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Emergency
Channel 16
If:
• Your ship is sinking, or on fire
• Someone has been lost overboard
• There exists grave and imminent
danger
Use this distress procedure:
• Select Channel 16
• Say "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday."
• Give call sign and boat name
• Give location of boat
• Describe emergency
• If no answer, repeat; then try another
channel
Caution
Every ship at sea is to obliged to give
absolute priority to radio
communications relating to ships in
distress - it is vital that false distress calls
or messages not be broadcast.
Calling
Channel 16 & Working Channel
If - you wish to establish
communications with another
station
And - you know which working channel
the station is monitoring
Then - initiate the call directly on that
working channel
If - you wish to establish
communications with another
station
And - you do not know what working
channel the station may be
monitoring
Then - initiate the call on channel 16.
After contact is made switch to a
working channel.
NOTE:
Due to congestion on channel
16 caused by frequent hailing of
other vessels, the FCC has
approved channel 9 as a second
hailing channel.
Avoid excessive calling and radio checks
Always monitor before transmitting
Never interrupt emergency
communications