Marine Radio Victoria - a new emergency service
A new emergency radio service, Marine Radio Victoria, is now providing marine safety along the Victorian coastline. It replaces Coast Radio Melbourne, the previous monitoring service that predominantly covered Port Phillip and Western Port bays.
The service is playing a crucial role when it comes to providing assistance and direction in marine search and rescue operations, providing radio checks, weather forecasts and warnings in coastal waters.
Every hour of every day, MRV records and monitors radio traffic on VHF and HF emergency radio Channels – working together with Victoria Police, who will direct emergency personnel being sent out in the event of a search and rescue operation.
Marine Radio Victoria operates on the following frequencies:
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VHF: Channels 16 and 67 for voice and 70 for Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
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HF: 4125 kHz, 6215 kHz, 8291 kHz, 8176 kHz, 12290kHz
The service reaches up to 20 nautical miles from the coast on the VHF emergency channels and out to 200 miles for the HF emergency frequencies.
It's vital to have a VHF radio with you out on the water, so that you can Stay informed with important MRV updates and get help when needed. Don't rely on your mobile phone as there are many blackout areas.
For more information on how to use your VHF radio, read our news article 'Get the most out of your VHF'.
To find out more about VHF Radio Transmission ranges, check out our news article 'VHF Radio Range - How far does it go?'