VHF Radios: Everything You Need To Know

Unlock your VHF’s full potential—clear communication, advanced features, and safer cruising

$39.00 USD

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VHF Radio Course: Learn with Confidence, Communicate with Clarity

Many boaters are nervous about using a VHF radio—what to say, when to say it, and how to handle emergencies. But your VHF is more than just a radio—it’s your lifeline for weather updates, marina calls, hailing bridge tenders, and coordinating safe passing with boats you don’t even know the name of. This course takes the guesswork out of using your marine VHF radio, so you can communicate with confidence.

✔ Step-by-step instruction. Learn how to use a VHF radio correctly, from basic calls to emergency procedures.
✔ Real-world audio examples. Hear actual radio calls so you know exactly what to say and expect.
✔ Simple, clear explanations. No tech jargon—just practical, easy-to-follow lessons that make sense.
✔ Covers Dual Watch, DSC, and Mayday Calls. Understand features that could save your life in an emergency.

Whether you're a new boater or need a refresher, this VHF radio course will demystify your radio, reduce your stress, and make you a more confident communicator on the water.

Don’t stay silent when you need to be heard—enroll today!

What You’ll Learn • Confident Communication and Advanced Features

✔ Make clear and effective routine calls, even in busy or noisy conditions
✔ Use high and low power appropriately to improve communication
✔ Set up and make automated emergency calls using DSC (Digital Selective Calling)*
✔ Understand AIS to see nearby boats and avoid close encounters*
✔ Get precise marine weather forecasts for your exact location
✔ Call drawbridges, locks, and boats you don’t know with confidence
✔ Master the critical language and procedures for emergency calls

*Requires a VHF radio with these capabilities

What’s Included • 9 Comprehensive Modules Packed with Resources

This course includes clear instructions, real-world examples, and multimedia tools to ensure you can confidently use your VHF radio:

VHF Basics: Understand radio types, channels, range, and how to clearly communicate.
Making Routine Calls: Step-by-step guides for calling known and unknown boats, hailing drawbridges and locks, and switching to working channels.
Channel Guide: Learn which channels to use for specific purposes and which to avoid.
Radio Lingo: Speak the language of the water with proper terms, spelling protocols, and radio etiquette.
Emergency Calls: Differentiate between mayday, pan-pan, and sécurité calls, and know exactly what to say in a crisis.
Advanced Features: Unlock the power of DSC, AIS, and dual watch to enhance safety and situational awareness.
Cruiser’s Nets: Join and benefit from cruiser’s nets for local knowledge and community updates.
Weather Radio: Get detailed, location-specific forecasts and stay ahead of changing conditions.
Practical Tips and Tools: Includes audio clips, videos, printable guides, and quizzes to reinforce learning.

Why It’s Different

This course is tailored for real-world boating, focusing on practical, hands-on skills you’ll use every day:

✔ Real-World Scenarios: Practice with examples like hailing unknown boats and navigating congested airwaves.
✔ Multimedia Tools: Audio clips and videos provide context and reinforce learning for every situation.
✔ Advanced Features Made Simple: Step-by-step instructions to set up and use DSC, AIS, and more.
✔ Printable Guides: Handy resources for quick reference at your radio.
✔ Beginner-Friendly: Designed for boaters of all experience levels, with clear explanations of technical concepts.

How It Works • On-Demand, Lifetime Access

✔ Immediate access: Login details appear on the purchase confirmation screen and are emailed to you.
✔ Lifetime access: Revisit the course as often as you need, and receive all future updates at no extra cost.
✔ Learn at your pace: No schedules, no pressure—complete the course when it works for you.
✔ Practical for boaters: Entirely text- and photo-based with videos and audio, so you can learn even with limited internet connectivity.

About the Instructor • John Herlig

John Herlig has spent years mastering the VHF radio, both as a cruiser aboard his 1967 Rawson 30 and as a delivery captain. His extensive experience includes cruising the East Coast, Bahamas, and the Caribbean, where he learned the real-world challenges and benefits of using the VHF effectively.

As an instructor at Cruisers University and a frequent writer for leading boating publications, John brings a practical, approachable teaching style that demystifies even the most advanced radio features. Whether you’re a new boater or an experienced cruiser, John’s expertise will empower you to use your VHF with confidence.

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Our Guarantee

At The Boat Galley, we have one mission: to help you cruise with confidence.

As liveaboard cruisers, we understand the challenges and questions that come with boat life. That’s why we create practical products and courses designed to tackle the same issues we’ve faced ourselves—making your life on the water easier, safer, and more enjoyable.

Try our products and courses for yourself. If they don’t make your boat life better, use our 90-day FREE no-hassle return guarantee.

Raved About By Cindy G. . . .

"Dual watch, DSC, mayday calls . . . all de-mystified. . . . This course taught me what the VHF can do for me, and how and why."

Verified Purchaser, VHF Radios: Everything You Need To Know

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Where You’ve Seen Us

Meet The Boat Galley Team

At The Boat Galley, we’re all cruisers. We know the joys—and the challenges—of boat life. The steep learning curve, costly mistakes, and hours spent searching for answers can be overwhelming. We’ve been there. That’s why we’ve created practical tools, trusted resources, and real-world guides to help you skip the frustrations and focus on enjoying your cruising life.

Carolyn Shearlock

Founder of The Boat Galley
17 years liveaboard cruiser
US, Mexico, Bahamas, Central America, Virgin Islands, Turkey
Cruisers University instructor

Larry Webber

Cruising Guide creator
6 years living aboard and cruising
US East Coast from Florida Keys to Maine and Bahamas
Ex-Air Force; singlehander

Nica Waters

Provisioning guru; podcaster
On & off living aboard since 1992
Atlantic crossing; US, Caribbean, and Bahamas
Years of cruising with kids

John Herlig

VHF pro and frugal cruiser
Cruiser and delivery captain
US East Coast, Bahamas, Haiti, and Caribbean
Cruisers University instructor

Pamela Douglas: Creator of the Cruising With Your Dog course, 7 years cruising the US East Coast and ICW with her dog, Honey.

Pamela Douglas (& Honey)

Creator of Cruising With Your Dog
7 years cruising with Honey
US East Coast and ICW
Part of the Go Pet Friendly team
15+ years writing about dogs

Julie Tijerina

Graphics designer
8 years living aboard
US East Coast to SE Caribbean
Design and layout for all printed products

Katherine González

Social media coordinator
Pacific Ocean: Seattle, WA to New Zealand, incl. French Polynesia
Complete newbie to sailing prior to her 11,000 nm voyage

Kimberly Ward

Boatshow booth "mom"
Sabbatical and part-year cruiser
US, Bahamas, Caribbean
Family cruising New England to southern Caribbean

Curious about our story and what drives us? Learn more about us here.

Very good. I have been through it once but will review many times as there is a lot of info. Wish you had a link to the NOAA weather map you show on the chapter on WX weather channels. I looked and cannot find the same or similar map.

Reply: We do have a link to that chart in the course and it's also on the downloadable VHF Reference at the end of the course. I'm sending you a link with it, too.

A very helpful summary, much of which experienced boaters will know, but there are always nuggets to learn and this is full of them. The downloadable template at the end is helpful and we've printed for our nav station . . .

Dual watch, DSC, mayday calls ... all de-mystified. I had to look in the user manual for my own VHF radio for which buttons to push, but this course taught me what the VHF can do for me, and how and why.

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VHF Radios: Everything You Need To Know