I hope none of you have endured a jerk broadcasting their favorite heavy metal song on you VHF radio. Nor heard an intoxicated boater screaming obscenities over your VHF radio at another boater. No one, especially children, don’t need to hear “#&*!*@^” when having fun on the water.

The VHF radio is not a landline or cell phone for casual conversations much less the above.

Imagine having a serious injury on board, trying to hail the Coast Guard or other authorities for help. You need an evacuation or emergency medical but a teenager is playing music or some guy is having a verbal meltdown.

People’s lives as well as a boat’s safety depend on the VHF radio. Warning a boat behind you of a log in their path or another boat about a reef on their course. Yet you can’t cut through the idle chatter.

Channel 16 is for emergency communications and notices to boaters. Channel 9 is today’s hailing frequency. Locally, use channels 68, 72 or 73 as your working or “conversation” channels.

Today’s radios have dual monitoring capabilities. You can listen on both 16 and 9, using use 9 to hail another boat.

When hailed, respond with “This is (your boat name), switch and answer 73” for instance. Wait for an acknowledgement “(hailed boat name) switching to 73” to make sure they received your transmission. Then switch to that channel for the conversation, freeing 9 or 16 for more critical communication.

Also remember, these are public airways for marine communication, so be brief and to the point allowing others their airtime. Also VHF radio transmissions are open, everyone is listening. So if you would not say it to your mother, don’t say it on your marine radio.

Ignore the maniac on the other end of the radio making everyone’s radio life miserable. Ignoring the fool takes away their fun and pleasure. Take a deep breath and remain calm and mature.

Reminding boaters about proper VHF radio etiquette may sound trivial. Yet, when you, someone or your boat or another boat is in distress, an open channel could save a life. Please be a responsible marine VHF radio operator, as your life and boat will eventually depend on it. Monitor 16 and 9; hail using 9, converse on 68, 72 or 73.

Reinforce your boating skills by taking a boating course or seminar on line from United States Power Squadron ® or your local squadron the Pamlico Sail & Power Squadron. Contact our Education Officer, Kelly Adams, at pspsed@gmail.com for more information on the upcoming seminar, Using GPS, and an advanced course, Marine Communications Course. We invite you to visit our web site at http://www.pamlicosailandpowersquadron.org.

Biff Matthews a member of the Pamlico Sail and Power Squadron.