In more and more countries, possession of a valid radio licence is becoming mandatory if a ship is to be chartered. At the same time, charter vessels are mainly equipped with DSC-compatible radios, the operation of which requires a radio licence. It is therefore essential for charter skippers – and of course also for owners – to be in possession of a valid licence.
Anyone operating radio equipment on a ship at sea (yachts and merchant ships) is participating in the international mobile maritime radio service. According to international radio regulations, a licence is required to operate radio equipment at sea. The Short Range Certificate (SRC) authorises the operation of VHF radio equipment with and without DSC as well as Inmarsat-C equipment. This certificate is internationally recognised and entitles the holder to charter ships worldwide that are equipped with a GMDSS-compliant VHF radio system. The Long Range Certificate (LRC) also authorises the operation of medium wave and short wave systems with and without DSC. As hardly any charter vessels are equipped with such a system and the operation of such a system requires a certain amount of routine, we are of the opinion that the LRC is not appropriate for most charter skippers. We therefore primarily recommend the acquisition of the SRC licence.
Our SRC radio course prepares you for the radio examination for the "Short Range Certificate" at OFCOM. The latest documents allow us to limit the course to one day. However, this requires that you prepare yourself properly before the course. The course documents for the pre-study will be sent to you before the course.
A basic knowledge of English is required. For the exam, you must be familiar with the international spelling alphabet, standard maritime vocabulary and some abbreviations. If you already have this knowledge from the course, this is an advantage, but not a requirement.
The exams are organised by OFCOM in Biel.
Course price per person: Course CHF 165.-
Course materials and software approx. CHF 190.-
OFCOM examination fees CHF 285.-
Course dates on request
