Rad=
ios
That You Need
Before you purchase
anything else, make sure you have a VHF marine radio. A VHF marine radio is=
the
single most important radio system you should buy. It is probably also
the most inexpensive. If you plan to travel more than a few miles offshore,
plan to purchase an MF/HF radiotelephone or mobile satellite telephone, an =
emergency position indicating radio bea=
con,
or EPIRB, and a second VHF radio or cellular telephone as well.
Mobile satellite telephones are becoming more common and more inexpensive. =
The
mobile satellite will provide easier and clearer communications than the MF=
/HF
radiotelephone, but the HF radiotelephone will receive high seas
marine weather warnings.
Rad=
io Watchkeeping Regulations
If you have a VHF-FM
radio, there are certain regulations in place for monitoring/listening to y=
our
radio. Please read our radio watchkeeping=
section for more information.
May=
day!
Mayday! Mayday!...Sending a distress call
You may only have s=
econds
to send a distress call. Here's what you should do:
Procedure for Digit=
al
Selective Calling (DSC) Radio:
Procedure
for VHF Channel 16 MAYDAY:
1.
If you have an MF/HF radiotelephone tuned to 2182 kHz, send the
radiotelephone alarm signal if one is available. If you have a VHF marine
radio, tune it to channel 16. Unless you know you are outside VHF range of
shore and ships, call on channel 16 first.
2.
Distress signal "MAYDAY", spoken three times.
3.
The words "THIS IS", spoken once.
4.
Name of vessel in distress (spoken three times) and call sign =
or
boat registration number, spoken once.
5.
Repeat "MAYDAY" and name of vessel, spoken once.
6.
Give position of vessel by latitude or longitude or by bearing
(true or magnetic, state which) and distance to a well-know landmark such a=
s a
navigational aid or small island, or in any terms which will assist a
responding station in locating the vessel in distress. Include any informat=
ion
on vessel movement such as course, speed and destination.
7.
Nature of distress (sinking, fire etc.).
8.
Kind of assistance desired.
9.
Number of persons onboard.
10.
Any other information which might facilitate rescue, such as
length or tonnage of vessel, number of persons needing medical attention, c=
olor
hull, cabin, masks, etc.
11.
The word "OVER"
Stay by the radio if
possible. Even after the message has been received, the Coast Guard can find
you more quickly if you can transmit a signal on which a rescue boat or air=
craft
can home.
For example:
MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDA=
Y
THIS IS BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK WA1234
CAPE HENRY LIGHT BEARS 185 DEGREES MAGNETIC-DISTANCE 2 MILES
STRUCK SUBMERGED OBJECT
NEED PUMPS-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND TOW
THREE ADULTS, TWO CHILDREN ONBOARD
ONE PERSON COMPOUND FRACTURE OF ARM
ESTIMATE CAN REMAIN AFLOAT TWO HOURS
BLUE DUCK IS THIRTY TWO FOOT CABIN CRUISER-WHITE HULL-BLUE DECK HOUSE
OVER
Repeat at intervals=
until
an answer is received.
If you hear a distress call...
If you hear a distr=
ess
message from a vessel and it is not answered, then you must answer. =
If
you are reasonably sure that the distressed vessel is not in your vicinity,=
you
should wait a short time for others to acknowledge.
MF/=
HF
Radiotelephone
Your VHF radio is
intended mainly for short range communications, generally 5-10 miles, and at
least 20 miles to a USCG station. To communicate at longer ranges, you
will normally need a satellite telephone or an MF/HF marine
radiotelephone. Marine radiotelephone equipment normally operates bet=
ween
2 - 26 MHz using single sideband emissions. MF/HF marine radiotelephones can
also be used to receive high seas weather broadcasts, and by using a comput=
er
and a special interface provided by some coast stations, can provide Intern=
et
email.
Wha=
t to
do if no one responds to your distress call
Tune your HF
radiotelephone to an HF channel guarded by the Coast Guard,<=
/span>
and repeat your mayday call. Activate your EPIRB.
Fre=
quencies
You May Use
See the
Rad=
iotelephone
alarm signal
This signal consist=
s of
two audio tones transmitted alternatively on the distress frequency 2182 kH=
z.
It is not used over VHF marine radio in the
The radiotelephone =
alarm
signal is used only in a distress, including when a person has been lost
overboard and the assistance of other vessels is required.
