NZ MVOC (VHF Radio) study plan
NZ MVOC (VHF Radio) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Marine VHF radio operating procedures and distress, urgency and safety communications & Emergency communications, MAYDAY and rescue coordination in New Zealand waters
List the four priority levels of marine VHF traffic (distress, urgency, safety, routine) and state which signal word opens each
Recite the full MAYDAY call structure from memory in the correct order, including vessel identity, position, nature of distress and persons on board
Explain why a MAYDAY must never be transmitted on a channel other than Channel 16 or a designated distress channel
Describe the correct response of a station hearing an unanswered MAYDAY, including the 5-second silence rule and relay procedure
Your checkpoint
Record yourself transmitting a complete, error-free MAYDAY call and a MAYDAY RELAY from memory, then self-score both against a written checklist with at least 90% of elements correct
Emergency communications, MAYDAY and rescue coordination in New Zealand waters & Marine VHF radio operating procedures and distress, urgency and safety communications
Draft a PAN PAN urgency call and a SECURITE safety call for two different realistic scenarios and justify the choice of signal word in each
Outline how a distress alert is passed from a vessel to Maritime NZ's Rescue Coordination Centre and who may be tasked in response
Describe the actions to take when MAYDAY acknowledgement is not received, including antenna height adjustments and relay options
Explain the procedures for cancelling a false alert and for silencing a distress alarm on your own set
Your checkpoint
Write a one-page scenario sheet containing three incidents (one distress, one urgency, one safety) with the correct call script and the expected shore-station response for each
Radio regulations, licensing and operator certification requirements
State the licence and operator certificate requirements for operating a marine VHF radio on a New Zealand vessel, and identify who administers them
Distinguish between ship station licensing obligations and the personal operator certificate, and list which vessels are exempt
Summarise the penalties and enforcement consequences of transmitting without the required authority
Explain the international framework that underpins New Zealand marine radio rules and how it interacts with domestic law
Your checkpoint
Produce a one-page comparison table of licence versus operator certificate: who needs it, who issues it, validity, and consequences of non-compliance
VHF equipment, channels, frequencies and limitations & Radio regulations, licensing and operator certification requirements
Memorise the frequency and purpose of the core channels: 16, 06, 13, 67, 70 and the New Zealand distress, safety and working channels
Explain the difference between simplex and duplex operation and identify which channels are duplex-only
Describe the function and correct use of DSC on Channel 70, including why voice transmission is prohibited there
State the power output limits, antenna requirements and coverage limitations of a typical marine VHF installation
Identify which channels are prohibited or restricted for general use and why
Your checkpoint
Complete a blank channel chart from memory, filling in frequency, mode (simplex/duplex) and permitted use for at least 12 channels with 100% accuracy on the core six
Marine VHF radio operating procedures and distress, urgency and safety communications & VHF equipment, channels, frequencies and limitations
Demonstrate correct radiotelephony discipline: call signs, phonetic alphabet, prowords and the correct order of a routine call and reply
Explain channel switching procedure after initial contact on Channel 16 and why working channels must be used
Describe correct use of Channel 13 for bridge-to-bridge and the limitations on its use by recreational vessels
List the common operating errors that cause interference or unnecessary transmissions and how to avoid each
Your checkpoint
Pass a timed phonetic alphabet and proword drill with zero errors, plus a written routine call script that correctly moves a working vessel from Channel 16 to a working channel
Emergency communications, MAYDAY and rescue coordination in New Zealand waters & Marine VHF radio operating procedures and distress, urgency and safety communications
Describe how New Zealand's maritime search and rescue structure is organised and which organisations may coordinate a response
Explain the role of the distress, urgency and safety frequencies in alerting, and the difference between an alert and a response
Outline what information rescue coordination needs from a vessel in distress and why each element matters
Describe procedures for medical advice, medevac requests and communications failure during an emergency
Your checkpoint
Write a 400-word emergency communications brief explaining the path from a distress call to a coordinated rescue in New Zealand waters, checked against your notes for factual accuracy
Marine VHF radio operating procedures and distress, urgency and safety communications & Radio regulations, licensing and operator certification requirements & VHF equipment, channels, frequencies and limitations & Emergency communications, MAYDAY and rescue coordination in New Zealand waters
Work through mixed-topic practice questions across all four domains and log every error by domain and cause
Re-derive the correct answer for each logged error without consulting notes, then verify
Identify your two weakest sub-topics and build a targeted revision list for each
Rehearse the full MAYDAY, PAN PAN and SECURITE scripts until each is produced without hesitation
Your checkpoint
Produce an error log covering at least 40 practice questions with a written correction and root cause for every miss
Emergency communications, MAYDAY and rescue coordination in New Zealand waters & Marine VHF radio operating procedures and distress, urgency and safety communications & Radio regulations, licensing and operator certification requirements & VHF equipment, channels, frequencies and limitations
Sit two full-length timed mock exams under exam conditions and record scores by domain
Close remaining gaps by re-testing only the sub-topics that scored below 80%
Recite all distress, urgency and safety scripts and core channel data one final time from memory
Confirm practical readiness: licence and certificate requirements, channel discipline and emergency procedures
Your checkpoint
Score at least 85% on both timed mock exams with no domain below 75%, evidenced by a written score breakdown
Milestones
Week 2: Can transmit a complete MAYDAY and MAYDAY RELAY from memory, and correctly select the signal word for three given scenarios
Week 4: Scores 100% on the core channel chart (16, 06, 13, 67, 70) and can state licence versus certificate requirements without notes
Week 6: Explains the distress-to-rescue path in New Zealand waters accurately and passes the phonetic alphabet and proword drill with zero errors
Week 8: Scores at least 85% on two timed mock exams with no domain below 75%