- Channel 16
(156.800 MHz) - Distress, safety and calling
- Channel 13
(156.650 MHz) - Intership navigation (bridge-to-bridge)
- Channel 70
(156.525 MHz) - Digital Selective Calling
There
are so many channels, how do I know which to use? (back
to top)
Let
me start by talking about the major channels that
recreational boaters should be familiar with. The
Federal Communications Commission has established VHF-FM
channel 9 as a supplementary calling channel for
noncommercial vessels (recreational boaters). A ship or
shore unit wishing to call a boater would do so on channel
9, and anyone (boaters included) wishing to call a
commercial ship or shore activity would continue to do so on
channel 16. Recreational boaters may continue to call the
Coast Guard and any commercial facility on channel 16.
The purpose of
the FCC regulation is to relieve congestion on VHF channel
16, the distress, safety and calling frequency. FCC
regulations require boaters having VHF radios to maintain a
watch on either VHF channel 9 or channel 16, whenever the
radio is turned on and not communicating with another
station.
Warning:
The
Coast Guard announces urgent marine information broadcasts
and storm warnings on channel 9 in the First Coast Guard
District only (waters off the coast of northern New Jersey,
New York, and New England). For that reason, we strongly
urge boaters to use channel 9 in these waters. Use of
channel 9 in other waters is optional, and we recommend
boaters keep tuned to and use channel 16 in those waters
unless otherwise notified by the Coast Guard.
Channels 9 and
16 are used for "hailing" (calling another vessel)
only. Once you have contacted a vessel you should move your
conversation to a "working channel". That is, one
designated as "non-commercial" such as channel 68.
Another
channel you should be aware of is channel 22A. This channel
is reserved for the U.S. Coast Guard to relay marine
information broadcasts. You may on occasion hear on channel
16 an announcement by the USCG telling all boaters that they
have information that may be of importance to you. They
would request that anyone wanting to listen to the
information switch to channel 22A to hear the information.
If you would
like to view or print out the available channels,
transmitting and receiving frequencies and description and
use of the channel just go to the channel
listing.
Okay,
so I have a radio, how do I use it? (back
to top)
The standard
procedure for a non-emergency call such as calling another
vessel, marina, or restaurant to ask where to tie up for
dinner, is as follows.
- You should
call the vessel, marina or restaurant on channel 9 or 16
in the following manner.
- Name of
station being called, spoken three times.
- The words
"THIS IS", spoken once.
- Name of
your vessel and call sign (if you have a station
license) or boat registration number, spoken once.
- The word
"OVER".
- Then you
wait for the station being called to answer. Their
answer should be in the same manner as your call.
- Once
answered you should suggest going to a working channel
to carry on your conversation.
- The word
"OVER".
- Wait for
reply or confirmation from the station being called,
switch to the working channel and repeat the process.
An example
might be:
Calling
Station: "Sailfish Marina, Sailfish Marina,
Sailfish Marina, THIS IS the motor vessel Magical Lady,
WAI4093, OVER" (WAI should be spoken Whiskey, Alpha,
India, fow er, zero, nin er, tree) If you think this sounds
cool and very official you can view and or print out the phonetic
alphabet here.
Responding
Station: "Magical Lady, Magical Lady, Magical
Lady, THIS IS Sailfish Marina, WBC5678, OVER" (WBC
should be spoken Whiskey, Bravo, Charlie, fife, six, seven,
ait)
Calling
Station: "Please switch
and listen channel 68, OVER."
Responding
Station: "Switching
channel 68, OVER."
You would
then switch to channel 68 and call Sailfish Marina using the
same procedure and conduct your business. All conversations
whether on a hailing channel or a working channel should be
kept short and to the point.
What
About in an Emergency situation like Mayday! Mayday! Mayday?
(back
to top)
You may
only have seconds to send a distress call. Here's what you
do. Transmit, in this order:
- If you have
an HF radiotelephone tuned to 2182 kHz, send the
radiotelephone alarm signal if one is available. If you
have a VHF marine radio, tune it to channel 16. Unless
you know you are outside VHF range of shore and ships,
call on channel 16 first.
- Distress
signal "MAYDAY", spoken three times.
