User's Manual Part 2

Instruction manual
105
E04572
13 FURTHER INFORMATION
13.1 Operating procedures
The following operating procedure summary has been pro-
posed by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency. It is not
exhaustive and should not be regarded as a replacement for
information provided by the proper two-day VHF/DSC train-
ing course required for all VHF licence holders.
13.1.1 Sending a Distress Alert
1. Send a Distress Alert call (cf. section 9.3.6).
2. Wait approximately 15 seconds for a DSC acknowledgement
from the Coastguard or a ship station.
3. On receipt of a DSC acknowledgement, or after about 15 sec-
onds, transmit the following Distress Alert call on channel 16:
“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”
“This is (name of vessel repeated three times)”
“Mayday (MMSI number and name of vessel or call sign,
spoken once, Position – Nature of distress - No of people)”
“I require immediate assistance”
“Over.”
If the vessel is not in “grave and imminent danger”, an All
Ships Urgency call followed by a spoken “Pan Pan” call or a
routine call to the nearest coastguard station may be more
appropriate.
WARNING It is a prosecutable offence to initiate a Distress Alert call for
any other reason than that the vessel and/or crew is in immi-
nent danger.
13.1.2 Acknowledging and relaying a Distress
Alert call
When a DSC Distress Alert is received, an audible alarm will
sound. Immediately cease any transmission that may interfere
with distress traffic and continue a watch on channel 16.
If there is no DSC acknowledgement from a coast station or
ship, after a short interval acknowledge by voice on channel 16:
“Mayday (MMSI of vessel in distress, repeated three times)”
“This is (name of own vessel, repeated three times)”
“Received Mayday (state the assistance you can give)”
“Over.”
A similar response should be given to a distress relay, using the
words “Mayday Relay” instead of “Mayday”.