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3.2 Receiving a Distress Alert
When you receive a distress call from a ship in distress the audio alarm sounds and the message
"Distress call received." appears on the display. Press the [CANCEL] key to silence the audio
alarm. Wait for the distress acknowledge from a coast station. If you do not receive the distress
acknowledge from a coast station, which usually takes about three minutes from reception of a
distress alert, follow the flow chart on the next page to determine if you should send the distress
acknowledge to the ship in distress. Do not send the distress acknowledge immediately after first
reception of a distress alert. If you do send the distress acknowledge, relay the distress alert to a
coast station and be prepared to aid the ship in distress.
The procedure for relaying the distress alert depends on if the alert was received on MF or HF
band.
3.2.1 Distress alert received on MF band
Do the following:
•
Continue watching on 2182 kHz. Wait for coast station to acknowledge the distress call.
Distress communications continues until “SEELONCE FINI” is announced.
•
If you do not receive the distress acknowledge from a coast station, and your ship can aid the
ship in distress, transmit the distress acknowledge to the ship in distress by radiotelephone,
over the distress frequency used by the ship in distress.
•
Relay the distress alert to a coast station.