Those enthusiast that live near our coastline
and waterways have listened to marine communications at least once I'm sure. I find monitoring the VHF marine band very interesting,
you can hear the ships at sea requesting entering times and berthing instructions, pilot vessels, tugs and a whole heap more.
The main channels used around the Newcastle area are 6, 8 , 9, 16, 73, and 67. Try scanning the whole band to catch all the
activities, and remember the MSB (Maritime Services Board) can be heard on the GRN network. There is also a repeater on Mt
Sugarloaf ,The channel, is 80 (161.625 mhz)this marine repeater is accessable from Forster in the North to Botany
Bay in South. We had one sailor come from Botany Bay just using a hand held on the repeater
Ch.
ship TX
Shore TX Use
01
156.050
160.650
02
156.100
160.700
03
156.150
160.750
04
156.200
160.800
05
156.250
160.850
06
156.300
156.300
07
156.350
160.950
08
156.400
156.400
09
156.450
156.450
Port operations
10
156.500
156.500
Port operations
11
156.550
156.550
Port operations
12
156.600
156.600
Port operations
13
156.650
156.650
Port operations
14
156.700
156.700
Port operations
15
156.750
156.750
16
156.800
156.800
Distress and Calling
17
156.850
156.850
18
156.900
161.500
19
156.950
161.550
20
157.000
161.600
Port operations
21
157.050
161.650
22
157.100
161.700
23
157.150
161.750
24
157.200
161.800
25
157.250
161.850
26
157.300
161.900
27
157.350
161.950
28
157.400
162.000
60
156.025
160.625
61
156.075
160.675
62
156.125
160.725
63
156.175
160.775
64
156.225
160.825
65
156.275
160.875
66
156.325
160.925
67
156.375
156.375
68
156.425
156.425
Port operations
69
156.475
156.475
70
156.525
156.525
Professional fishing
71
156.575
156.575
Professional fishing
72
156.625
156.625
73
156.675
156.675
Non commercial service
74
156.725
156.725
Commercial service
77
156.875
156.875
All service
78
156.925
161.525
Commercial services
79
156.975
161.525
Port operations
80
157.025
161.625
Repeater
81
157.075
161.675
82
157.125
161.725
83
157.175
161.775
84
157.225
161.825
85
157.275
161.875
86
157.325
161.925
87
157.375
161.975
88
157.425
161.025
485.625
Newcastle Ferry Operations
157.480
Newcastle Ferry Operations
On board
ship communications
457.525
467.525
457.550
467.550
457.575
467.575
The above frequencies are used on board ships
for communications during dockings, maintenance and departures.
Refer to frequencies listed in the Various section
of this Site for the frequencies used by Hunter Towage Tugs and other industries around Newcastle
Harbour (to come soon)
