The channels a boater uses most, at sea and inland. Transmitting needs an operator certificate. Locks, bridges, ports and marinas have their own channels: those are on the signs, the chart and in the local almanac.
The international channels, the same on every marine radio.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 16 | Distress, safety and calling. Keep a listening watch on it at sea. |
| 70 | DSC alerts and calls only. Never voice. |
| 6 | Ship to ship, and search and rescue with ships and aircraft. |
| 13 | Bridge to bridge: navigation safety between ships. |
| 72 · 77 | Ship to ship. |
| 15 · 17 | Talk on board, at 1 W at most. |
| AIS 1 · 2 | AIS data only, no voice. |
Port, pilot and traffic channels are on the chart and in the almanac for the area.
Source: ITU Radio Regulations, Appendix 18.
Rivers, canals and lakes in the countries of the Basel arrangement (RAINWAT) follow their own radio rules.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 10 | Ship to ship, unless the authority sets another channel. |
| 16 | Distress, safety and calling only where the waterway meets the sea. Not allowed in Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland. |
| 70 | No DSC on inland waterways. |
| 15 · 17 | Talk on board only. |
Nautical information, lock and bridge channels are set per stretch: on the signs and in the waterway guide.
Source: RAINWAT, Regional Arrangement on the Radiocommunication Service for Inland Waterways, 2012, amended 2023.
The inland waterway rules for Europe apply, plus the BPR.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 10 | Ship to ship, unless a blokkanaal is set for the stretch. |
| Blokkanaal | The traffic post's channel: on the signs and the Rijkswaterstaat marifoon map. |
| 67 · 73 | The Coastguard's on-scene search and rescue on the Waddenzee, IJsselmeer, Schelde and Eems-Dollard. |
| 70 | DSC allowed on the Waddenzee, IJsselmeer, Eems-Dollard and Ooster- and Westerschelde, on a voluntary basis. |
Marinas, bridges and locks have their own channel: on the signs and in the almanac.
Source: BPR article 4.05; RAINWAT Annex 2; Rijkswaterstaat.
The inland waterway rules for Europe apply, plus the BinSchStrO. At sea, the international channels.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 10 | Ship to ship. With a radio aboard, report before blind stretches, narrow fairways and bridge openings. |
| Sign B.11 | Radio compulsory on the stretch, on the channel the sign shows. |
| 16 · 70 | At sea: Bremen Rescue Radio (DGzRS) keeps watch, 24 hours. |
Nautical information channels (Revierzentralen) are on the signs and in ELWIS.
Source: BinSchStrO § 4.05; DGzRS; RAINWAT.
Inland, the inland waterway rules for Europe. At sea, the CROSS.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 10 | Inland: the first ship to ship channel, at 1 W. |
| 16 | At sea: call the CROSS directly in distress. Special weather bulletins go out on it too. |
| 70 | At sea only: DSC. |
Each lock and VNF sector has its own channel: on the sign at the lock and in the waterway guide.
Source: Ministère de la Mer; ANFR, Manuel CRR fluvial; RAINWAT.
The international channels, plus these.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 16 | Distress and urgency calls; keep a listening watch. The Coastguard announces safety information here. |
| 62 · 63 · 64 | The Coastguard reads safety information and weather after the call on 16; sometimes on 10. |
| 80 | Marinas and yacht clubs. |
| M · M2 | Marinas and yacht clubs, in UK waters only. |
Harbour and port operations channels are on the chart and in the almanac.
Source: Maritime and Coastguard Agency; Ofcom ship radio licence guidance.
Set the radio to the US channel plan. Some radios show 22A as 1022.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 16 | Distress, safety and calling. The Coast Guard keeps watch. |
| 9 | Boater calling. |
| 22A | Coast Guard liaison and safety broadcasts, announced on 16. |
| 13 | Bridge to bridge, at 1 W. Ships of 20 m and more listen. |
| 68 · 69 · 71 · 78A | Recreational working channels. |
| 72 | Recreational, ship to ship only. |
| WX1–WX7 | NOAA weather. |
VTS, port and bridge channels are on the chart and in the Coast Pilot.
Source: US Coast Guard Navigation Center; 47 CFR 80.373.
The Coast Guard (MCTS) listens on 16 and 70, not on working channels.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 16 | Distress, urgency, safety and calling. Call the Coast Guard here first. |
| 70 | DSC only, no voice. |
| 68 | The general channel for recreational boaters. |
| 69 · 72 | Pleasure craft on the BC coast. |
| 71 | Marinas and yacht clubs, East Coast and Lake Winnipeg. |
| 21B · 83B · WX | Weather and marine broadcasts, receive only. |
Working channels differ by region; MCTS and VTS channels are in Radio Aids to Marine Navigation.
Source: Canadian Coast Guard, Radio Aids to Marine Navigation; ISED RBR-2; Transport Canada TP 511.
There is no shore DSC in New Zealand: make a distress call by voice on 16.
| Channel | Use |
|---|---|
| 16 | Distress and calling. Maritime Radio keeps watch; weather and warnings are announced here. |
| 67 · 68 · 69 · 71 | Maritime Radio working channels, by station. |
| 6 · 8 | Ship to ship. |
| 73 | Marinas. |
| 1–5 · 7 · 18 · 60–66 | Repeaters for Coastguard and coastal stations, by area. |
| 19 · 20 · 79 | Coastguard local weather, broadcast all the time. |
Which Maritime Radio and Coastguard channel covers your area is in the Maritime NZ Radio Handbook.
Source: Maritime NZ, Radio Handbook (April 2025).
Checked against the official sources on 25 October 2026. Channels change: the official notice wins over this page.
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