UK Short Range Certificate (SRC): exam practice for VHF and DSC

This area is about the British exam

Here you prepare for the Short Range Certificate as it is examined in the United Kingdom: in English, with a practical test on a DSC radio and a written paper. The German radio certificates are in our German SRC catalogue with English translation.

Key facts for the UK exam

Channel 16	Distress, urgency, safety and calling
Channel 70	DSC only, no voice
06, 0 , 72, 77	Intership (routine ship-to-ship)
Channel 13	Bridge-to-bridge, safety of navigation
Channel 67	UK small craft safety channel, Coastguard working channel
62, 63, 64	UK Coastguard Maritime Safety Information broadcasts (announced on 16)
12, 14	Port operations (check the almanac for each port)
Channel 0	UK marinas (duplex, boats cannot hear each other)
M (37) and M2	UK private channels for marinas, yacht clubs and race control
15, 17	On-board communication, 1 W only

MMSI formats

Ship station	MID + 6 digits, UK: 232, 233, 234 or 235 XXXXXX
Group	0 + MID + 5 digits, e.g. 0232XXXXX
Coast station	00 + MID + 4 digits, e.g. 00232XXXX

Important changes you must know

A Mayday Relay is sent by voice only, without any DSC call, addressed to the nearest Coastguard. Only if no coast station can be reached is it addressed to All Stations.
DSC calls other than distress are called announcements: urgency, safety and routine announcement. The word “alert” is used for distress only.
SafeTrx has replaced the old CG66 scheme for registering your boat and passages.
“SART” can mean a radar transponder or an AIS transmitter. Both are part of the GMDSS.

📻 UK Short Range Certificate (SRC)

Key facts for the UK exam

MMSI formats

Important changes you must know