on 2187·5kHz (the MF Distress Alerting frequency). When in an A3/ A4
area, you need to programme 8414·5kHz and one other HF Distress
Alerting frequency. You should also programme your scanning receiver
(if available on your particular make/model) to receive routine alerts
from other vessels/coast stations, on 2177kHz.Leaving your scanning receiver programmed for all MF /HF
alerting frequencies will result in you receiving many Distress
Alerts, Distress Relays and Distress Acknowledgements from vessels
too far distant for you to be able to assist - resulting in unnecessary
interruption to your other bridge watchkeeping duties.
If your A3 watch for shore-to-ship alerts is being maintained using
an Inmarsat SafetyNET receiver, you may disable all HF alertingdistress-alert frequencies on the MF /HF scanning receiver - leaving
only 2187·5kHz programmed (but remember to re-programme for
HF if you move into an A4 area).DISTRESS button
All DSC controllers have a distress button for initiating and sending
distress alerts. On most (but not all) makes of equipment, the first touch
of the Distress button opens a menu - allowing you to select a nature of
distress and update your position, if required. Distress nature will be
selected from:
Fire/ explosion
Listing
Piracy/armed attack- Undesignated
Flooding
Grounding- Disabled & adrift
Man overboard
Sinking
Collision
Abandoning shipIf your problem does not fall exactly into any of the above
categories - leave it as undesignated. The Distress Alert is used to
get others to listen for your voice Distress Call/Message on
2182kHz, or the appropriate HF voice distress frequency where you
can explain your problem in more detail.FREQUENCY/TYPE OF SUBSEQUENT COMMUNICATION
You will have to choose an alerting frequency (2187·5kHz, or one
of the HF Alerting frequencies) and the type of subsequent
communication (SSB Voice U3E) will normally be your first choice -
switching to Telex only if you fail to make voice contact).
144 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE