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Just put a new Marine radio on my flats skiff and need advice on proper use. I am not the kind of person that chatters alot on a radio but was wondering about the proper etiquette to use. What channels to call your friends, what channel to use for help and etc... I mainly got the radio for safety purposes. Thanks for any advise.

jc,

Not one to chatter while I'm trying to fish either but if you need to communicate with other fisherman set up another non-emergency channel to moniter.
By the way, how did the skeg repair go?

Ch 16 is a hailing and distress channel ONLY!! Contact the other party by the following example below:
"your boat name" to "other boat name"
Like this (my boat as a example)
The call:
"Surface Interval to Big T"
response:
This is "Big T", switch and answer ch. 18 (or other channel)
If the boat you are calling does not know proper radio edicate take this time and tell them to switch and answer ch. 18. Once on Ch. 18 (or other ch.) tell your other boating buddy that you got all the fish and he need not fish anymore..

Thanks, so its all right to call someone on 16 because usually everyone is monitoring that channel, but use another channel to "bullskate" on. I been fishing the flats for about 10 yrs. and don't mean to sound like a "green-horn" but I just recently realized that a radio may come in handy.

You got it. Call whoever then change channels directly. Having a radio aboard is a must in the Gulf