On 13 August this year, Ofcom published revised proposals for applying fees to maritime VHF shore stations. This can be found at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/aip_maritime/ The consultation period runs until 13 November 2009.

Ofcom has proposed that all channels used for co-ordinated search and rescue under the control of the Coastguard should be available free of charge to authorised users. The MCA will determine who should have access to these channels. In addition, we have proposed that a UK private channel should be made available, free of charge, for use as a routine working channel by maritime rescue organisations. The MCA would determine who should have access to this channel too, but we do not envisage that this one would necessarily be limited to declared facilities. The channel would be shared and Ofcom would not attempt to co-ordinate use by different rescue organisations, so users would have to manage any traffic congestion.

Ofcom is keen to know whether maritime search and rescue organisations would be interested in having access to the proposed new, free, working channel. There would be no point reserving a channel for this purpose if only a few organisations would use it. The web link shown above explains how to make your views known. The simplest way to respond is through the Online form, then How to Respond and then Online form.”