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Marine Radio revision module 1 of 10
Who needs the SRC, what the exam covers, and how the RYA course and assessment fit together.
9 guided lessons · 22 practice questions · 22 flashcards
Lesson 1 of 9
What you will learn
Distinguish the SRC operator qualification from the station licence and explain when supervision or the risk-to-life emergency exception changes who may transmit.
The Short Range Certificate is the usual UK operator qualification for marine VHF and VHF/DSC. It demonstrates operator competence; it does not license the equipment or turn this revision product into an official course or assessment.
The RYA describes the SRC as the minimum qualification for controlling marine VHF and VHF/DSC on a UK-flagged vessel that is voluntarily fitted with radio. The published course covers radio operation, frequencies, distress and medical-assistance procedures, ship-to-shore calls, DSC and the GMDSS. CEPT sets the broader examination syllabus behind those topics.
Ofcom's licence terms separate the qualified person from the licensed station. Routine use must be by someone who holds the relevant certificate and Authority to Operate, or under that person's direct personal supervision. The terms contain a narrow exception: where an emergency creates a risk to life, any person may use the radio to summon assistance.
This module helps you organise and practice the governing decisions. It cannot issue an SRC, provide the hands-on assessed practice of an RYA course, or replace the exam at an RYA Recognised Training Centre.
A family crew has one SRC holder and two people who have never used marine VHF. They want everyone to know how to call the marina and what to do if the qualified operator is incapacitated.
1. Name the routine controller
Identify the certificate holder who will make routine calls or directly supervise another operator.
2. Rehearse without transmitting
Use the set's training mode, a simulator or a powered-off call card so practice does not create live traffic or a distress alert.
3. State the emergency boundary
If life is at risk and the qualified operator cannot act, any crew member may use the radio to summon assistance.
Sense check: The emergency exception protects life; it is not permission to make ordinary unsupervised calls.
Optional quick check
Section 1 of 9
Lesson 2 of 9
What you will learn
Describe the current RYA training and assessment route without confusing online study, this revision product, the practical assessment or changeable booking details.
The published RYA SRC course is ten hours plus exam time and may be studied online or in a classroom, but the exam includes both written theory and practical radio use at an RYA Recognised Training Centre.
The RYA currently publishes a ten-hour course plus exam time. Classroom learners train and assess through a centre; online learners still arrange the practical exam in a classroom setting. The exam combines a written theory paper with assessment in the practical use of marine VHF radios.
On the day of the exam, candidates must meet the RYA's current age and eligibility-document rules. At this review, the published minimum age is 16 and the accepted routes include evidence of completing an RYA SRC course, an RYA Restricted VHF certificate, or a suitable aviation radio operator certificate.
Exam fees, payment instructions, forms, photographs and centre charges can change. Use the live RYA exam page and the chosen centre's joining instructions rather than memorising a price or relying on an old screenshot. Compass Revision's one-time access payment is separate from official course and exam charges.
| Part of the route | What it contributes | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| RYA SRC course | Required learning and practical preparation | An exam pass by itself |
| Compass Revision | Independent explanation, practice and testing | Course completion, assessment or certification |
| Written paper | Theory evidence within the official exam | Practical radio operation by itself |
| Practical assessment | Observed use of marine VHF radios | A licence for the vessel's equipment |
A learner buys online study for an exam next month and assumes the certificate will be issued automatically when the online material is complete.
1. Confirm eligibility
Check the current RYA age and document requirements before paying or travelling.
2. Confirm the practical venue
Book or verify the RYA Recognised Training Centre that will conduct the practical assessment.
3. Check current joining details
Use the current RYA and centre instructions for the exam fee, application form, photograph, eligibility evidence and arrival time.
Sense check: Completing online study is evidence for the route; it is not the certificate and does not remove the practical assessment.
Optional quick check
Section 2 of 9
Lesson 3 of 9
What you will learn
Explain what a UK Ship Radio Licence authorises and identify the actions required when a vessel, owner or equipment record changes.
