Core Safety and Calling Channels
Before the full list, these are the two channels every VHF user in New Zealand needs memorised, not looked up.
- Channel 16 (156.800 MHz): the international distress, safety and calling channel. Monitored 24/7. Use for MAYDAY, PAN PAN, and SÉCURITÉ calls, and to hail another vessel before switching to a working channel.
- Channel 70 (156.525 MHz): reserved exclusively for Digital Selective Calling. No voice communication happens here, it's the automated distress-alert channel.
For everything else, terminology matters. In New Zealand many of the low-numbered channels (1 through 8) also serve as regional Coastguard working channels, which is genuinely useful once you know your own region's number.
Complete NZ VHF Marine Channel and Frequency List
| Ch | Tx Freq | Rx Freq | Traffic / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 156.050 | 160.650 | Tauranga, Hawke's Bay, Southern Region Coastguard |
| 2 | 156.100 | 160.700 | Far North Radio & Sea Rescue, Northern, Rotorua Lakes, Central Region Coastguard |
| 3 | 156.150 | 160.750 | Gisborne Coastguard, Mount Campbell Networks |
| 4 | 156.200 | 160.800 | Northern Region Coastguard, Whangamata Coastguard |
| 5 | 156.250 | 156.850 | Northern Region Coastguard, Netcom Services, Gisborne, Southern Region |
| 6 | 156.300 | 156.300 | Safety and Intership Communications |
| 7 | 156.350 | 160.950 | Commercial Duplex |
| 8 | 156.400 | 156.400 | Northern Region Coastguard, Waihi Beach Coastguard |
| 9 | 156.450 | 156.450 | Port Operations & Ship Movements |
| 10 | 156.500 | 156.500 | Port Operations & Ship Movements |
| 11 | 156.550 | 156.550 | Port Operations, Northport |
| 12 | 156.600 | 156.600 | Port Operations & Ship Movements |
| 13 | 156.650 | 156.650 | Intership Navigation Safety (bridge-to-bridge) |
| 14 | 156.700 | 156.700 | Port Operations & Ship Movements |
| 15 | 156.750 | 156.750 | Environmental, low power on-board use |
| 16 | 156.800 | 156.800 | International Distress, Safety & Calling |
| 17 | 156.850 | 156.850 | Special Purpose, low power on-board use |
| 18 | 156.900 | 161.500 | Public Correspondence, Northern/Whakatane Coastguard, Port Marlborough |
| 19 | 156.950 | 161.550 | Port Operations & Ship Movements |
| 20-23 | 157.000-157.150 | 161.600-161.750 | Safety, continuous weather broadcasts |
| 24 | 157.200 | 161.800 | Public Correspondence Duplex |
| 25 | 157.250 | 161.850 | Maritime Radio |
| 26-28 | 157.300-157.400 | 161.900-162.000 | Public Correspondence Duplex |
| 60-66 | 156.025-156.325 | 160.625-160.925 | Public Correspondence Duplex, regional Coastguard repeaters |
| 67-69, 71 | 156.375-156.475, 156.575 | same | Maritime Radio |
| 70 | 156.525 | 156.525 | DSC for Distress, Urgency, Safety only |
| 72, 75-77 | 156.625-156.875 | same | Intership, Port Operations |
| 73, 74 | 156.675, 156.725 | same | Intership, Port Operations & Ship Movements |
| 78-88 | 156.925-157.425 | paired 161.525-162.000 | Public Correspondence Duplex, Port Operations |
Bay of Plenty Regional Detail
If you're operating out of Tauranga Harbour or around the Bay of Plenty coast, three channels are worth programming in before you leave the marina:
- Channel 01: Tauranga Coastguard's main working channel, for trip reports and routine calls around the harbour entrance.
- Channel 62: Kaimai Ranges repeater, extending coverage inland and around the ranges.
- Channel 66: Mayor Island repeater, extending coverage for boaties heading out towards the island.
Programming these three in before you head out takes two minutes and saves a frustrating scramble mid-trip when you actually need to log a report or raise Coastguard.
Using This Reference
Knowing the frequency behind a channel number matters most when programming a radio manually, cross-checking a chart, or troubleshooting why a channel isn't behaving as expected. Day to day, you'll work off the channel number, not the raw frequency, but having both in one place means you're never caught guessing.
For the full picture on licensing, DSC, choosing hardware, and proper on-air etiquette, see our complete guide to VHF marine radio in NZ. Mobile Systems Limited is 100% New Zealand owned and based in Mount Maunganui, with over 25 years supplying and installing marine communication equipment across GME and Icom.