- The words
"THIS IS", spoken once.
- Name of
vessel in distress (spoken three times) and call sign or
boat registration number, spoken once.
- Repeat
"MAYDAY" and name of vessel, spoken once.
- Give
position of vessel by latitude or longitude or by
bearing (true or magnetic, state which) and distance to
a well-know landmark such as a navigational aid or small
island, or in any terms which will assist a responding
station in locating the vessel in distress. Include any
information on vessel movement such as course, speed and
destination.
- Nature of
distress (sinking, fire etc.).
- Kind of
assistance desired.
- Number of
persons onboard.
- Any other
information which might facilitate rescue, such as
length or tonnage of vessel, number of persons needing
medical attention, color hull, cabin, masks, etc.
- The word
"OVER"
Stay by the
radio if possible. Even after the message has been received,
the Coast Guard can find you more quickly if you can
transmit a signal on which a rescue boat or aircraft can
home in.
An example of a Mayday
call:
MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDAY
THIS IS BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK WA1234
CAPE HENRY LIGHT BEARS 185 DEGREES MAGNETIC-DISTANCE 2 MILES
STRUCK SUBMERGED OBJECT
NEED PUMPS-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND TOW
THREE ADULTS, TWO CHILDREN ONBOARD
ONE PERSON COMPOUND FRACTURE OF ARM
ESTIMATE CAN REMAIN AFLOAT TWO HOURS
BLUE DUCK IS THIRTY TWO FOOT CABIN CRUISER-WHITE HULL-BLUE
DECK HOUSE
OVER
Repeat at intervals until an answer is
received.
What
do you do if you hear a distress call? (back
to top)
If you hear a
distress message from a vessel and it is not answered, then you
must answer. If you are reasonably sure that the distressed
vessel is not in your vicinity, you should wait a short time
for others to acknowledge.
What
do you do if you are out of range of other vessels, and no
one responds to your distress call? (back
to top)
Tune your HF
radiotelephone to an HF channel guarded by the Coast Guard,
and repeat your mayday call. Activate your EPIRB.
How
do I know if there are Storm Warnings? (back
to top)
The Coast
Guard announces storm warnings and other urgent marine
information broadcasts on VHF channel 16 and 2182 kHz before
making the broadcasts on VHF channel 22A and 2670 kHz
respectively. The Coast Guard
announces urgent marine information broadcasts and storm
warnings on channel 9 in the First Coast Guard District only
(waters off the coast of northern New Jersey, New York, and
New England).
What
about radio checks, how do I know my radio is working?
(back
to top)
The Coast
Guard First District (New England, south to northern New
Jersey) is now answering radio checks on VHF maritime
channel 16, operations permitting. Radio checks will not be
answered when CG radio operators are handling distress
communications.
The purpose of
this policy change is to help reduce hoax MAYDAY calls.
Radio checks with the Coast Guard are not permitted in any
other location.
You should
limit your radio checks to working channels.
What
about MAYDAY Radio Checks and other Hoaxes? (back
to top)
A growing
number of boaters unsuccessful in getting a radio check on
VHF channel 16 are calling MAYDAY to get a response. Every
hoax, including MAYDAY radio checks, is subject to
prosecution as a Class D felony under Title 14, Section 85
of the U.S. Code, liable for a $5000 fine plus all costs the
Coast Guard incurs as a result of the individual's action.
Since hoaxes can lead to loss of life, the Coast Guard and
Federal Communications Commission will work closely
together, using, when necessary, FCC equipment capable of
identifying the electronic signature of the offending radio.
Updates:
Within
the past few years channel 9 was also designated to be used
as a hailing frequency in addition to channel 16 (which is
both hailing and distress). However, in the First
Coast Guard District only (waters off the coast of northern
New Jersey, New York, and New England), the Coast Guard
announces urgent marine information broadcasts and storm
warnings on channel 9.
As
of July 1, 2000, the Ninth Coast Guard District (Great Lakes
Region) has mandated that US recreational boaters use
channel 9 only as a hailing frequency and they are not to
hail on channel 16. This is due to the increase in radio
traffic on channel 16. Emergencies, however, are still
reported on channel 16.
