RYA VHF / SRC Marine Radio Exams
Pre-exam Requisites
Minimum age: 16
Exam fee: £70-00 payable to RYA direct
Pre-exam experience: Completed Online SRC course OR Classroom SRC course
What to bring:
- Completed Exam application form
- Passport photograph with your name printed on the reverse
- Evidence of SRC course completion (Online - completion certificate OR an exam application signed by your classroom course instructor) OR An acceptable non-GMDSS maritime radio operator's certificate such as the RYA's restricted VHF certificate OR an aviation licence including a radio operator's certificate
- Proof of payment for the exam (£60 direct to RYA Via link) This payment will need to be made online PRIOR to your exam and evidence of payment brought along on the exam date. Please pay on the RYA website at this link
- Pen & paper
Exam Location
The exams are generally conducted every two weeks at our classrooms at Cobbs Quay Marina in Poole.
What's Involved In The SRC Exam?
Practical exam:
Duration: Approx 30 minutes (Max 4 students)
Utilising 'real' training radios.
You will be given an opportunity (minimum 15mins) to familiarise yourself with the sets prior to your exam commencing and your assessor will be on-hand to guide you through 'knobology', but will be unable to guide you on any other aspects.
The items you will want to familiarise yourself with are:
- Power switch
- Volume / Squelch
- High/Low Power
- Channel control
- Distress button and menus
- DSC call menus and buttons
The practical exam will include all or a selection of the following (see Practical exam details in RYA Book G26 for further details):
- Distress situations
- Urgency situations
- Safety situations
- Routine Communications
Theory exam:
Duration: Approx 30 mins
Question paper: approximately 50% of the questions are multiple choice.
Pre-Exam Reading:
may 2019 update:
Pls see update to Mayday relay protocols at:
Book your VHF SRC Exam in Poole:
CAN'T GET TO OUR LOCATION FOR YOUR EXAM?
All is not lost, although we would love to have you visit us to take your exam this is not always a viable option for everyone; you can therefore take your exam at an alternative RYA VHF/SRC marine radio centre. You just need to get in contact with us at info@marine-education.co.uk so we can look at the alternative options available and we can make arrangements with the RYA VHF Exam centre nearer to you. We then need to send out an exam report card to the exam centre of choice PRIOR to your exam, if the exam centre / location is outside of the U.K. you will be charged an 'at cost' postage fee for this.
VHF Exam Training videos:
A couple of videos to familiarise you with our VHF training sets:
Useful reminder tutorials:
After your Exam / Certificates:
On successful completion of the assessment (practical & written paper) the VHF application form will be sent to the RYA along with your passport photo and certificate fee. The RYA certification department will then post your RYA VHF certificate directly to you.
The operators licence (Short Range Certificate) you will receive is for Class D radios, the type fitted to most leisure craft. It is generally accepted internationally for operators on British flagged boats, but to operate a radio on a foreign craft you should contact the appropriate national authority.
Please allow 21 days for your certificate to be processed by the RYA. If you require your certificate urgently you can apply for 'FAST-TRACK' which will guarantee a 2 working day turn-around from the date the RYA receives your application.
The FAST-TRACK service carries an additional fee of £30-00 (non-members), £20-00 (standard RYA members), £15-00 (accredited RYA members), £10-00 (Gold RYA members) and is Free for Life RYA members.
What happens if I don't pass?
Firstly, this is unlikely unless you have done no prior revision. There are no 'trick' questions within the exam and the second part of the theory paper is multiple choice.
If you do happen to have a 'bad day' then you can of course re-sit your exam, this has to be done on a seperate day however an additional resit charge will apply.
Re-taking the theory exam: It is possible to re-take the theory exam on the same day should you not reach the required grade. Please be aware that you will not sit the same exam paper twice.
However if you do not pass within these 2 papers, you will need to re-attend on a seperate day and an additional charge will apply.
