Are you a boater who uses a VHF marine radio in Australian Territorial Waters (within 12 nautical miles of the coast)? You’re now able to apply for a more appropriate marine radio qualification—the Australian Waters Qualification (AWQ)—which the ACMA recently approved for inclusion in the marine radio class licence.

While all marine radio users (except those operating 27 MHz marine radio stations) must be qualified, until now boaters had to obtain a Certificate of Proficiency or an equivalent overseas qualification. But the approval of the AWQ gives a more streamlined option to relevant boaters.

Why do I need a qualification at all?

 A marine radio can save lives. So it’s important that:

• you know the correct channels to use, and how and when to use them
• you know distress and safety procedures, including how to access search and rescue facilities
• you know how to respond to an emergency call
• your messages are understood and others know how to respond
• you know what DSC is and the benefits of connecting a GPS to your radio
• you know when and how to operate an EPIRB in a distress situation.

In an emergency, knowledge of distress and safety procedures helps everyone involved in the rescue.

Marine radiocommunications can also provide a variety of services to small vessels, including weather and navigational information.

So, the more you know about how to operate a marine radio, the more benefit you’ll get from yours.

Anyone operating a VHF marine radio without an appropriate qualification, or not under the supervision of an appropriately qualified person, may be breaching the Radiocommunications Act 1992. Significant penalties apply. So get qualified.

What does sitting for the AWQ involve?

Once the RTO has assessed that you know how to operate a VHF marine radio, what channels to operate on and how to access search and rescue facilities, you will be issued with a Statement of Attainment for the AWQ. The assessment will include both a theory (for example, questions about frequencies and protocols) and practical component (actual use of a radio).