VHF Radio on Winni
 

Launching a newly acquired boat this weekend that came with a marine VHF radio installed.

Are they of any use on the lake? Much chatter? Over 50 years on Winni, never had one. Worth turning it on?

Channel 12
 

Fishermen almost exclusively use channel 12 on Winni. It Will be very busy channel this weekend with the derby going on.

Definitely not an obsolete item and can be a very useful safety item…

Dan

We had one on our last boat that was used in Winnipesuakee often and it was always turned on and monitoring channel 16 when we were underway. That said, it was quiet 99.99% of the time and I never used it for anything important in the 13 seasons we used it on the lake. There's good cell phone coverage so IMO, VHF is pretty redundant on the lake. I don't think MP monitors VHF, could be wrong though since I never tried to call them on it, but I never heard anyone else call them on VHF either...

VHF radios are an absolute must if you travel on the ocean or canals. We have 5 VHF radios (2 fixed and 3 portables) on our current boat in the ocean and we use them all the time. The portables go with the dinghy and two jet skis when we use them, but otherwise sit in their cradle chargers on the main boat. When we travel with other boats, we pick a flotilla channel to monitor with one radio and leave the other on 16. If any of the the other boats in the flotilla don't have two radios, we lend them one of our portables. Flotilla VHF comms are always done on low power if possible.

If you have one, it should be on when you're underway. If you have or hear of an emergency, you may be close and able to assist. Waiting for a land based response to a 911 call may have significant delays. I think SeaTow and TowBoatUS monitor Ch. 16.
Weather warnings can be especially useful and more detailed than on a regular radio.

90% of boaters on the lake can’t even read a no wake buoy, doubtful they could even turn on a VHF radio 🤷*♂️

I believe that if you have a VHF radio, you are required to have it on while underway and to offer assistance to a mayday call.

A cell phone will connect you to one person at best.
A VHF has the potential to connect you to many.

Marine Patrol on Winnipesaukee monitors channel 16.

We used to keep Ch 16 on all the time and did hear MP on it once in a great while. Now nothing seems to happen on it and I think we don't turn it on most of the time now. Gary, if you are right maybe we should. I didn't know that rule.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) broadcasts current weather data and forecasts for Lake Winnipesaukee that I check before any serious boating activity. These stations are 100% weather, 100% of the time.

I just listened to a NOAA "recreational report for Lake Winnipesaukee" that included wave height (2' this afternoon), water temperature (53), air temp. at various elevations, rain prediction, wind speed , fire danger, humidity, etc. Station 1 is broadcast out of Holderness.

All good info Gary. Certainly better than when they used to broadcast county by country from Gray (?) Maine. I miss monitoring Ch. 16, knowing that Mighty Mo would break in and warn of the location of thunderstorms and when to get off the water. He was a valuable asset to boaters.

Marine VHF versus Cell Phones
 

I monitor Channel 16 both when I am on my boat and from my home.

Activity on 16 (and 9) is very up and down during the boating season.

I have never had an issue raising Marine Patrol in Glendale on 16 unless I was up in Moultonborough Bay and then, more often than not, I was able to reach one of their patrol boats in the area. I have two Marine VHF radios - one mounted in my boat and a handheld. The handheld will definitely have some range issues but it is a decent backup to the primary radio.

While cell service covers most of the lake, there are dead spots in a number of locations around the lake.

Cell phones are great, but as I have asked more than a few folks who think a VHF radio isn't needed, I point to a boat on the lake some distance away and ask them:

"Okay, what's the phone number for the person on that boat if we need help?"

"Oh, I can call 911!"

"Really? What if there's no cell coverage where you happen to be?"

They never have an answer for that one.

Obviously to hail another boat within your sight the other boat would need a VHF radio, have it turned on, and be listening to the chatter. VHF radio equipped boats on the lake are a minority now so your chances of success with that are slim.

We had them in the 80's into the 90's and used them mostly to meet up with friends. When cell phones became popular the use of VHF's on Winnipesaukee became minimal and most of my friends stopped even turning them on.

I have a hand held that I use when taking the boat to the ocean like the Vineyard or Nantucket but only use it to arrange docking or call for the launch when using a mooring. I don't even take it on the boat on the lake.

