A VHF radio is the most useful piece of safety gear on a small Kuwaiti boat, and the least practised. Most boats carry one. Fewer owners know how to use it when the water turns.
This is the fisherman's version: what to buy, how far you can talk, and how to make a call that gets answered.
The choice comes down to how you fish. A handheld is cheap and portable, living in your pocket on a battery you charge. It suits small boats, boat-to-boat contact and backup duty, but its short antenna and limited power set the ceiling.
A fixed set is stronger. It draws from the boat battery, and you can run a proper antenna up high on the console or a small mast. Range improves clearly and you never think about charging. Beyond a few miles, the fixed set wins.
VHF works by line of sight. Range follows antenna height more than power. A handheld at deck level talking to another handheld gives you a few miles. A fixed set with the antenna raised, talking to a coastguard station with a high antenna, reaches much further.
Keep the antenna vertical and high, clear of metal, and do not expect magic from a bigger box.
Salt water kills radios. Look for a waterproof rating, rinse with fresh water after every trip, and keep the set clear of spray. Charge before every departure, and carry a spare battery or a power bank. A dead radio means a call that never leaves the boat.
Channel 16 is the calling and distress channel. You keep a watch on it and use it for short calls: make contact, agree a working channel, and move there. You do not hold conversations on it.
Plain language beats radio code. Say who you are calling, who you are, and what you want.
"[Boat name], [Boat name], this is [your boat name]." Wait for the reply, then state your business: your position, your situation, what you need.
With the coastguard on a routine call, the same order holds: identify yourself, give your position, explain the problem. In an emergency, start with the distress word, then your position, then how many people are aboard and the nature of the problem. Speak slowly and repeat your position twice.
Before you leave the dock or shift to a new spot, write down your position โ coordinates or a clear description โ and keep it where anyone aboard can read it. In a real emergency there may be no time to read instruments, and a written position can be passed in seconds.
Check the radio before you leave, not when you need it. Confirm the set powers up, the antenna is connected, and you can hear traffic. A five-second check on the way out saves a silent radio when the weather changes.
Here the B7R app helps, with tide tables for Shuaiba and Shuwaikh ports, sea state, fish guide, catch log, seasons, marine tools and an SOS emergency button โ free on Google Play.
Check sea state and tide before you leave, and keep the radio charged and tested. The B7R app keeps sea state, tides and the SOS button in one place โ free on Google Play: Google Play