A Ship Radio Licence authorises the listed radio station and equipment on a named UK-flagged vessel. The licence record, call sign, MMSI and equipment details must match the vessel's real arrangement.
Ofcom states that a Ship Radio Licence authorises installation and use of maritime and associated radio equipment on the named vessel. It assigns the ship's call sign and MMSI where applicable. The licence is needed even if the only carried radio item is intended for distress, such as a declared beacon or other licensed safety device.
The licence is non-transferable. When a vessel is sold, the buyer applies for a new licence in their own name while retaining the vessel's existing call sign and MMSI when Ofcom confirms them. A second-hand DSC set installed on another vessel must be programmed with the MMSI assigned to that vessel and shown on its licence.
The current 'lifetime' licence remains valid only while its details are correct and it is amended or validated within Ofcom's required interval. Report changes to owner contact details, equipment and other licence particulars; accurate records help search-and-rescue services interpret an alert.
You buy a used UK-flagged yacht. Its fixed DSC radio displays the previous vessel MMSI and the seller hands you their licence printout.
1. Do not adopt the seller's licence
Apply for a Ship Radio Licence in the new licensee's name; the old licence is non-transferable.
2. Reconcile the identity
Give Ofcom the existing vessel call sign and MMSI and use only the identity confirmed on the new licence.
3. Reconcile the equipment
Check every fixed, portable, DSC, AIS and safety-radio item against the licence and arrange authorised reprogramming where required.
Sense check: The vessel may retain its identity while the licence holder changes; the seller's licence itself does not transfer.
Optional quick check
Section 3 of 9
Lesson 4 of 9
What you will learn
Match the station licence, operator documents, call sign, MMSI and physical radio to the distinct job each performs.
Marine radio legality and safety are a chain, not one document: licensed equipment, an accurate station identity, a competent operator and the required documents must agree.
The Ship Radio or Ship Portable Radio Licence authorises the station and the equipment listed under its terms. The Maritime Radio Operator's Certificate of Competence and valid Authority to Operate concern the person. The call sign and MMSI identify the station or equipment during voice and digital communication; they are not qualifications.
Ofcom's current terms require the licence, relevant operator certificate, Authority to Operate and notices of variation to be kept with or near the licensed equipment where physically practicable. They must accompany the equipment when the vessel is taken abroad.
One link cannot substitute for another. An SRC holder cannot lawfully operate undeclared or incorrectly licensed equipment merely because they are qualified, and a correctly licensed station does not make every crew member a qualified operator.
| Item | Controls or identifies | Do not confuse it with |
|---|---|---|
| Ship Radio Licence | Station and listed equipment on a named vessel | The operator qualification |
| Ship Portable Radio Licence | Specified portable equipment under territorial and use limits | Permission to use any radio anywhere |
| SRC + Authority to Operate | The operator's VHF/VHF-DSC authority and competence | The station licence |
| Call sign | The licensed ship station in voice traffic | An MMSI or certificate |
| MMSI | A nine-digit digital identity used by DSC and related equipment | Proof of ownership or competence |
| Radio equipment | The actual transmitting and receiving apparatus | Authority to use an undeclared or mismatched installation |
Before an overseas passage, the skipper finds a licence PDF, a radio showing an MMSI and an SRC card, but has not checked whether the MMSI, vessel name and equipment list agree.
1. Identify the station
Match vessel name, call sign and ship MMSI to the current Ship Radio Licence.
2. Identify the operator
Confirm the person controlling routine use holds the relevant certificate and Authority to Operate, or directly supervises the operator.
3. Identify the equipment
Match installed and portable transmitting equipment to the licence and carry the required documents near the station.
Sense check: A matching MMSI alone does not prove the licence holder, equipment list or operator authority is current.
Optional quick check
Section 4 of 9
Lesson 5 of 9
What you will learn
Choose between the named-vessel and portable licensing models and recognise the territorial, identity and equipment limits of each.