True. But better than what alternative in an emergency? Marine Patrol monitors Ch.16. They don't monitor cell phones.
My VHF capability saved me in two instances sailing on San Francisco bay.

Yes they do. I have their number in the memory in my cell phone (just in case) and I am sure they will answer it! :)

Marine Patrol / 911
 

I tried calling marine patrol when I thought the people who were saving loons were in trouble. I was directed by their recording to call 911 which I did. It literally took over 10 minutes after being redirected a number of times to talk to a live person and explain what was going on. Had there been a real need for life saving care it never would of happened!

If I had an emergency on the water I would first try and reach a fellow boater / fishermen on VHF channel 12 who would respond and react instantly while dialing 911 at the same time. While I realize 16 is the proper channel to hail, the fact is not everyone monitors that channel…yes I know you’re supposed to but the fact is many don’t. To put it bluntly, calling 911 sucks in an on water emergency and Marine Patrol only answers the phone during their normal working hours...

Dan

You used to call and get Gilford. Now who knows where there are, but I know when I called a couple years ago, the dispatcher was not familiar with the lake, let alone a certain area.

When you call on the phone you get a State Police dispatcher. 24 hours a day.

Yes and apparently they know nothing about the lake.

The big down side to a vhf radio vs. cell phone, is you can't sit and stare at it all day while that beautiful scenery passes by.

A cell phone is not a replacement for vhf. It is a different instrument.

Let me start with - I am a HUGE fan of having & using a VHF radio on the Lake.

Over the last several years CH 16 has quieted down immensely dropping the useless & constant “chatter” it once had. The purpose of CH 16 is to hail another boat and once contact has been made, move to an alternate channel to have your discussion leaving CH 16 (for the most part) clear/open for emergancy calls or the occassional weather advisory.

Also everyone should be aware that since NH State Police took over MP they no longer dispatch or monitor CH 16 from the HQ building in Gilford. However, “some” of the MP boats (while on patrol) do monitor. This, you must be aware, presents another variable for if they are underway at speed, they often do not hear the call. Trick here is to try multiple times should the incident warrent.

Sea Tow & TowBoat US do monitor CH16, but again only while on the water and if underway at speed- may or may not hear you on the first hail.

From my 40 year experiance on the lake, you’d be amazed at how many boaters indeed monitor CH16 but ignore some of the idle & periodic chatter. Yet, if you describe the emergancy in your “hail” watch how many Samaritons come out of the woodwork !! Myself being one.

Quite correct…now when you call Marine Patrol in Gilford you only get a live person Monday - Friday between 8:15 AM and 4:15 PM per their web site. After that you are redirected to the State Police who know nothing about the lake. They then determine who to direct you to be it local PD or fire department. Their web site also tells you to call 911 in all emergencies.

I went through all of this when I called as a matter of fact they weren’t sure which PD should handle the call Alton or Gilford so I was put on hold for like 5 minutes while they figured it out. I was then told they would call me back which they did another 5 minutes later! All of this happening while I’m thinking someone is in serious trouble out on the ice. You cant make this up it was a real sh*t show to say the least!!

Dan

I am so disappointed in MP now. I also find the officers don't know or understand the rules any more either. It used to be such a great organization. Too bad we couldn't go back.

I don't know what, if anything, has changed.

I know they have a small full time year round staff and add help for the summer season. Some of the summer officers have been with them for many years.

They still do the same training for summer help during the beginning of the year. Quite often, after ice out, you can see them doing practical exercises using boats in front of the Glendale HQ.

Maybe, like many businesses, they are getting fewer applicants to select from.

I have had very limited interaction with them for the last several years so I have no knowledge about the current quality of officers.

I have always kept a handheld on my boat set to weather alert and channel 16/9 scan. The weather alert is great when a storm pops up on a hot summers afternoon. I have manuvered away from a storm many a time. In an emergency theres no quicker way to contact marine patrol, or other nearby boats for help. Too bad fewer boaters are using them...

Handheld 5W vs 25W installed radio (with whip antenna) -

The handheld is ideal for monitoring weather alerts and for listening to calls on CH16 but also remember it's limitations.

I came up with this phrase years ago to describe handhelds - "they have big ears but a very soft voice" meaning you can listen to broadcasts that are made from great distances away but its ability to transmit are severely limited in distance and affected greatly by terrain.

But handhelds are better than nothing & are there when you need them!