About the course

The RYA VHF Marine Radio (SRC) Course is the essential qualification for anyone who owns or uses a marine VHF or VHF/DSC radio. Whether on a yacht, motorboat, RIB, sailing dinghy , a paddleboard or a personal watercraft it is a legal requirement in the UK that at least one person on board holding the vessel must have the Short Range Certificate (SRC), and this course provides the knowledge and practical skills needed.

The course covers the correct operation of both fixed and handheld marine VHF sets, including Digital Selective Calling (DSC). Learners are introduced to key features such as making routine, urgency, safety and distress calls, use of Channel 16, Mayday procedures, and how to communicate with coastguard stations, marinas and other vessels. It also explains GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System), EPIRBs, SARTs and AIS, giving students a clear understanding of how modern marine communications fit into the wider safety network.

The course is aimed at leisure boaters, professional skippers, safety boat drivers, kayakers, windsurfers, paddleboarders and anyone responsible for radio communications afloat. By the end of the training, students will feel confident in operating a VHF/DSC radio legally and effectively, using the correct international terminology, and knowing how to respond in an emergency. The course is completed in one (long) day, followed by an assessment conducted by an independent RYA Assessor.

We use really good real Icom Radios to make your experience as realistic as possible.  Icom themselves have reviewed our setup in our Radio Training Room and produced a Case Study on us a few years ago, you can read it at https://icomuk.co.uk

The price quoted for this course excludes the exam fee payment to the RYA for the exam at the end of your course. We’ll send you a link shortly before the course so that you can pay for this fee online.