Cobra Electronics Mrf 80b owner manual Marine Distress Procedure DSC

F80 General.qxp:QXP-1058731464.qxp 12/29/06 9:07 AM Page 13

VHF Marine Radio Protocols

For Example

Emergency Messages and Distress Procedure

“Mayday — Mayday — Mayday”

“This is Corsair — Corsair — Corsair” [or “IL 1234 AB”], repeated three (3) times.

“Mayday Corsair (or IL 1234 AB)”

“Navy Pier bears 220 degrees magnetic — distance 5 miles”

“Struck submerged object and flooding — need pump and tow”

“Four adults, three children aboard — no one injured”

“Estimate we will remain afloat one-half hour”

“Corsair (or IL 1234 AB) is 26 ft sloop with blue hull and tan deck house”

“I will be listening on Channel 16”

“This is Corsair (or IL 1234 AB)”

“Over”

It is a good idea to write out a script of the message form and post it where you and others on your vessel can see it when an emergency message needs to be sent.

Marine Distress Procedure – DSC

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Digital Selective Calling (DSC) is a semi-automated system that will allow you to press the Distress button from any routine to make a distress call. When the distress button is pressed, all other channels go to Standby mode and allow the digitally encoded “pre-programmed” message to take precedence. Important information such as your MMSI number, position and name will be transmitted on Channel 16. The distress alarm will sound for two (2) minutes or until the alarm is cleared.

The DSC system allows you to choose a “pre-programmed” distress call such as: “Man Overboard, Sinking, Collision.” There are many pre-programmed choices to choose from. If a GPS is connected to your radio, your coordinates will also be sent to the Coast Guard as well as to other vessels that are within range of the transmission. DSC calling also allows the user to initiate and receive distress, urgent, safety, routine, position request, position send and group calls between vessels equipped with DSC capable radios.

WARNING

This radio will generate a digital maritime distress and safety signal to help facilitate search and rescue. This radio must be used only within communication range of a shore based VHF station with a distress and safety watch system. The range of the signal may vary, however, under normal conditions should be approximately 20 nautical miles.

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