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VHF maritime mobile band – Channel allocations

Maritime radio in Australia provides search and rescue assistance to ships in distress, while also providing commercial and recreational communications uses for maritime purposes.

Frequencies

 

Frequency

Channel

Use

From ships (MHz)

From Coast (MHz)

156.025

160.625

60

Public Correspondence

156.050

160.650

01

Public Correspondence

156.075

160.675

61

Public Correspondence

156.100

160.700

02

Public Correspondence

156.125

160.725

62

Public Correspondence

156.150

160.750

03

Public Correspondence

156.175

160.775

63

Public Correspondence

156.200

160.800

04

Public Correspondence

156.225

160.825

64

Port Operations

156.250

160.850

05

Public Correspondence

156.275

160.875

65

Port Operations

156.300

 

06

Search and Rescue

160.900

160.900

2006

Experimental use in relation to Radiotelephony, Digital Selective Calling and Automatic Identification System

156.325

160.925

66

Public Correspondence

156.350

160.950

07

Public Correspondence

156.375

156.375

67

Supplementary to Ch16 (for Distress urgency and Safety)

156.400

 

08

Port Operations and Commercial Operations

156.425

156.425

68

Port Operations

156.450

156.450

09

Port Operations

156.500

156.500

10

Port Operations

156.525

156.525

70

Digital Selective Calling – Distress, Safety and Calling

156.550

156.550

11

Port Operations

156.575

156.575

71

Professional Fishing

156.600

156.600

12

Port Operations

156.625

 

72

Port Operations, Commercial and Non-Commercial Operations and Professional Fishing

156.650

156.650

13

Port Operations, Distress, urgency and safety

156.675

156.675

73

Non-commercial Operations

156.700

156.700

14

Port Operations

156.725

156.725

74

Commercial Operations

156.750

156.750

15

Commercial Operations

156.775

156.775

75

Automatic Identification System Satellite

156.800

156.800

16

Distress, Safety and Calling

156.825

156.825

76

Automatic Identification System Satellite

156.850

156.850

17

Commercial Operations

156.875

 

77

Professional Fishing, Non-commercial Operations

156.900

161.500

18

Port Operations

156.925

161.525

78

Commercial Operations

156.950

156.950

1019

Port Operations

 

161.550

2019

Port Operations

156.975

161.575

79

Port Operations

157.000

161.600

20

Port Operations

157.025

161.625

80

Repeater (distress, urgency, safety and ship movement)

157.050

161.650

21

Repeater (distress, urgency, safety and ship movement)

157.075

161.675

81

Repeater (distress, urgency, safety and ship movement) and Public Correspondence

157.100

161.700

22

Repeater (distress, urgency, safety and ship movement)

157.125

161.725

82

Repeater (distress, urgency, safety and ship movement)

157.150

161.750

23

Public Correspondence

157.175

161.775

83

Public Correspondence

157.200

161.800

24*

VHF Data Exchange System

157.225

161.825

84*

VHF Data Exchange System

157.250

161.850

25*

VHF Data Exchange System

157.275

161.875

85*

VHF Data Exchange System

157.300

 

1026

VHF Data Exchange System

 

161.900

2026

VHF Data Exchange System

157.325

 

1086

VHF Data Exchange System

 

161.925

2086

VHF Data Exchange System

157.350

157.350

1027

Port Operations

161.950

161.950

ASM1 (2027)

Application Specific Messaging

157.375

157.375

87

Port Operations

157.400

157.400

1028

Port Operations

162.000

162.000

ASM2 (2028)

Application Specific Messaging

157.425

157.425

88

Port Operations

161.975

161.975

AIS1

Automatic Identification System

162.025

162.025

AIS2

Automatic Identification System

* Channels 24, 84, 25 and 85 may be merged in order to form a unique duplex channel with a bandwidth of 100 kHz in order to operate the VDES terrestrial component described in the most recent version of Recommendation ITU-R M.2092 (WRC-15) of the ITU.

Regulation

A large block of spectrum for maritime purposes is provided for in the VHF maritime mobile band. The VHF maritime mobile band consists of channels operating in the frequency range 156.000 MHz to 162.050 MHz, apart from those portions within this frequency range that are allocated to the land mobile service.

The regulatory framework that regulates channel arrangements and uses in Australia is provided for in the instruments identified below. The following VHF maritime mobile band channel allocations are to be read in conjunction with these legislative instruments.

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