Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Frequencies

Follow The Sydney to Hobart Race Via Your Radio!

For the last 76 years, the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has been run on Boxing Day December 26. Sadly last year due to COVID, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia announced that the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race would not be proceeding in 2020.

The great news is it will be recommencing in 2021

The race covers 628 nautical miles from Sydney to Hobart. Installation of an operational HF transceiver is mandatory for all vessels entered in the race.

HF and shortwave radio enthusiasts can listen in to position and weather reports during the race by monitoring the following frequencies:

Primary HF frequency: 4483 kHz USB
Secondary frequency: 6516 kHz USB

6516 kHz USB is constantly monitored by relay vessel “JBW” owned and donated for use during the race by Mr John Winning, owner of Appliances Online. JBW is a 70 foot motor cruiser.

Weather forecasts:
4426 kHz, 8176 kHz, 12365 kHz and 16546 kHz, USB at 1030, 1430 and 1830 AEST daily,
2201 kHz, 6507 kHz, 8176 kHz and 12365 kHz USB at 0230, 0630 and 2230 AEST daily.

Tasmanian weather forecasts on the above frequencies at: 1130 and 1530 AEST
Tasmanian maritime radio:

2524 kHz, 4146 kHz, and 6627 khz USB at 0745, 1345, 1633 and 1903 AEST

Position reports:
4483 kHz USB at 1935, 2035 and 0635AEST daily

Many thanks to Tecsun Radios Australia for providing all of this monitoring information. It’s always a blast for me to listening to live event communications!

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jerome van der Linden, who writes:

I just found after reviewing a 16 page PDF of regulations etc from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, some relevant information for listeners who may want to try to hear the boat to shore communications of yachts participating in this annual yacht race, which is quite famous in this part of the world.

This race will commence at 1300 Sydney time 26th December, which is 0200 UTC, by my reckoning (today, down here). The race normally runs for about 3 or 4 days depending on conditions. It’s not clear to me just when the boats are expected to report their positions, other than that shown below for Green Cape, which is in southern News South Wales. Perhaps someone else can add the time schedule if they know it.

“Boats shall be capable of transmitting/receiving, as a minimum, on the following frequencies:

– VHF – International Channels 16, 72, 73, 80 and 81
– HF/SSB – 4483kHz and 6516kHz and such other frequencies as the Organising Authority may determine”

“Boats shall maintain a 24 hour listening watch for the duration of their race on VHF Channel 16.

For radio communications, a boat’s name may be limited to not more than two words. The Race Committee may alter names where appropriate. The Sailing Instructions will require that boats report by radio when they are in the vicinity of Green Cape and make a declaration confirming their time of passing as well as the following:

The HF radio is fully operational

Liferaft(s) are on board

Engine and batteries are operational

Boat and crew are in a satisfactory condition to continue

The skipper has comprehensively considered the most current weather forecast and the boat and crew are fully prepared for the conditions forecast.”

[Note that] I just found, from a post a couple years ago, that the time for reporting may be 0735 and 1905 Australian eastern time, which would mean 2035 and 0805 UTC while the race is in progress. It also suggests the 6516kHz frequency is the main one, with 4483 being the backup.

Brilliant, Jerome! Thank you for sharing these frequencies—how I would love to listen to some of the craft report in on HF. I think I’ll be spending some time down under on the KiwiSDR network the next few days!

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