It is that time of year when thousands of recreational boaters take to local waterways in the pursuit of fun and relaxation. While the vessels may vary in size and shape, the marine VHF radio is their common link for communications and safety. However, there are only a limited number of public marine channels and not knowing how to make an emergency call for help ( MAYDAY call ) could have disastrous results. As the saying goes, a little education goes a long way.

Just knowing the rules and proper procedures in everyday non-emergency communications decreases confusion and gives more people access to a public marine channel. To this end, Industry Canada mandated that anyone using a marine VHF radio must be certified in it’s operation and procedures.

The Canadian Power and Sail Squadron ( CPS ) has been delegated the responsibility to teach, examine and issue the Restricted Radio Operator Certificate - Marine ( ROC-M ). They have produced a study guide, complete with a Global Maritime Distress Satellite Service ( GMDSS ) module, to help students prepare for the exam. If successful, the student is then issued an ROC-M that is good for life. We recommend that more than one family member get their ROC-M so there is a back-up operator available.

The CPS organization regularly runs courses and examinations in locations across Canada. More information about the ROC-M certificate, the study guide and how to get started is available on the CPS web site, which is found at http://www.cps-ecp.ca. You can also make contact with the local CPS  Squadron in Kelowna to get you on your way to obtaining your radio operator certification.  The Kelowna Squadron's phone number is (250) 712-5110, and our e-mail address is kelownacps@telus.net