2008 REED’s East Coast Edition - Communications
Ships participating in a vessel traffic service If you know that the other boat is monitor-
area must also keep watch on the VTS radio ing more than one channel, it is helpful to
channel designated for that area. Such ships add the channel number that you are using
may discontinue their watch on VHF 16 so that the other operator will know on what
while in the VTS area. Most yachts are too channel to reply.
small to be required to participate in a VTS On VHF with good reception, it’s usually
scheme, but can still gain valuable informa- not necessary to add the word “over,” which
tion about commercial ship traffic by moni- indicates the end of your transmission and
toring the local VTS channel. your readiness to receive a reply. That will be
Although recreational boats less than 20m obvious when you stop talking.
long are not required to carry a VHF, if one To respond to a call, repeat the name of the
is on board, Channel 16 must be monitored vessel calling once, then say, “This is (your
whenever the radio is operating and not en- boat’s name).” Call signs should also be used
gaged in communications. Although recre- in foreign waters on boats so registered. In
ational boats are encouraged to use Channel U.S. waters, the boat’s name will suffice.
9 for calling, this does not excuse them from For example: “Ernestina, Ernestina. This is
the Channel 16 watch requirement. All VHF Dauntless on channel 13.”
radios have a dual-watch capability, and “Dauntless, this is Ernestina.”
some have a triple-watch feature to enable The calling boat then proposes a working
listening on 16, 9, and a working channel. channel; under good conditions, all that
Each SSB-equipped vessel operating on need be said is the number of the channel—
frequencies in the 1605-3500 kHz band must for example,“69.” The person who names the
listen on 2182, the MF emergency hailing working channel must not shift to it until the
and distress channel, for at least three min- other person has acknowledged the channel
utes starting on the hour and 30 minutes number, which can be done by merely restat-
past the hour. ing that number.
Any boat or ship can call on an appropri- Contacting a marina, yacht club, or similar
ately designated inter-ship working chan- business such as a towing service, follows
nel if it is known that the other vessel is essentially the same procedure as above. The
maintaining a simultaneous listening watch shore station will generally be the one to
on both the calling channel and that work- propose the working channel. Recreational
ing channel. This practice is preferred as it boats should be wary of being told to shift to
reduces traffic on the calling and distress a commercial channel that is not authorized
frequency. for their use.
Every radio channel is available for use on a
Mayday Distress Calls
shared basis. No individual station or group
has any exclusive right. Stations must coop-
Distress calls are identified with the word
erate in the use of authorized frequencies in
“MAYDAY,” derived from the French term
order to minimize interference and obtain
for “Help me.”
the maximum use of the available channels.
“Distress” is defined as when a vessel is
threatened with grave and imminent danger
Establishing Contact
and requests immediate assistance: it is not
Before attempting to call another boat, lis- to be used when you have run out of fuel,
ten on the calling channel and on the work- have a dead battery, are aground in good
ing channel that you plan to use to ensure weather, or in other non-threatening situa-
that you don’t interfere with other traffic or tions. There is an established international
emergency transmissions. format for a distress call and messages. The
On the calling channel, announce the name distress call precedes the distress message
of the other vessel; under normal conditions and must include the following information:
this should not need to be stated more than The distress signal “Mayday,” spoken three times.
once, but if necessary, it can be given two or The words, “This is.”
three times. The identification (name and call sign, if appli-
Then say, “This is (your boat name).” cable) of the vessel in distress, spoken three times.
The distress message follows immediately and must
include the following information:
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