When you live in or near a maritime community scanning the marine VHF channels can be as entertaining as listening to police, fire, and medical calls. It can also be quite a bit cheaper when you stop to consider that a newer model digital scanner from RadioShack can cost you $399 on sale. The RadioShack PRO-96 hand-held scanner like it’s base/mobile cousin the PRO-2096 scanner are excellent scanners for digital public safety systems and even have marine VHF search capabilities built in. The PRO-96 is one of my favorites since I own one myself; however, you don’t need this super scanner to enjoy listening to marine VHF frequencies.

Several manufacturers, including RadioShack make inexpensive scanning receivers capable of scanning what the scanning enthusiasts call conventional radio systems. Many so-called conventional scanners are often not capable of scanning trunked public safety radio systems whether digital or analog. You don’t buy a conventional scanner to scan a trunked radio system but you might if you wanted to hear what was going on in the water surrounding your home. An example of a good low-cost conventional scanner is the RadioShack PRO-2018 desk-top scanner priced currently at $99. Also available is the low-priced PRO-82 hand-held scanner. Each scanner holds up to two-hundred user programmed frequencies.

How do I listen?

Programming conventional radio systems into a scanner is still much easier than programming trunked public safety systems. Don’t be afraid of making a scanner purchase to scan marine frequencies if your primary worry is that you will never figure out how to do it! It is not rocket science. Besides your local radio store will probably program the scanner for you if you ask.

Probably one of the easiest ways to listen to marine VHF channels is to use the grouped search function available on most scanners. On scanners like the RadioShack PRO-95, PRO-96 and others you can press the pre-programmed search button for marine channels and then start scanning all of the known VHF channels. It just takes seconds to enter the keystrokes. But if you have just a handful of of favorite channels you want to listen to you would enter those into a bank. Read your scanner documentation for instructions.

Where can I find my list of favorites?

Start by listening to channels that should produce some interesting radio listening right away. You will soon develop a list of channels for your area. These are the channels I suggest to start:

• 156.800 – Channel 16 Marine Emergency Calling and Hailing
• 156.450 – Channel 9 Marine calling, hailing, radio checks, navigation
• 156.650 – Channel 13 Marine navigation on inland water ways. The BIG ships are required to maintain a radio watch on this channel just like they are on channel 16.
• 157.050 – Channel 21 US Coast Guard
• 157.100 – Channel 22A US Coast Guard
• 157.150 – Channel 23A US Coast Guard

As you scan these channels listen for ships talking about other marine channels. You will quickly learn the working channels for maritime towing services, harbors, bridges, and pilots. Add those frequencies as you find them. In the Marin Links section of this website you will find a complete frequency list of marine channels.

Do I need a special antenna?

Not necessarily. It can depend how far away your listening point is from the waterway of interest. Simple VHF antennas for scanners are not expensive. Any outdoor antenna is preferable but if you are near the water chances are the antenna on the scanner will provide adequate results for with local signals.

I have always been interested in maritime wireless. There are a few old clocks in my house too. When I saw this unique product at CafePress I scooped it up. It is a reproduction of a ship’s radio room clock. It has radio watches for 500 KHz and 2182 KHz marked in red and green. The clock is also marked in 24 hour time. The idea was so unique I thought it worth mentioning.