PRESIDENT ELECTRONICS PRESIDENT PM-500 SWF [2/28] Making a distress call

MAKING A 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 radio, press the 16/9-TRI button to switch to Channel 16 (156.8

MHz). (If the corner of the display does not show 16, press the 16/9-TRI

button again until it does.)

3. Press the push to talk button and say: “MAYDAY – MAYDAY – MAY-

DAY.”

4. Say “THIS IS {name of your boat (three times) and call sign/boat registra-

tion number (once)}.”

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 emer-

gency, man overboard, on re, 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 ooding or re or proximity to shore).

11. Briey describe your ship, giving the ship name (e.g. “Blue Duck is 32 foot

cabin cruiser, white hull, blue deck house”).

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.