VHF Mayday Distress Alert & Voice Call:
What you student's should be able to do / understand after the session:
Understands:
- Distress Alert should be followed by a Distress voice call and message
- “Mayday” is the Distress signal proword used:
- In a Distress call by the station in distress
- At the start of each transmission that is relevant to distress working
- “Mayday Relay” is the Distress Relay signal proword used by a station transmitting a Distress Relay call on behalf of another station in distress
- Distress call is “ broadcast” but other types of call must be sent to ‘All stations’, a group or a named station
- What action to take upon receipt of a Distress call and message
- The Coastguard usually controls a Distress situation in Sea Area A1
Can:
- Decide when to send a Distress call and message
- Construct a Distress call and message
- Recognise prowords used during distress traffic including – “Seelonce Mayday” and “Seelonce Feenee”
- Decide when and how to acknowledge (by voice) receipt of a Distress Alert or Distress call and message
- Decide when a Distress Relay is appropriate and follow correct procedure
- Construct and send a Distress Received call and message
- Construct and send a Distress Relay call and message
Can:
- Recognise prowords used during distress traffic including – “Seelonce Mayday” and “Seelonce Feenee”
Distress Pro Words
- Mayday - Used when in 'grave and imminent danger' Distress call by the station in distress & At the start of each transmission that is relevant to distress working
- Mayday Relay - Distress Relay signal proword used by a station transmitting a Distress Relay call on
- behalf of another station in distress
- Seelonce Mayday - Announced by coastguard to impose radio silence during a distress situation on a working channel which is being used to conduct the rescue
- Seelonce Feenee - Announced by coastguard to say that the radio silence is now over
- Distress Feenee - Announcement made to indicate the distress situation is resolved
Can:
- Decide when to send a Distress call and message
- Construct a Distress call and message
DSC Distress Alert:
Distress Alert & Voice Call:
Use of scenarios for student practicals - examples:
Example 1)
There are 4 crew onboard the vessel with you, one has suffered a serious head injury and is unconscious after slipping on the companionway step.
Your position: 49° 27'.68N 000° 03'.59W
Initiate a DSC distress alert.
Send a distress call & message
Example 2)
You have a man overboard and you have lost sight of him.
There are 3 remaining onboard with you. The casualty was wearing a lifejacket with a light.
Your position: Approximately 4 miles from Boscombe Pier Compass Bearing: 345º
Initiate a DSC distress alert, Send a distress call & message.
Example 3)
There are 2 crew onboard the vessel with you, a fire has started in the engine bay and is now out of control, you plan to evacuate to your liferaft.
Your position: 50° 29'.05N 003° 24'.21W
Initiate a DSC distress alert
Send a distress call & message
DSC distress alert sent in error:
Understands:
- what action to take if a Distress Alert, Urgency or Safety Announcement is sent in error
If a DSC Distress Alert is sent inadvertently the advice is to switch off the set to prevent the alert being repeated automatically. However, some newer sets may have a dedicated function to cancel a Distress Alert. If available, this cancel function should be used as switching off and on might not cancel the distress on sets with a cancel function. In either instance, a voice message should be sent using high power on CH16 to "all stations" that cancels the distress alert. It is important that the MMSI number is included in the voice message so that the voice message is associated to the DSC alert.
Distress Relay:
Can
- decide when a Distress Relay is appropriate and follow correct procedure
- Construct and send a Distress Received call and message
Radio Regulations discourage operators of Class A VHF sets from sending DSC Distress Alert Relays. The preference is for a targeted RT Distress Relay voice call and message to a specific coast station. A Distress Alert Relay (from a Class A set) to a specific coast station should only be considered when reliable voice communication cannot be established with that coast station. An All Stations Distress Alert Relay is not permitted on VHF.
MORE INFO AT: RYA Training Notice TN32-19 and Training Guidance TG35-19
When to make a Mayday Distress Call?
Vessel, Vehicle, Aircraft or Person is in Grave and Imminent Danger..
STEP 1)
Does the VHF have a red distress button?
IF YES, go to Step 2
If NO, go to Step 4
STEP 2)
IF TIME ALLOWS:
- Press the Red Distress Button Once to initiate the menu.
- Select the relevant option from the list on the VHF screen that is most relevant to the situation i.e. flooding, fire, collision, grounding etc
STEP 3)
Press and Hold the Red Distress Button until the 5 second count down ends.
What does Pressing the VHF DSC Distress Button Do?
Sends a DSC alert to all DSC enabled VHF sets 'in range' which triggers an alarm.
At minimum the following information will be sent:
- Your MMSI
- Nature of Distress (If you have selected this - See Step 2)
- Position (If the VHF/DSC set you are using is connected to a GPS or Chart Plotter)
How to make a Mayday Voice Call on a VHF marine radio?
STEP 4)
Select channel 16
STEP 5)
Mayday Distress call (initial shout for 'Help'):
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday
This is _____________________
Callsign: ___________________
MMSI: _____________________ (only if your VHF set is DSC enabled will you have an MMSI number)
STEP 6)
Mayday Distress Message:
M
Mayday
I know you've said it before in the initial distress call, but definitely say it again..
I
This is:________________
Vessel Name, Callsign, MMSI (if you have one)
P
My Position is:___________________
Latitude & Longitude OR bearing & distance from a charted object / place
D
Distress:____________________
Briefly explain what's wrong i.e. sinking, fire, aground etc
A
Assistance:__________________
What do you need? i.e. Evacuation, Tow etc - how much time i.e. request immediate assistance
N
Number:____________________
How many people are onboard?
I
Information:_______________
What else do people need to know? Particularly that which may help with the rescue..
0
Over:
OVER is an invitation for someone to reply.
Example Mayday Voice Call:
- Mayday Mayday Mayday
- This is RIB Erebus, Erebus, Erebus
- Callsign: Three Romeo Delta Charlie
- MMSI: 232099802
- Mayday
- RIB Erebus
- My Position Is: Five Zero Degrees Two Three Decimal Four Two North, Three Degrees Four Five Decimal Four Six West
- We have a Fire onboard
- Require Immediate assistance
- Four persons onboard
- Evacuating to liferaft
- Over