A Ship Radio Licence follows the named vessel and can cover its declared fixed and handheld equipment worldwide. A Ship Portable Radio Licence follows specified portable equipment but is limited to UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man territorial seas.
The Ship Radio Licence authorises equipment on the named UK-flagged vessel wherever that vessel sails, subject to the licence and local requirements. Declared handhelds may be used under that vessel's licence, but a DSC handheld carrying the ship MMSI must not be casually moved to another boat.
A Ship Portable Radio Licence is not tied to one named vessel. It can authorise specified portable equipment used aboard different vessels, but its UK licence authority stops at the limit of UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man territorial seas. The equipment is used aboard a vessel or tender, except that emergency use may occur anywhere.
Portable identities differ from ship identities. A portable licence can carry a T reference and an MMSI assigned for the handheld equipment; it does not assign a ship call sign. A portable MMSI identifies the apparatus and licensing arrangement, not whichever vessel it happens to be aboard.
A delivery skipper owns a DSC handheld and expects to use it on several yachts, including an overseas delivery.
1. Define where it will be used
A UK Ship Portable Radio Licence does not authorise ordinary use beyond its territorial limit.
2. Define what the identity represents
Do not program or transmit another yacht's ship MMSI from portable equipment unless that exact arrangement is lawfully authorised.
3. Check flag-state and local authority
For another vessel or country, verify the ship's licence, the portable equipment authority and the applicable administration's rules before the passage.
Sense check: The fact that a handheld can be carried between boats does not mean its licence and MMSI can be used everywhere.
Optional quick check
Section 5 of 9
Lesson 6 of 9
What you will learn
Use the published SRC syllabus to turn factual knowledge into a repeatable radio decision and spoken procedure.
The official assessment is not a channel-number quiz. It samples knowledge and practical decisions across equipment, DSC, distress and safety procedures, radiotelephony and regulation.
CEPT's current SRC syllabus has five connected areas: general maritime radiocommunications and GMDSS; practical knowledge of VHF, DSC, antennas and power; DSC distress, urgency and safety procedures; radiotelephony; and regulations including documents, records, secrecy, prohibited transmissions and watchkeeping.
The RYA exam combines a written paper with practical use of marine VHF radios. A defensible response therefore has an observable sequence: classify the traffic, select the correct DSC function or voice channel, identify the station, transmit the required information, release push-to-talk and listen for the next procedural step.
Memorised phrases are useful only when attached to the right condition. Channel 70 carries DSC signalling, not voice. Channel 16 has distress, urgency, safety and initial-calling roles, but routine traffic normally moves to an appropriate working channel.
| CEPT syllabus area | Learner performance | Typical weak shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| General knowledge | Explain stations, GMDSS, SAR and MSI | Reciting acronyms without their role |
| Equipment | Set up VHF/DSC, antenna, position and power correctly | Assuming the display proves the inputs are sound |
| DSC procedures | Send, receive and follow up the right priority | Treating DSC as the whole voice message |
| Radiotelephony | Build and respond to clear calls | Memorising words without listening |
| Regulations | Apply licence, records, secrecy and watchkeeping boundaries | Calling all documents 'the radio licence' |
An examiner gives a changing scenario rather than asking for a definition. You must decide what to do with the radio and explain why.
1. Classify
State whether the situation is distress, urgency, safety or routine and what evidence makes it so.
2. Select
Choose the DSC function, channel, power and station appropriate to that classification.
3. Structure
Give identity, position when required, the situation and the assistance or action needed in the taught order.
4. Listen and continue
Release PTT, receive the response and follow the correct acknowledgement, working-channel or traffic procedure.
Sense check: If your answer cannot say what you will listen for next, it is probably a memorised fragment rather than a complete radio procedure.
Optional quick check
Section 6 of 9
Lesson 7 of 9
What you will learn
Run a pre-departure identity check that catches mismatched MMSI, call sign, owner, equipment and emergency-contact records before they weaken a distress response.
