spider Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 Starting to think about carrying a radio esp. now as we hope to do some of the Kayak trails up in Quebec. So if we get in a jam and need to use a radio will I be talking in French...(or for that matter if we are down South America would we be speaking Spanish)? Ok back up in Quebec... is channel 16 still the channel of choice?thanks spdr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shewhorn Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 http://boating.ncf.ca/vhf.html I believe as a foreign visitor you'll need to get a license... although I doubt they'd hold that against you in an emergency. Sorry that doesn't answer your question... just something else to think about. Cheers, Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pintail Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 English is the international radiotelephony language! I'd guess that if you go to Canada, not to use your VHF, then you wouldn't need a radio operator's licence, would you? However, in the case of an emergency, as someone else has pointed out, they'd not be throwing the book at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted May 19, 2007 Author Share Posted May 19, 2007 Hmmm..Looks like I better do my homework. Here in the States when I read of people using various VHF radio these people have licences? Right now when I'm on the water and want to check in with home I use a small "walkie -talkie" thing with a limited range. I'm thinking the VHF radio is the kind that we've used when doing some volunteer work with Fish and Game..technically were we operating them under their licence ? Actually now that I think about it, perhaps that is why so many kayakers don't bother with them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccarlson Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 No license is required for marine VHF in the US. In Canada, however, it does require a license. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 >Hmmm..Looks like I better do my homework. Here in the States >when I read of people using various VHF radio these people >have licences? Well, that depends upon what you mean by a VHF radio. If you mean a marine VHF radio on a voluntary vessel (recreational craft) while afloat, then the answer is they do not need a license although they may have onewhen in domestic waters and communicating with domestic land stations or other vessels. > > >Actually now that I think about it, perhaps that is why so >many kayakers don't bother with them... Personally, I never leave home without one and it bugs me the Marine Patrol does not monitor marine VHF on the bigger lakes in NH. Most kayakers I know carry a VHF marine radio as a matter of course although they may not regale their PFD with one. As to whether you will need a license if communicating in a foreign port and to a land station, the answer is yes. You need a station and operator license. However,you need them from the FCC and not from a related authority in the foreign country. Assuming you are operating from the ocean and no upon some inland lake. http://wireless.fcc.gov/marine/fctsht14.html Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Crouse Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Where in Quebec are you going? If you're paddling the Saguenay Fjord I doubt a vhf will be any good until you get to the Bay of Eternity. We saw two other boats over three days, a freighter and a small fishing boat. A vhf will work to listen to the weather (which is in French & English) but for an emergency we we're on our own.We've been to Quebec with vhf's twice, never bothered with a license. We spoke to a guide and it's not really and issue for a tourist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 >...so many kayakers don't bother with them... I'm always wearing mine, whether alone or in a group. The obvious utility in the former scenario would be for summoning help and listening to marine forecasts. In the latter, having open lines of communication on a pre-arranged designated channel has facilitated communication with other members of a group paddle, such as on recent Jewell (2 of seven paddlers waiting out a thunderstorm on a nearby island, seriousness of which was alert-broadcasted on weather channel being monitored at the time) and Umbagog (2 paddlers returning to basecamp while others paddled to different destination) trips. For someone like me, who has trouble coherently projecting my raised voice, using the VHF facilitates chatting between slightly separated paddlers.Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsprag1 Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Hi Spider---the vhf radio that everyone is referring to is a small handheld unit that broadcasts on the Marine channels reserved for boaters(and Coast Guard, Navy, and merchant shipping) fo use at sea----the range is line of sight but since the Coast Guard has repeating towers that boost your signal all up and down the coasts you can usually contact someone. Years ago before the advent of the handheld units a license was required to operate them(very easy to get--like the old citizens band license)---I don't believe one is required now---at least nobody I know has one---in Canada it may be a different story but I'm sure in an emercancy situation nobody will take you to task on it. They are really handy to monitor other marine traffic and to get weather forecasts with also PS just be aware that in PQ (province of Quebec) there are language laws requiring the use of french, rather than english--particularly on commercial signs--there are also groups of voluntary language police (mostly old retired men) who travel the province handing out summons(with fines) for those who violate the ordinances. It's kind of made Quebec the laughing stock of the rest of the county-- doubt that it has spread so far as to require the use of french in emgergancy radio transmissions---lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted May 20, 2007 Author Share Posted May 20, 2007 It's the Mingan Islands that I'm thinking of though that's not for this year (we have been there before but not with kayaks) The trails I have in mind are along the north shore of the St Lawrence refered to as the "Trail of the Whales" I believe as well as the new trail they are developing on the south shore... Matane to Cap Chat so far... which is closer to the area we spend our summers. Though we have paddled in parts of Parc Forillon we are tempted to paddle to the "lands end" which we have seen change dramaticaly within what seems very short minutes.... the Saguenay.. it is that area that we most often hear quoted as being the area that has the most rescues and the reason some of the rules or laws that are put in place for kayaking in Quebec. We have been there a couple of times but not on the water as yet, we are on the cautious side...enough so that we understand that our PFDs' are not approved though they are down here. We will probabbly buy our next ones up there so there is no confusion etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Crouse Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 It's partly the regulation that makes the Saguenay unsafe. They have the trail set up as a circuit, you have an assigned campsite each night. But this doesn't let you take a day off for bad weather. I say screw it, if the weather's bad stay put. It's better to argue about a cramped camp site then it is to have to be rescued.The other reasons folks probably need rescues is the wind combined with the tides can kick some some decent chop. Combine that with the lack of places to land and things can quickly turn bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanR Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 The license is only required for residents, and it is a restricted operators license. A trained chimp could pass it and it is good for the life of the licensee.Visitors do not require the license.As for the french issue, there is no problem in theory. All the operators are supposed to be bilingual, and if you use english no one will get their shorts in a knot. It would be unreasonable to expect all visitors and foreign vessels to speak in french...DanOnce more upon the waters! yet once more! And the waves bound beneath me as a steed That knows his rider.Lord Byron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 Thanks for the info folks. We are ok with the French Language (actually It's my wife who has become more fluent) I'm ok with the simple stuff but would bog down on something more complicated, like a trip to the hospital for example. Inreality it's random on who might have "some English" and who doesn't know any English words. However "Please and Thankyou" works wonders in either language. Many people are shy to try any of their English so as not to embarrass themselves, much like I am when I try my French. (Yes, there is a big difference beween asking how the Deer hunting season went as opposed to asking how the Horse hunting Season went...I'll probably never live that one down,...but it's all in good fun) back to Kayaking... I have found a site for the tide predictions. On the North shore there are more bays that run out of water at low tide... any web sites or kayaing web sites that might have info on stuff like that ?? Also, I never think in terms of doing a crossing of the St Lawrence but....I would like to know how far you drift in relation to wether the tide is comming in or going out...much like the Merrimack River..How do you factor in your speed in relation to the tide?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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