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

Note I : Where NAVTEX service is available, initial shore-to-ship alerts
will be sent using that service in addition to the DSC alerting.
Note 2: EPIRBs - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (Chap
10) - are classed as 'secondary' methods of sending distress alerts.
EPIRBs should only be activated when you abandon ship, or if your

'primary' methods (VHF /MF /HF DSC and Inmarsat A/B/C) have

failed to gain the required attention/become inoperative.

Distress Communications - Sea Area Al (VHF Procedures)

Marine VHF radio with DSC should be your first choice system
for sending a Distress Alert, and the subsequent voice Distress Call and
Message, in Sea Area AI.

Because you are in range of a VHF DSC Coast Station, the Coast
Station/MRCC should receive your alert, call and message; will
acknowledge and will co-ordinate any Search and Rescue (SAR)
operation in their area of responsibility. (Other G MD SS-fitted vessels in
the area will be monitoring VHF Ch70 and will receive your DSC Distress
Alert at the same time as the Al Coast Station). The radio procedures to
be followed are shown below:

Action onboard Vessel in Distress

Send DSC Distress Alert on Ch70

indicating Ch16 for follow· up voice

communications

Send voice Distress Call

and message on Ch16

Action in Al Coast Station

• Receive DSC Distress Alert on CH70


• Send a DSC Acknowledgement


• Set Watch Ch16


• Acknowledge by voice
  ('Received Mayday')
  Your Distress Alert will include, as a minimum:
  Your vessel's MMSI.
  Vessel position.
  The word 'undesignated' (as the 'nature of distress').
  If time permits, use the DSC Controller to change the 'nature of
  distress' from 'undesignated' to one of the following:


• Fire/ explosion


• Collision


• Listing (and in danger of capsizing)


• Disabled and adrift


• Piracy/Armed attack


• 
  


• 
  


• 
  


• 
  


• 
  

Flooding

Grounding

Sinking

Abandoning

Man overboard

MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 75