BMEA

There has been a lot of interest about the recent developments by OFCOM that allow UK Boatowners to use their marine VHF radios in inland waterways throughout Europe. This has come about because OFCOM are now issuing a Notice of Variation to the current VHF licence allowing UK boatowners to gain an ATIS (Automatic Transmission Identification System) number.

Users have to first contact OFCOM at licensingcentre@ofcom.org.uk with their name, vessel name, vessel callsign, MMSI number (which will be sent to the Belgian Institute of Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT). Ofcom will then check their records and issue them with a Notice of Variation (NOV) to their licence. They can then contact thier marine electronic dealer, with their newly issued ATIS number and have it programmed into their radio.

All of Icom’s current range of VHF Handheld and VHF/DSC fixed marine radios are ATIS capable.

We have answered some of the most common questions in our Marine FAQ section of this website and on a downloadable PDF factsheet.  Click on Icom Marine FAQ’s to view these answers.

To download a PDF of our new ATIS factsheet, please click on Icom ATIS Factsheet.