INSTRUCTIONS FOR MARINERS AND OTHERS ON HOW TO CANCEL A FALSE DISTRESS ALERT

DSC

VHF

1. Switch off transmitter immediately.
2. Switch equipment on and set to Channel 16; and
3. Make broadcast to “All Stations” giving the ship’s name, call sign and DSC number, and cancel the false distress alert.

Example

All Stations, All Stations, All Stations

This is NAME, CALL SIGN,

DSC NUMBER, POSITION.

Cancel my distress alert of

DATE, TIME UTC,

= Master NAME, CALL SIGN,

DSC NUMBER, DATE, TIME UTC.

MF

1. Switch off equipment immediately.
2. Switch equipment on and tune for radiotelephony transmission on 2,182 kHz; and
3. Make broadcast to “All Stations” giving the ship’s name, call sign and DSC number, and cancel the false distress alert.

Example

All Stations, All Stations, All Stations

This is NAME, CALL SIGN,

DSC NUMBER, POSITION.

Cancel my distress alert of

DATE, TIME UTC,

= Master NAME, CALL SIGN,

DSC NUMBER, DATE, TIME UTC.

HF

As for MF, but the alert must be cancelled on all the frequency bands on which it was transmitted.

Hence, in step 2  the transmitter should be tuned consecutively to the radiotelephony distress frequencies in the 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16 MHz bands, as necessary.

Inmarsat-C

Notify the appropriate RCC to cancel the alert by sending a distress priority message via the

same CES through which the false distress alert was sent.

Example of message

NAME, CALL SIGN, IDENTITY NUMBER,

POSITION,

Cancel my Inmarsat-C distress

alert of DATE, TIME UTC

= Master +

EPIRBs

If for any reason an EPIRB is activated accidentally, the ship should contact the nearest coast station or an appropriate coast earth station or RCC and cancel the distress alert.