Last year, the 2017 edition of the "Inland Vessel Radiotelephone Service - General Section" manual was published. It came into force on 1 June 2018 and replaces the previous edition from 2014. The most noticeable changes are the English-language phrases in the completely revised phrases for radiotelephony.
Overall, the work appears much tidier - possibly also due to the well-designed overview of the special regulations for channel assignment in the individual countries.
In emergency, urgent or safety radio communications, the terms "All Stations" and "this is" are used instead of "Schiffsfunkstellen" or "Hier ist". This could give the impression that the English language has now found its way into the German Inland Navigation Radio Manual.
In reality, however, it is only a matter of these word phrases in order to take account of the harmonisation of maritime and inland radio and the further development of the Radio Regulations (VO Funk/Radio Regulations).
Unfortunately, there is still no authorisation to use handheld radios on inland radio on pleasure craft, as is the case in the Netherlands, for example. This would not only make sense for small vessels on which the installation of a radio system is not possible or feasible.
A handheld radio also contributes to safety on pleasure craft with a built-in inland radio system. In the event of a lock, for example, the radio system can listen to the lock channel while the handheld radio is ready to receive on the ship-to-ship channel (where constant availability should be guaranteed).
However, the use of handheld radios in inland navigation radiotelephony for recreational craft is the responsibility of the contracting states. In Germany, this first requires an amendment to the Inland Navigation Act.
Radiotelephony Ordinance.
A comparison of the general section of the Inland Navigation Radio Handbook with earlier editions reveals that the naming of the call sign has become more important. While identical ship names can appear several times, for example the boat name "Albatros" is registered more than 90 times, call signs are a unique identifier.
registered over 90 times, call signs are a unique identifier of the ship's radio station.
The call signs are automatically assigned by the Federal Network Agency when a radio system is registered. In inland radio, the ATIS number, another unique identifier, is transmitted with every transmission in addition to the call sign.
However, since many ship radio stations and even some land radio stations are not able to analyse and display this ATIS number, the use of the callsign has regained importance.
From September 2018, the question catalogue for the inland navigation radio (UBI) examination is expected to be updated, the examination modalities adapted and the new speaking procedures from the inland navigation radio manual recognised.
The "General Part" and "Regional Part" of the Inland Waterway Radio Handbook (for the respective area) must be carried on board if an inland waterway radio system is operational on board. As an alternative to a printed version (available from Binnenschifffahrts-Verlag GmbH, from € 27.50), the two parts can also be carried in electronic form if they are stored locally and are available at all times.
The Inland Waterways Radio Handbook is available for download from the WSV's specialist centre: www.wsv.de/fvt/handbuch/
