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From 1 October 2026 a new UBI question catalogue applies for the UKW-Sprechfunkzeugnis für den Binnenschifffahrtsfunk, or UBI for short. The responsible Amt für Binnen-Verkehrstechnik in Koblenz released the new examination materials in October; the answers to the practice papers are available in a version dated 22 October (status: October 2026).
The essentials at a glance
- The new master question catalogue applies to all UBI examinations from 1 October 2026; the previous catalogue has been superseded.
- The catalogue comprises 130 questions, divided into five subject areas.
- There are also new materials for the supplementary examination, which allows holders of a maritime radio certificate to add the UBI.
- The examination procedure remains unchanged: 22 questions in the theory part, followed by a practical part at the radio set.
- Anyone learning with older books, apps or question papers should check whether they have already been updated to the new standard.
What is new about the UBI question catalogue?
The question catalogue has been revised and replaces the previous catalogue. The legally binding version is the one published in the Verkehrsblatt; it has been in use since 1 October 2026.
This includes a tabular overview for handling radio communications, the so-called radio procedure table (as of December 2025). It shows the sequence and wording for a radio conversation on inland waters. It is a good learning aid for the practical part of the examination.
In October, the Amt für Binnen-Verkehrstechnik published the corresponding materials: the complete question catalogue, an overview of how the questions are distributed across the examination papers, and practice question papers. The answers to these practice papers are available for download in the version dated 22 October 2026. There is also a new separate catalogue with practice papers for the supplementary examination.
Which topics does the new catalogue cover?
The 130 questions are divided into five sections: general basics of inland waterway radio communications, radio equipment and ship radio stations, the so-called traffic circles, the radiotelephone procedure itself, and operating procedures and priorities.
Traffic circles are fixed groups of channels for specific purposes. There are four of them: ship–ship, Nautical Information (radio communication with waterway control centres and locks), ship–harbour authority, and on-board radio communications. Anyone taking the UBI must know which channel is intended for what purpose and how to identify yourself on it.
Another key area is ATIS. This is an automatic identification that the radio transmits when you release the transmit button, so that other stations can see who has just transmitted. The code is ten digits long and begins with a 9. The catalogue also asks about limited transmission power, for example on ship–ship channel 10, and about the priority order of distress, urgency, safety and routine traffic. In the official catalogue, the correct answer is always given first, as answer a).
Who does the change apply to?
Anyone sitting the UBI examination or the supplementary examination from October 2026 onwards is affected. Anyone taking the examination now will be examined according to the new catalogue, even if the course was completed in the summer.
The UBI is the radio certificate for inland waters. It is valid not only on German rivers and canals, but on the inland waterways of countries that have signed the common regulation on inland waterway radio communications, including Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Poland. For sailors, it becomes particularly relevant when sailing with a VHF radio switched on on the Rhine, Moselle, Elbe, in Berlin and Brandenburg, or on Dutch inland waters.
Anyone who already holds a maritime radio certificate such as the SRC does not need to take the full examination for inland radio. The shorter supplementary examination is sufficient, and the new catalogue has applied to this since 1 October as well.
What does this mean in practice for the examination?
The examination procedure itself remains unchanged; only the subject matter is new. Anyone studying should therefore above all make sure they have up-to-date materials.
The full examination begins with a theory part consisting of 22 questions. You have 60 minutes for this; you pass with 17 points or more. The supplementary examination for holders of a maritime radio certificate comprises 10 questions in 30 minutes; you pass with 8 points or more. This is followed by the practical part in three sections: you record a spoken text, transmit a text yourself by radio, and operate the equipment based on case examples. You must have a secure command of the international phonetic alphabet for this.
For leisure skippers, the examination is conducted by the examination boards of the Deutscher Motoryachtverband and the Deutscher Segler-Verband.
Is it worth looking at the official practice papers?
Yes, because they are free and show the current status. Older study books, apps and question papers still contain the old catalogue. A comparison with the materials from the Amt für Binnen-Verkehrstechnik will quickly clarify whether your materials are suitable.
How does this fit in for leisure sailors?
For most coastal and Mediterranean sailors, the SRC remains the more important radio certificate. The UBI supplements it where sailing trips lead into inland waters.
This applies, for example, to deliveries via the Rhine or Elbe, passages through Dutch inland waters, or trips on the large inland sailing areas in north-eastern Germany. Locks on many waterways can be reached by radio, as can waterway control centres on the Rhine and Elbe. Anyone using the radio should know the traffic circles and channels.
Anyone standing watches themselves or planning their own trips later on is well equipped with SRC and UBI. The quiet winter months are ideal for learning the material at leisure.
Frequently asked questions
From when does the new UBI question catalogue apply?
From 1 October 2026 for all examinations from that date onwards.
How many questions does the new catalogue have?
130 questions in five subject areas. In the full examination you get 22 of them. The supplementary examination has its own, shorter catalogue with 10 questions.
Do I need the UBI if I already have the SRC?
For radio on inland waterways, yes. With the SRC, however, you can take the shorter supplementary examination.
Do I have to retake a UBI I've already obtained?
No. The UBI is issued indefinitely. The new catalogue only applies to future examinations.
Building radio experience on trips
Radio work is best learnt on board. On Törnfinder you'll find Courses & Seminars on licences and radio, sail training and a Skipper trainingwhere radio communication is part of everyday life.
