Due to recent changes in the rules concerning Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) generated by radio transmitting equipment, OFCOM have sent out emails to all holders of a ships radio licence. These emails have caused some confusion so please read on in an attempt to clarify the issue
- If you use a marine VHF, by law the set (or station) needs to be licenced and in general so does the person using it.
- The station, usually the yacht, is licenced by OFCOM using an online licencing system.
- The operator (or radio user) needs an Operators Certificate of Competence which may be the old Restricted VHF Certificate, but if you are using a DSC set the minimum qualification is the Short Range Certificate (SRC). The SRC is obtained during a 1 day course for which the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) looks after the administration.
As stated above, some rules concerning the electromagnetic fields transmitted by the radio equipment we have on board are changing. For the purposes of these rules, radio equipment includes radar and AIS transponders.
The underlying reason for the changes is to help ensure radios are operated in a way that will not adversely affect health. In the case of a yacht, it is very unlikely there will be an issue as the antenna is usually at the top of the mast out of harms way, however on a motor launch or RIB, this may not be as true.
In order to ensure we comply with the rules, each licence holder who falls within the rules is required to carry out a risk assessment to ascertain what the safe distance from the antenna any person needs to be. To help us do this OFCOM have produced an EMF Compliance Flowchart and an EMF calculator which are available on their web site or by clicking EMF Flowchart or EMF Calculator.
Enter the basic information in the calculator then print it out and keep it on board with your Ships Radio Licence.
Further information is also available on the RYA web site where they provide a simplified version of the OFCOM requirements. RYA Guidance.
A small caveat to the RYA guidance is that they are in the process of upgrading their website and cannot remove the link at the end of their document which is supposed to open ‘What you need to know as a maritime radio user.’ This document, on the OFCOM website, was in draft form and has been taken down for updating, it is hoped it will be back up again by mid June.
For those members who require the SRC, or maybe an upgrade from the old restricted certificate, the Club will be holding some courses later in the year. Details of these will be distributed via the Club email exploder and Facebook page once dates have been confirmed.