Licensing data becomes operational during an alert. A DSC transmission is most useful when its programmed identity, the licence record and the vessel's real details all agree.
Ofcom shares ship call-sign, MMSI and licence information with the MCA and ITU so authorities can interpret radio traffic and contact the right people. Duplicate or stale records can slow that process. The radio display is only one piece of evidence; compare it with the current licence and the vessel.
When ownership or equipment changes, amend the licence and arrange any necessary equipment reprogramming through an appropriate service route. Do not guess an MMSI, copy one from another vessel or assume a second-hand set has been cleared correctly.
Keep a clear identity prompt near the set with vessel name, call sign, MMSI and a usable position format. That prompt supports a stressed operator, but it does not replace the required documents, current licence record, navigational position check or proper training.
| Pre-departure evidence | Compare it with | Stop trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Radio-displayed MMSI | Current licence and vessel identity | Mismatch or unexplained blank |
| Call sign and vessel name | Licence and near-radio prompt | Old owner or different vessel |
| Equipment list | Installed, portable and safety transmitters | Undeclared or moved DSC equipment |
| Emergency contact | Current reachable shore contact | Stale or unavailable person |
| Operator documents | Crew role and planned supervision | No qualified or directly supervising routine controller |
The licence shows one MMSI, the fixed DSC set shows another and the handheld has a third identity. The crew is due to sail in one hour.
1. Hold the affected DSC equipment
Do not transmit a test or assume the nearest-looking identity is correct.
2. Trace each identity
Match the fixed set to the named vessel licence and the handheld to the exact ship or portable licensing arrangement.
3. Correct through the proper route
Amend the licence and use an authorised dealer or manufacturer process where protected programming must change.
4. Brief the fallback
Until corrected, state what working equipment and non-DSC emergency options remain and whether departure should be delayed.
Sense check: Three functioning transmitters with three unexplained identities are not three independent safety layers.
Optional quick check
Section 7 of 9
Lesson 9 of 9
What you will learn
Choose a current authoritative source for station identity, channel or service information and refuse to infer an MMSI or local allocation from memory.
Call signs, MMSIs, coast stations, special services and local channels sit inside national and international records. The safe habit is source, date, area and purpose—not a guessed number.
CEPT expects SRC candidates to know that national and international station documentation and databases exist. Ofcom passes licensed call-sign, MMSI, vessel and contact information to the MCA and ITU so search-and-rescue and other authorities can identify stations. Those records work only when licensees keep them accurate.
A vessel name does not let you calculate its MMSI. Use the licensed particulars for your own station, a correctly addressed received DSC call for another station, or the current official station information. Do not invent, infer or copy an identity from an old almanac, another boat or an internet post.
Local port, VTS, marina and safety-service channels can vary by area and can change. Check the current harbour directions, almanac, Coastguard information or service provider for the place and purpose, then listen before transmitting and follow the station's instruction.
| Question | Authoritative starting point | Unsafe shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| What is our call sign or ship MMSI? | Current Ship Radio Licence and programmed station display | Memory or the previous owner's licence |
| What identifies portable equipment? | Current Ship Portable Radio Licence and the equipment's assigned identity | The temporary vessel's ship MMSI |
| Which local channel applies? | Current harbour, VTS, Coastguard or service information | A universal marina-channel assumption |
| What does the SRC examine? | Current RYA course/exam page and CEPT syllabus | A revision product's marketing copy |
An old cockpit card lists a marina channel, but the current harbour notice lists a different channel for vessel movements and a separate marina working channel.
1. Name the task
Decide whether the call concerns port movement, VTS, marina berthing or another service.
2. Use the current local source
Take the channel, call sign and operating instructions from the current harbour or service publication for that task.
3. Listen and identify
Check the channel is appropriate and clear, then use the licensed identity and follow any move-to-working-channel instruction.
Sense check: A remembered channel can be a useful prompt, but it is not current authority for a different port, service or date.
Optional quick check
Section 9 of 9