Government bureaucracy .

[Peter T]

Dear all, have you ever tried to register a marine radio and obtain a call sign ?
Well, many years ago, I did a marine radio operators course. Once successfully completed, you get issued with your certificate of proficiency.
After many house moves includung packing and unpacking so many times, I found that my certificate is lost. No problem I thought as these things are for life, so I should be able to get a copy. Rang AMC and after getting transferred three times got on to the right department. Lovely lady sent me a form to apply for the replacement. At a cost of $35. Pretty good so far. Then, after a few weeks, I check my credit card and yes they have my $35. Good I think, it must be on its way. Well, many weeks later it had not arrived so I rang them today around 1 pm. Got transferred 5 times this time and was eventually advised that it was sent a long time ago.
I check my letter box every day ( except today) so I went and checked it while I was talking to her and bugger me it was there in the letter box. All good I thought so thanked her and hung up. Now, I need to register the radio and get the call sign so I rang MAST. No, wrong place so I was told to ring MMSI, then AMSA and ACMA and then AMA again. No, no, no no, so back to MAST again who then decided to take down my details and advised me that they would send details to AMSA who would ring me back as soon as possible. I did find out in between all these calls, that you no longer need a call sign, you just use your boat name but the radio needs to be registered in the emergency data base and for that, your certificate of proficiency number is required which they now have ( so I was told ) Now, five hours later, I am no further advanced in this process than I was at 1.00 pm when I started. I wonder if I will ever be able to legally use my VHF radio.
Ah, the joys of government departments !

[Andrew]

That sound like fun Peter, haven't tried it (only registering my EPIRB/boat details online with AMSA and that's ok)

I just use my boat rego as a call sign. Did the radio course at Townsville volunteer coast guard classroom years ago, so could legally operate Teria's VHF. No experience navigating the bureaucrats though, VCG took care of that side of it. Only used VHF to log in-out with VCG initially, but have not paid my VCG subs for years (cost was about $100 pa) so rarely use the VHF now, only to listen into marine traffic/ weather forecast etc. It has great range 20-50km around here, thanks to repeater towers on hilltops (and its there if SHTF)

27mhz is an option. No licence (or membership fees) needed, for those who only need short range com's (about 5km) line of sight between small craft/ or in enclosed waters.