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6-4 Appendix
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, 9, and 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