ORCV Practical, hands-on marine radio workshop.
Booking
Date & Time: 10am-4pm Sunday 3rd August 2025
Location: Sandringham Coastguard Building, 12 Jetty Road, Sandringham, Vic, 3191
Cost: ORCV members $50, non-ORCV members $75. Beyond the Bay 2025 particpants are automatically reigstered for this course and do not need to book through Trybooking.
All sailors, skipper and crew, should be confident in their ability to operate the radio, Internet communications, Instrument, Electrical and Engine equipment on any boat. You never know when you may be called upon to issue an important distress call or coordinate radio communication while your skipper comes to the aid of another vessel.
While obtaining your Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency is a very important step it only recently included a limited practical component. This hands-on practical workshop provides the practical experience required to deal with routine radio communications, position reporting skeds, communication with limited coast stations, distress traffic and using the local VHF repeater network. General confidence in using a microphone can take some time to acquire.
The ORCV has developed this hands-on workshop to provide new skippers and crew with the opportunity to gain the experience required to operate marine radios with confidence.
Whilst the focus is on Radio operation, we are also providing a presentation on emerging technologies such as instrument systems, Electrical battery and charging on yachts. A diesel engine presentation will also be provided on maintenance aspects of a boat’s diesel engine.
Overview
Participants will rotate through four different sessions in group sizes of approximately ten. Each session will provide all participants with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with various aspects of radio operation including hands on use of simulators and actual radio equipment in the ORCV mobile communications van.
This practical training includes routine communication, fleet position reporting schedules and distress situations as well as understanding the capability of the ORCV mobile communications van which is used to support our on-water events.
Outcomes
At the completion of the workshop, participants will have acquired sufficient knowledge and experience to understand the radio communication protocols and processes which will apply during on-water events and coastal waters cruising.
Participants will be able to:
- Make a Mayday and/or Pan Pan radio call (which includes frequency selection and details of their location and identity)
- Be able to make a Digital Selective Calling distress alert
- Be able to radio into Coast Radio Melbourne and other limited coast stations up the east coast on appropriate channels
- Be able to participate in an ORCV event position reporting sched
- Be update to date with current Instrument, Electrical, Satelitte communications systems on yachts
- Know the basics of marine diesel engine maintenance and key parts of these engines
Prerequisites
To gain maximum benefit from this hands-on workshop you should already hold a Marine Radio Operator's Certificate of Proficiency issued by the Australian Maritime College on behalf of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Minimum prerequisite is a thorough knowledge of the Marine Radio Operations Handbook.
Who should attend?
Anyone who has a Marine Radio Operator's Certificate of Proficiency but hasn't had practical experience using a marine radio.
An ideal refresher and update on new marine radio technologies such as DSC, VHF Repeaters, HF weather fax, for anyone who obtained their Marine Radio Operator's Certificate of Proficiency more than 5 years ago.
Also any boat owners who would like to be up to date with the new emerging technologies associated with Instrument, Internet Satellite communications and electrical Battery systems should attend.
If you require knowledge on diesel engine maintenance, we have a session on diesel engines.
Practical Hands-On Marine Radio Course Content
This course provides a series of practical sessions divided into 4 general topics.
Participants will be divided to four groups of 8-12 people and rotate around 4 activities -
Session A – Live radio sked practical using hand held VHF radios.
Session B – VHF up to date presentation including DSC, antenna tuning.
Session C – Emerging technologies including instruments, Satellite communication options and electrical battery systems.
Session D – Diesel maintenance and options hands on workshop
Assessments
No formal assessment is conducted. Instructors will perform continuous assessment with the objective of ensuring each person completes each of the sessions with a working knowledge of how to participate in that aspect of each session.
Qualifications
ORCV requires that at least one, and for Category 2 and above events and double handed entries, two members of the crew to hold the relevant certificate of proficiency. In addition, it is recommended that at least one of the crew is familiar with ORCV routine communication protocols for position reporting.
What to bring
Notepad and pen or pencil.
