Q&A

WHAT ARE COMMON MISTAKES THAT VHF RADIO OPERATORS MAKE?

Here are a few of my electronics pet peeves.

Listen before you talk.

It is amateurish to talk on a channel when a conversation is already in progress. Wait until the other parties have ended their dialog.

Think before you speak.

Hemming and hawing over the radio congests the airwaves and wastes time. Say “standby” when you need to collect your thoughts.

Failure to monitor.

Commercial radio operators monitor Channel 16 for US Coast Guard alerts concerning hazards, navaid updates, weather warnings, and transmissions from other boats. Failure to do so means you might miss critical information.

Failure to advise the party you’re talking to.

You need to let them know that you are finished talking and awaiting a reply. Simply say “over” to signify this.

Incorrectly concluding a communication.

If you are not expecting a reply, just say “out” or “clear.” —Ken Englert

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