How to make a distress call by VHF marine radio
Making a Distress Call Speak slowly - clearly - calmly. For future reference, write your boat’s name & call sign:******************
- Make sure your radio is on.
- On the radio, press the 16/9-Tri button to switch to Channel 16 (156.8 MHz). (If the corner of the display does not show 16, press the 16/9-Tri button again until it does.)
- Press the push to talk button and say: “MAYDAY -- MAYDAY -- MAYDAY.”
- Say “THIS IS {name of your boat (three times) and call sign/boat registration number (once)}.” 5. Say “MAYDAY {name or call sign of your boat}.”
- Tell where you are: (what navigational aids or landmarks are near, or read the latitude and longitude from your GPS).
- State the nature of your distress, (e.g. are you sinking, medical emergency, man overboard, on fire, adrift, etc.
- State the type of assistance you need (medical, towing, pumps, etc.).
- Give number of persons aboard and conditions of any injured persons.
- Estimate present seaworthiness of your ship (e.g. how immediate is the danger due to flooding or fire or proximity to shore).
- Briefly describe your ship, giving the ship name (e.g. “Blue Duck is 32 foot cabin cruiser, white hull, blue deck house”).
- Say: “I WILL BE LISTENING ON CHANNEL 16.”
- End message by saying “THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat}, OVER.”
- Release the push to talk button and listen.
If you do not get an answer after 30 seconds, repeat your call, beginning at step 3, above.
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