For Example
Emergency Messages
And Distress Procedure
Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra
®
13
12 English
Emergency Messages
And Distress Procedure
Marine Distress Procedure
Speak slowly — clearly — calmly .
1.
Make sure your radio is
On
.
2.
Select VHF Channel 16 .
3. Press Talk button and say:
“MAYDAY — MAYDAY — MAYDAY .”
(Or “PAN — PAN — PAN,”
or “SECURITE — SECURITE — SECURITE .”)
4. Say:
“THIS IS [your vessel name or call sign] .”
5. Say:
“MAYDAY (or “PAN” or “SECURITE”)
[your vessel name or call sign] .
6. Tell where you are:
(what navigational aids or landmarks are near) .
7.
State the nature of your distress .
8.
State the kind of assistance needed .
9.
Give number of persons aboard and conditions of any injured .
10.
Estimate present seaworthiness of your vessel .
11.
Briefly describe your vessel (length, type, color, hull) .
12. Say:
“I WILL BE LISTENING ON CHANNEL 16 .”
13. End message by saying:
“THIS IS [your vessel name or call sign] OVER .”
14.
Release
Talk
button and listen . Someone should answer .
If not, repeat the call, beginning at item 3 above .
Keep the radio nearby . Even after your message has been received, the Coast Guard can
find you more quickly if you can transmit a signal for a rescue boat to hone in on .
“Mayday — Mayday — Mayday”
“This is Corsair — Corsair — Corsair” [or “Illinois 1234 AB” three (3) times]
“Mayday Corsair (or Illinois 1234 AB)”
“Navy Pier bears 220 degrees magnetic — distance five (5) miles”
“Struck submerged object and flooding — need pump and tow”
“Four adults, three children aboard — no one injured”
“Estimate we will remain afloat one-half (
1
⁄
2
) hour”
“Corsair (or Illinois 1234 AB) is 26 foot sloop with blue hull and tan deck house”
“I will be listening on Channel 16”
“This is Corsair (or Illinois 1234 AB)”
“Over”
It is a good idea to write out a script of the message form and post it where you
and others on your vessel can see it when an emergency message needs to be sent .
Marine Distress Procedure – DSC
•
Digital Selective Calling (DSC) is a semi-automated system that will allow you to press
the
Distress
button from any routine to make a distress call . When the distress button
is pressed, all other channels go to
Standby
mode and allow the digitally encoded
“pre-programmed” message to take precedence . Important information such as your
MMSI number, position and name will be transmitted on Channel 16 . The distress
alarm will sound for two (2) minutes or until the alarm is cleared .
The DSC system allows you to choose a “pre-programmed” distress call such as:
“Man Overboard, Sinking, Collision .” There are many pre-programmed choices to
choose from . If a GPS is connected to your radio, your coordinates will also be sent to
the Coast Guard as well as to other vessels that are within range of the transmission .
DSC calling also allows the user to initiate and receive distress, urgent, safety,
routine, position request, position send and group calls between vessels equipped
with DSC capable radios .
WARNING
This radio will generate a digital maritime distress and safety signal to help
facilitate search and rescue . This radio must be used within communication range
of a VHF station with a distress and safety watch system . The range of the signal
may vary, however, under normal conditions should be approximately 20 nautical
miles .
VHF Marine Radio Protocols
VHF Marine Radio Protocols
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