Texas Kayak Fisherman - Kayak Fishing the Lone Star State!

VHF Radio Usage by CaptJack
Basically the general boating public monitors and calls each other on either Ch.9 or Ch.16. After you make contact with another vessel you move your conversation to one of the Non-Commercial (Recreational) channels. When you need the Coast Guard, they monitor Ch.16. Ch.13 is used by tall or constrained vessels to communicate with draw and swing bridge operators asking for bridges to be opened. Ch.68, Ch.69, Ch.71 & Ch.78a are the Recreational channels that we use to carry on normal conversations with each other. Ch.72 is a Recreational channel that is supposed to be used for inter-ship only but we use it as a regular Rec channel anyway. Channels- 24,25,26,27,28,84,85,86,87,88 are all Marine Operator channels that we use to make "Ship-to-Shore" calls. If you need to call someone on a landline, ask for the Marine Operator on one of those channels and they will dial the number for you and charge it to a phone number (Yours or theirs). I have used CBs and the new FRS family radios with the kayaks. The VHF radios are vastly superior to both. The two other advantages are the ability to call the Coast Guard and most of the new VHF radios have all the NOAA Weather Channels. The current pair of VHFs that I have came with large 1200ma NiCad rechargeable batteries and a separate battery holder for AA batteries (if the nicad ran down). They can also be charged in the car from 12volt as well as the 110vAC charger. I had Icom-s in the past but changed to the new Standard Horizon radios this year when they brought out the AA battery pack, car charger, and they are submersible-waterproof. The following are the channel usages for channels in the US. I didn't list all the details but enough so you'll know what the channels are used for. CH. US Channel Use 01A Port operations & Commercial VTS in selected areas. 03A US Government only- Coast Guard. 04A Pacific coast- Coast Guard; East coast- Comm. fishing. 05A Port operations; VTS in Seattle 06 Inter-ship safety. 07a Commercial 08 Commercial (inter-ship only) 09 Boater Calling Channel- Commercial & Recreational 10 Commercial 11 Commercial, VTS in selected areas 12 Port operations; VTS in selected areas 13 Inter-ship navigation safety (Bridge-to-Bridge). 14 Port operations; VTS in selected areas. 15 Environmental (Receive only). 16 International Distress, Safety & Calling. 17 State Controlled (1watt). 18A Commercial. 19A Commercial. 20A Port operations. 21A US Government Only. 22A US & Canadian Coast Guard Liaison. 23A US Government Only. 24 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 25 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 26 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 27 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 28 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 61A US Government Only. 63A Port operations; VTS in selected areas. 64A US Government Only. 65A Port operations. 66A Port operations. 67 Commercial; Bridge-to-Bridge Lower Mississippi. 68 Non-Commercial (Recreational). 69 Non-Commercial (Recreational). 70 Digital selective calling (no voice communication). 71 Non-Commercial (Recreational). 72 Non-Commercial (inter-ship only). 73 Port operations. 74 Port operations. 77 Port operations (inter-ship only). 78A Non-Commercial (Recreational). 79A Commercial; Non-Commercial Great Lakes only. 80A Commercial; Non-Commercial Great Lakes only. 81A US Government Only- EPA operations. 82A US Government Only. 83A US Government Only- Coast Guard. 84 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 85 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 86 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 87 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 88 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)Canadian border 88A Commercial, inter-ship only. (VTS- US Coast Guard- Vessel Traffic System). Those of you who have used radios from your kayaks understand the convenience. Hopefully we will all eventually have VHFs and be able to swap info or just say Hi when we see another kayaker fishing. The safety issue goes without saying. When I'm fishing with friends in the kayaks we normally leave our radios on Ch.69. (Think of it as the kayaker's Ch.19). When my wife goes with me and sets up camp at the car I leave a VHF with her.

VHF Radio Usage by CaptJack

Basically the general boating public monitors and calls each other on either Ch.9 or Ch.16. After you make contact with another vessel you move your conversation to one of the Non-Commercial (Recreational) channels.
When you need the Coast Guard, they monitor Ch.16.
Ch.13 is used by tall or constrained vessels to communicate with draw and swing bridge operators asking for bridges to be opened.
Ch.68, Ch.69, Ch.71 & Ch.78a are the Recreational channels that we use to carry on normal conversations with each other.
Ch.72 is a Recreational channel that is supposed to be used for inter-ship only but we use it as a regular Rec channel anyway.
Channels- 24,25,26,27,28,84,85,86,87,88 are all Marine Operator channels that we use to make "Ship-to-Shore" calls.
If you need to call someone on a landline, ask for the Marine Operator on one of those channels and they will dial the number for you and charge it to a phone number (Yours or theirs).

I have used CBs and the new FRS family radios with the kayaks. The VHF radios are vastly superior to both.
The two other advantages are the ability to call the Coast Guard and most of the new VHF radios have all the NOAA Weather Channels.

The current pair of VHFs that I have came with large 1200ma NiCad rechargeable batteries and a separate battery holder for AA batteries (if the nicad ran down). They can also be charged in the car from 12volt as well as the 110vAC charger.

I had Icom-s in the past but changed to the new Standard Horizon radios this year when they brought out the AA battery pack, car charger, and they are submersible-waterproof.

The following are the channel usages for channels in the US. I didn't list all the details but enough so you'll know what the channels are used for.

CH. US Channel Use
01A Port operations & Commercial VTS in selected areas.
03A US Government only- Coast Guard.
04A Pacific coast- Coast Guard; East coast- Comm. fishing.
05A Port operations; VTS in Seattle
06 Inter-ship safety.
07a Commercial
08 Commercial (inter-ship only)
09 Boater Calling Channel- Commercial & Recreational
10 Commercial
11 Commercial, VTS in selected areas
12 Port operations; VTS in selected areas
13 Inter-ship navigation safety (Bridge-to-Bridge).
14 Port operations; VTS in selected areas.
15 Environmental (Receive only).
16 International Distress, Safety & Calling.
17 State Controlled (1watt).
18A Commercial.
19A Commercial.
20A Port operations.
21A US Government Only.
22A US & Canadian Coast Guard Liaison.
23A US Government Only.
24 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
25 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
26 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
27 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
28 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
61A US Government Only.
63A Port operations; VTS in selected areas.
64A US Government Only.
65A Port operations.
66A Port operations.
67 Commercial; Bridge-to-Bridge Lower Mississippi.
68 Non-Commercial (Recreational).
69 Non-Commercial (Recreational).
70 Digital selective calling (no voice communication).
71 Non-Commercial (Recreational).
72 Non-Commercial (inter-ship only).
73 Port operations.
74 Port operations.
77 Port operations (inter-ship only).
78A Non-Commercial (Recreational).
79A Commercial; Non-Commercial Great Lakes only.
80A Commercial; Non-Commercial Great Lakes only.
81A US Government Only- EPA operations.
82A US Government Only.
83A US Government Only- Coast Guard.
84 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
85 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
86 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
87 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator).
88 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)Canadian border
88A Commercial, inter-ship only.
(VTS- US Coast Guard- Vessel Traffic System).

Those of you who have used radios from your kayaks understand the convenience.
Hopefully we will all eventually have VHFs and be able to swap info or just say Hi when we see another kayaker fishing.
The safety issue goes without saying.

When I'm fishing with friends in the kayaks we normally leave our radios on Ch.69. (Think of it as the kayaker's Ch.19). When my wife goes with me and sets up camp at the car I leave a VHF with her.

Advertising Info

site design by TXOmedia