Description

The Short Range Certificate is the minimum qualification required by law to control the operation of VHF and VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC)  equipment on any British flagged vessel voluntarily fitted with a radio. This includes both fixed and hand held equipment using International channels.

A radio is an important piece of safety equipment on board and it is vital to understand the correct procedures. Unnecessary transmissions could block out a Mayday distress call.

Course topics include:

• The basics of radio operation
• The correct frequencies (channels) to be used
• Distress, emergency and medical assistance procedures
• Making ship to shore communication
• Digital Selective Calling (DSC) using simulators
• Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
• Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB)
• Search and Rescue (SART)

This is usually taken as an online course that takes roughly 5 hours of self study, and is followed by a separate examination (see below). To find out more (and to be sure it will work on your computer) download the online taster course found here.

We can also run the course as a classroom based course, although as the exmination needs to be done by a separate examiner, we would need to bring in an external examiner. This might be more appropriate if you had a larger group of people to do the course. Please contact us if this would be more convenient for you.

You may find the RYA VHF Radio (SRC Syllabus and Sample questions) book useful for doing this course, which can be found in our online shop.

How to take the VHF/SRC course

When you book this online course we will send out a course pack to you that contains the RYA VHF Handbook. You will then also receive a user name and password for you to log in to the online system to access the course.

The Exam

The examination includes a practical part using training radios as well as a written examination, and costs £70 payable directly to the RYA. Once you have passed and received your certificate you should pay for an examination through the RYA here.

We can run the SRC exam regularly, and if you contact us after you have passed the training then we can arrange a suitable date.

We can also run the SRC exam if you have taken the training elsewhere, or have exemption from the training. This will incur an additional fee.

Minimum Computer Requirements for this course

Please download the taster course, as if that works then the full course will also work on your equipment.

PC with Windows Vista SP 2 or later, Mac OS X 10.7 or later, iPad with iOS 6 or above

Internet connection, 1024 x 768 screen resolution, javascript, microphone and speakers or headphones