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Making a Distress Call
Speak slowly -- clearly -- calmly.
Make sure your radio is on. 1.
Press the 2. 16/9-Tri button to switch to Channel 16 (156.800
MHz). (If the corner of the display does not show 16, press
the 16/9-Tri button again until it does.)
Press the 3. Push to talk button and say,
“MAYDAY --MAYDAY-- MAYDAY.”
Say, 4. “THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat}.”
Say, 5. “MAYDAY{name or call sign of your boat}.”
Tell where you are (what navigational aids or land-marks 6.
are near, or give your position from a GPS).
State the nature of your distress (e.g. sinking, medical 7.
emergency, man overboard, re, adrift, etc.).
Give the number of persons aboard and describe the 8.
condition of any injured persons.
Estimate present seaworthiness of your ship (e.g. how 9.
immediate is the danger due to ooding or re or proximity
to shore).
Briey describe your ship (length, type, color, hull). 10.
Say, 11. “I WILL BE LISTENING ON CHANNEL 16.”
End message by saying, 12.
“THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat} OVER.”
Release the 13. Push to talk button and listen for a response.
If you do not get an answer after 30 seconds, repeat
your call, beginning at step 3, above.
For future reference, write your boat’s name & call sign here: