West Marine VHF580 manual Making a Distress Call, Making a Voice Distress Call

Page 2

Making a Distress Call

Lift the red cover. Press and hold the DISTRESS button for three seconds. Your radio transmits your boat’s location every few minutes until you receive a response.

##NOTE: If the radio displays Enter User MMSI, cancel the automatic distress call and make a normal voice distress call.

Lift the red cover

and press the

DISTRESS button.

Making a Voice Distress Call

Speak slowly - clearly - calmly.

For future reference, write your boat’s name & call sign here:

1.Make sure your radio is on.

2.On the microphone, press the 16/9-TRIbutton to switch to Channel 16 (156.8 MHz). (If the corner of the display does not show 16, press the 16/9-TRIbutton again until it does.)

3.Press the PUSH TO TALK button on the microphone and say: “MAYDAY -- MAYDAY -- MAYDAY.”

4.Say “THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat}.”

5.Say “MAYDAY {name or call sign of your boat}.”

6.Tell where you are: (what navigational aids or landmarks are near, or read the latitude and longitude from your GPS).

7.State the nature of your distress, e.g. are you sinking, medical emergency, man overboard, on fire, adrift, etc.

8.State the type of assistance you need (medical, towing, pumps, etc.).

9.Give number of persons aboard and conditions of any injured persons.

10.Estimate present seaworthiness of your ship (e.g. how immediate is the danger due to flooding or fire or proximity to shore).

11.Briefly describe your ship (length, type, color, hull).

12.Say: “I WILL BE LISTENING ON CHANNEL 16.”

13.End message by saying “THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat}, OVER.”

14.Release the PUSH TO TALK button and listen.

If you do not get an answer after 30 seconds, repeat your call, beginning at step 3, above.

2

Image 2

Contents DSC Marine Radio Making a Distress Call Making a Voice Distress CallFaire un appel de détresse Faire un appel de détresse vocalCómo hacer una llamada de apuro Cómo hacer una llamada de apuro por vozContents Manual overview FeaturesIntroduction ConventionsGetting Started What’s includedParts of the Radio Button Press to Press and hold toButton Press to Press and hold Connector/Cable Connects to For details, seeParts of the Microphone How It Works Setting the UIC Channel Mode USA/CAN/INTMode What It Does Use It When To Turn it on./off Turning on the RadioNormal mode operation Watch Mode What It Does Use It When To Turn it on./offNormal mode with Triple and Dual Watch Using the radio in normal modeNormal mode with Weather Alert Watch Message Meaning08 10 11 12 13 15 17 Scan modeNormal mode with both Weather Alert and Triple/Dual Watch Scan mode with Triple and Dual Watch Using the radio in scan modeScan mode with Weather Alert Watch Scan mode with both Weather Alert and Triple/Dual WatchWeather mode with Weather Alert Watch Weather modeUsing the radio in weather mode Using Your Radio Using Your RadioMaking a voice Mayday call Setting the volumeSetting the squelch level Changing the channelBoosting the transmission power Choosing Triple Watch or Dual WatchUsing Fips codes for weather alerts Changing display and sound options Setting the GPS position manuallyLamp adjust ContrastAdvanced DSC features Using Digital Selective Calling DSC FeaturesWhat is DSC? What is an Mmsi number?Entering Mmsi numbers Individual or User Mmsi NumberUsing the Directory Group Mmsi numberChannel Up Button Channel Down Button Call type What it does When to use itMaking DSC Calls Calling a single station Individual Call Select IndividualCalling all stations All-Ships Call Making an automatic distress callCalling a particular group of stations Group Call Receive log Canceling an automatic distress callReceiving a DSC call DSC Call Type Receive Log InformationMaking Test Calls Test Test CallsReturning a call Enabling automatic test call reply Position Request and ReplyReceiving Test Calls Requesting another station’s position POS RequestSending your own position Position Send Receiving a position request Position ReplyEnabling automatic position reply Renaming Channels Disabling automatic channel switchingPutting the radio into standby ENT-1W/25W Installing the Hardware Mounting the radioConnecting the radio Power Supply Requirements VHF Antenna RequirementsConnecting to a GPS receiver Ground Wire ColorConfiguring the GPS GPS Data ExternalConnecting to a Chartplotter Connecting to an External SpeakerMaintenance and Troubleshooting Problem Things to TryEngine Noise Suppression Transmitter SpecificationsRadio Specifications Receiver Reference TablesChannel descriptions and what they mean Channel name/description Used forUS Marine Channels and Frequencies Ch No RX Freq TX Freq Status Name on displayCanadian Marine Channels and Frequencies Ch No RX Freq TX Freq Status Name on display International Marine Channels and Frequencies Ch No RX Freq TX Freq Status Name on display Ch No RX Freq Name on display Weather Channels and Frequencies US, CAN, and INTEmergency Alert System Same Information Types of eventsFFW No Response Event Code WFWNmea Input Nmea OperationNmea Output Basic radio guidelines Three Year Limited Warranty Page QUESTIONS?