The radiotelephone
navigation warning signal, a single 2200 Hz tone transmitted twice per seco=
nd,
is used to announce a storm or similar warning.
Boa=
ter
Calling Channel (VHF Channel 9)
The Federal Communi=
cations
Commission established VHF-FM channel 9 as a supplementary calling channel =
for
noncommercial vessels (recreational boaters) at the request of the Coast Gu=
ard.
A ship or shore unit wishing to call a boater would do so on channel 9, and
anyone (boaters included) wishing to call a commercial ship or shore activi=
ty
would continue to do so on channel 16. Recreational boaters would continue =
to
call the Coast Guard and any commercial facility on channel 16.
The purpose of the =
FCC
regulation was to relieve congestion on VHF channel 16, the distress, safety
and calling frequency. FCC regulations require boaters having VHF radios to
maintain a watch on either VHF channel 9 or channel 16, whenever the radio =
is
turned on and not communicating with another station.
Since the Coast Gua=
rd
generally does not have the capability of announcing an urgent marine
information broadcast or weather warning on channel 9, use of channel 9 is
optional. We recommend boaters normally keep tuned to and use channe=
l 16
in those waters unless otherwise notified by the Coast Guard.
Pro=
cedure
for Calling A Ship by Radio
You may use channel=
16 to
call a ship or shore station, but if you do so, you must, must be brief!=
We recommend this same procedure be used over channel 9, if channel 9 is us=
ed
as a calling channel.
For example:
Blue Duck: "Mary Jane, =
this
is Blue Duck" (the name of the vessel or MMSI being called may be s=
aid
2 or 3 times if conditions warrant)
Mary Jane: "Blue Duck, =
this
is Mary Jane. Reply 68" (or some other proper working channel) =
Blue Duck: "68" or
"Roger"
Glo=
bal
Maritime Distress & Safety System
VHF maritime channe=
l 70
(156.525 MHz) is authorized exclusively for distress, safety and calling
purposes using digital selective calling (DSC)<=
/a>
techniques. No other uses are permitted.
Channel 70 is used =
to
send distress alerts, safety announcements and for calling purposes under t=
he Global Maritime Distress and Safety Sys=
tem
(GMDSS). Many vessels are now equipped with DSC capability and <=
span
class=3DGramE>are using channel 70 for this purpose. It is essential=
that
this channel be protected.
Storm Warnings?
The Coast Guard ann=
ounces
storm warnings and other urgent marine information broadcasts on VHF channe=
l 16
and 2182 kHz before making the broadcasts on VHF channel 22A and 2670 kHz
respectively. Storm warnings and forecasts are also made by NOAA Weather Radio.
MAY=
DAY
Radio Checks and other Hoaxes
A growing number of
boaters unsuccessful in getting a radio check on VHF channel 16 are calling
MAYDAY to get a response. Every hoax, including MAYDAY radio checks, is sub=
ject
to prosecution as a Class D felony under Title 14, Section 85 of the U.S. C=
ode,
liable for a $5000 fine plus all costs the Coast Guard incurs as a result of
the individual's action. Since hoaxes can lead to loss of life, the Coast G=
uard
and Federal Communications Commission will work closely together, using when
necessary FCC equipment capable of identifying the electronic signature of =
the
offending radio. We ask your cooperation in helping us and the FCC remove
hoaxes from the VHF radiotelephone distress, safety and calling channel 16.=
Rad=
io
Checks
Radio checks with t=
he
Coast Guard Communications Stations on DSC and HF radiotelephone are allowe=
d.
Fed=
eral
Communications Commission (FCC) Radio License Information
An <=
span
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>FCC ship station radio licen=
se is
no longer required for any vessel travelling in=
Sat=
ellite
Communications
Currently the Inmarsat Organization, an internatio=
nal
organization established by treaty, is the sole provider of worldwide marit=
ime
mobile satellite communications offering emergency calling capability. Cove=
rage
is available between about 70 deg N latitude and=
70
deg S latitude. Other mobile satellite systems are also becoming
available, but these systems in general do not offer an emergency calling
capability.
For More Information...
For general boating safety information questions...
Hours of operation:
Monday through Friday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST
Excluding government holidays
Infoline: 1-800-368-5647
For Text Telephone service: 1-800-689-0816
email at: uscginfoline@g=
crm.com