BlueSeas

New Zealand VHF Marine Radio Frequencies

New Zealand Frequency and Usage Table

Maritime New Zealand’s Maritime Radio Service (MRS) is responsible for maintaining VHF and HF radio services for New Zealand’s coastal waters and much of the South Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea. The services it provides include monitoring radio frequencies for distress messages around the clock. The "Radio Spectrum Management Group" (RSM) manages all frequency allocation in New Zealand.

New Zealand makes use of the International Frequency Plan. There are approximately 55 VHF channels available plus 2 additional channels dedicated to the Automatic Identification System services (AIS.)

New Zealand VHF Frequencies

Digital Selective Calling (DSC)

While DSC radio is available and can be used between similarly equipped vessels, at present there is limited shore support for DSC monitoring.

DSC is not used on the maritime VHF or MF frequency bands and does not cover the GMDSS in-shore area designations* of A1 and A2. However, "Taupo Maritime Radio," does provide HF coverage for areas A3 and A4 in the New Zealand monitored sea area.

New Zealand MSI and Weather Broadcasts

All New Zealand coastal VHF stations broadcast forecasts for all weather areas simultaneously.

Maritime Radio VHF voice broadcasts are announced on Channel 16 and broadcast on the channel announced. Broadcast times are 0133, 0533, 0733, 1033, 1333, 1733, 2133 Local Time. Local area forecasts and current wind conditions are also broadcast continuously by Coastguard using channels 19, 2019, 20, 2020, 79, & 2079 (NowCasting). Chatham Islands coastal VHF stations transmit weather forecasts simultaneously on their working channels 60 and 62 at 0603, 1403, 1803, 2203 (Chatham Islands Local Time).

New Zealand Weather NowCasting Locations

The above Weather Nowcasting document above is available for download or viewing.

List of New Zealand VHF Frequencies and Usage

New Zealand VHF Frequencies
Channel Number Ship Transmit MHz Ship Receive MHz Use Types of Transmissions
01 156.050 160.650 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Hawke's Bay, Tauranga, & Maketu
02 156.100 160.700 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Raglan & Rotorua Lakes
03 156.150 160.750 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Gisborne
04 156.200 160.800 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Whangamata & Bay of Islands
05 156.250 160.850 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Whangaroa, Whangarei, & East Cape
06 156.300 156.300 Safety and Inter-ship Communications Coordinated Search & Rescue and Ship Stations working frequency.
2006 160.900 160.900 Special Test Frequency Reserved for Future Use
07 156.350 160.950 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Kaipara & Waihi Beach
08 156.400 156.400 Inter-ship Communications Ship Stations working frequency.
09 156.450 156.450 Port Operations & Vessel Movements Harbor Authority Communications - working frequency.
10 156.500 156.500 Port Operations & Vessel Movements Harbor Authority Communications - working frequency.
11 156.550 156.550 Port Operations & Vessel Movements Harbor Authority Communications - working frequency.
12 156.600 156.600 Port Operations & Vessel Movements Harbor Authority Communications - working frequency.
13 156.650 156.650 Inter ship Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-Bridge). International Navigation Safety Channel. May also be used for ship movement and port operations. Limited Coast Stations calling and working.
14 156.700 156.700 Port Operations & Vessel Movements Harbor Authority Communications - working frequency.
15 156.750 156.750 Safety Diving Operations
16 156.800 156.800 International Distress, Urgency, Safety and Calling.
17 156.850 156.850 Special Purpose Aquatic Events.
18 156.900 161.500 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Manukau, Whakatane, Opotiki & Wanganui
19 156.950 161.550 Safety Continuous Marine Broadcasts
1019 156.950 156.950    
2019 161.550 161.550 Safety Continuous Marine Broadcasts
20 157.000 161.600 Safety Continuous Marine Broadcasts
1020 157.000 157.000    
2020 161.600 161.600 Safety Continuous Marine Broadcasts
21 157.050 161.650    
22 157.100 161.700    
23 157.150 161.750    
24 157.200 161.800    
25 157.250 161.850    
26 157.300 161.900    
27 157.350 161.950    
28 157.400 162.000    
60 156.025 160.625 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Hauraki (Outer Gulf), Manawatu, Kaikoura,& Chatham Islands Maritime Radio
61 156.075 160.675 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Whangaruru, North Kaipara, Tutukaka, Lake Taupo, Taurangi, Taranaki
62 156.125 160.725 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Wellington & Chatham Islands Maritime Radio
63 156.175 160.775 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Whitianga, Tairua, Pauanui, South Taranaki, & Canterbury
64 156.225 160.825 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Hauraki (Inner Gulf )
65 156.275 160.875 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater Hokianga & Waihau Bay
66 156.325 160.925 Public Correspondence Duplex Repeater North Kaipara
67 156.375 156.375 Maritime Radio Working channel for Whangarei, Tologa, Wairarapa, Taranaki, D'Urville, Fox, Puysegur, Kaikoura, and Waitaki Marine Radios, and anti-pollution operations.
68 156.425 156.425 Maritime Radio Working channel for Cape Reinga, Plenty, Napier, Farewell, Picton, Akaroa, Greymouth and Bluff Maritime Radios.
69 156.475 156.475 Maritime Radio Working channel for Great Barrier & Wanganui Maritime Radio.
70 156.525 156.525 DSC -(Voice Communications Not Authorized) Use this channel for distress and safety calling and for general purpose calling using only digital selective calling techniques.
71 156.575 156.575 Maritime Radio Working channels between coast and ship stations after initial contact has been made on channel 16. Also working channel for Kaitaia, Auckland, Runaway, Wellington, Westport, Fiordland, Chalmers, Cape Egmont and Stewart Island Maritime Radios.
72 156.625 156.625 Inter-ship  
73 156.675 156.675 Intership, Port Operations, Ship Movements Marinas and for use in association with maritime developments.
74 156.725 156.725 Port Operations and Ship Movements Working channels between coast and ship stations after initial contact has been made on channel 16.
75 156.775 156.775 Intership  
76 156.825 156.825 Intership  
77 156.875 156.875 Special Purpose Aquatic Events
78 156.925 161.525    
79 156.975 161.575 Safety Continuous Marine Broadcasts
1079 156.975 156.975    
2079 161.575 161.575 Safety Continuous Marine Broadcasts
80 157.025 161.625    
81 157.075 161.675    
82 157.125 161.725    
83 157.175 161.775    
84 157.225 161.825    
85 157.250 161.875    
86 157.325 161.925    
87 157.375 161.375    
88 157.425 157.425    
         
AIS 1 161.975 161.975 Automatic Identification System (AIS) Identification & Navigation Information
AIS 2 162.025 162.025 Automatic Identification System (AIS) Identification & Navigation Information
 

The complete list can be downloaded in zipped PDF format New Zealand VHF Frequency Chart.

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