before participating (transmitting) during a net, listen to the complete net a few times so you understand its format.
  
• Each net is managed by someone acting as Net Control whose job it is to act as MC, chair, or facilitator of the net activity. On ham nets, the net Control also logs each caller's callsign and name, plus any other information offered. Look for opportunities to substitute for these dedicated volunteers, to give them an occasional day off.
  
• Some nets are organized solely for the purpose of allowing people to check in, or make contact. When trying to make contact during such a net or contact period, listen to make sure no-one else is talking, then state the call sign of the station you're trying to reach loudly, slowly and clearly, twice, then state your own call sign, once. Hold the microphone close to your lips. If you hear no response, wait three minutes and try again. Do not keep calling and calling. On VHF and SSB marine channels, the call sign is theoretically the Ship Station License number, but common usage is the boat's name. On the ham frequencies, it is the callsign assigned by the FCC when you passed the ham exam. Once you have made contact, you should switch to another frequency to leave the original calling frequency open for other contacts and checkins.
  
• Sometimes the net control cannot hear someone trying to talk on a net. You may be able to help by serving as a Relay.
  
• Before speaking on any radio, listen for a few seconds to make sure you don't "step on" someone else.
  
• You may only transmit on ham frequencies if you have the appropriate ham license--a license is not needed to listen, however. Be aware of which class of ham license authorizes you to use which frequencies. Note that the ham frequencies may be used by anyone in case of a life-threatening emergency if no other frequencies are available. Note also that there are regulations that control transmission by foreign cruisers on ham bands in various countries.
  
• If you use radio for e-mail transmission, avoid doing e-mail at the times of scheduled radio nets or weather-fax broadcasts. Your e-mail transmission signal is very powerful and may well obliterate net activity and/or the weather-fax signal.
  
• Know the VHF channels that can be legally used by cruisers. There are more restrictions in the US than in Caribbean countries. Be aware that under the GMDSS Channel 70 is for digital use only, and never use it for voice transmission.

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