Ian Waugh - A Mariner\'s Guide to Marine Communications

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Log Example 3: Distress Alert received on 2187.5kHz (by sky-wave propagation, no follow-up voice distress

traffic heard):

Date/Time Station

UTC To

27.lO.01

0400

0520

0520

0524

0526 /

128

0529

Falmouth CG

Wizard

Station

From

232456789

232456789

Remarks

59 25N OIl 12W (DSCs updated) J Uhuru

Distress Alert 49 20N 010 OIW @ 0400UTC

SinkingJ3E

On Watch J Uhuru

Distress Alert 49 20N 010 OIW @ 0400UTC

Sinking J3E

Wizard (Relayed above DSC Distress Alert info)

Falmouth CG (R - resume normal working)

Off Watch (Master informed) J Uhuru

Author's explanation:

Frequency

Channel or

Satellite

2187.5kHz

2182kHz

2187 .5kHz

Sat-B/AORE

"

(2182kHz)

Wizard's DSC system has no GPS attachment. The shiP'S routine requires that DSC positions are updated at the

beginning of each watch.

The bridge watchkeeper calculates that the casualty is too far distant for Wizard to assist with the rescue operation -

but still listens on 2782kHz to make sure that the casualty makes contact with a Coast StationlMRCC, or another

vessel. In this example, no voice distress traffic is heard by Wizard. Also -the fact that the DSC Alert has been

repeated means that the casualty has not received a DSC Distress Acknowledgement from any other station (a DSC

Distress Ack' would have stopped the automatic-repeat of the Distress Alert)

Wizard's bridge watchkeeper should then 'Relay' the alert details ashore, by any suitable means. Calculating that the

casualty's position is in the United Kingdom (UK) Search and Rescue Region (using ALRS Vol5 - SAR Section), Wizard

uses Inmarsat-B, through the UK LES (Goonhilly), to relay the alert details direct to the UK MRCC at Falmouth.