Compare radio bands
Maritime radios are used for everything from safe navigation and port/coastal communication, to enabling team work which contributes to optimising on board operations and emergency procedures.
There are three main types of radio used at sea: MF/HF, VHF and UHF, all of which provide different capabilities based on their frequencies in the radio spectrum. Many ships will have all three types on board, whereas smaller vessels and leisure craft may rely on VHF only.
Choosing the right radio for the job from Cobham SATCOM’s extensive fixed and portable MF/HF, VHF and UHF maritime radio portfolio is important for safety and efficiency, as well as meeting numerous national and international regulations.
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Radio bandsMF/HF
Choosing the right radio for the job from Cobham SATCOM’s extensive fixed and portable MF/HF, VHF and UHF maritime radio portfolio is important for safety and efficiency, as well as meeting numerous national and international regulations.
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Radio bandsVHF
Choosing the right radio for the job from Cobham SATCOM’s extensive fixed and portable MF/HF, VHF and UHF maritime radio portfolio is important for safety and efficiency, as well as meeting numerous national and international regulations.
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radio bandsUHF
Choosing the right radio for the job from Cobham SATCOM’s extensive fixed and portable MF/HF, VHF and UHF maritime radio portfolio is important for safety and efficiency, as well as meeting numerous national and international regulations.
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Regulations: Mandatory internal requirements
The use of maritime radio is subject to extensive and changing national and international regulations that must be understood in order to stay safe and avoid paying penalties.
GMDSS and SOLAS contain mandatory specifications and uses for ships operating on the oceans and in coastal waters, while national authorities demand that many maritime radio users are also licensed.
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RegulationSOLAS
SOLAS, the International Convention for the Safety of Lives at Sea, was first instigated in 1914 as a direct reaction to the RMS Titanic disaster in April 1912, in which the passenger liner struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage and sank, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,500 people.
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RegulationsGMDSS
GMDSS, the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, came into full effect in February 1999. As the recognised international radio and safety system covered by SOLAS Chapter IV (Radiocommunications), it sets a global standard for procedures, equipment types and communications systems to optimise safety and operational methods when rescuing crew and vessels in distress situations.
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Future outlooks
With changing regulations and a new focus on leveraging maritime radio frequencies for data-based applications, the way you use radio on board continues to change.
Safety, operational and navigational communication will still be the primary use for maritime radios, but solutions for manual and automated are being developed to help streamline workloads on board, allowing crew to focus more on efficiency and productivity.
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RadioThe Future of Radio
Cobham SATCOM is a key contributor to the on-going development of maritime radio technology and is helping to build a future as part of EfficienSea2, an EU-funded project developing smart maritime solutions including VDES, a new way to transmit data over VHF radio.
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