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VHF Radio

Type of Message Appropriate Channel
DISTRESS SAFETY AND CALLING - to get the attention of another station (calling) or in emergencies (distress and safety). 16
INTERSHIP SAFETY - for ship-to-ship safety messages and for search and rescue messages and ships and aircraft of the Coast Guard. 6
COAST GUARD LIAISON - to talk to the Coast Guard (but first make contact on Channel 16). 22
NONCOMMERCIAL - Working channels for voluntary boats. Messages must be about the needs of the ship. Typical uses include fishing reports, rendezvous,scheduling repairs and berthing information. Use Channels 67 and 72 only for ship-to-ship messages. 96, 68, 69, 71, 72, 78,
794, 804, 677.
COMMERCIAL - Working channels for working ships only. Messages must be about business or the needs of the ship. Use channels 8, 67, 72 and 88 only for ship-to-ship messages. 15, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18,
19, 635, 677,
79, 80, 881
PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE (MARINE OPERATOR) - to call the marine operator at a public coast station. By contacting a public coast station, you can make and receive calls from telephones on shore. Except for distress calls, public coast stations usually charge for this service. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 84, 85,
86, 87, 882
PORT OPERATIONS - used in directing the movement of ships in or near ports, locks or waterways. Messages must be about the operational handling movement and safety of ships. In certain major ports, Channels 11,12 and are not available for general port operations messages. Use channel 20 only for ship-to-coast messages. Channel 77 is limited to intership communications to and from pilots 15, 53, 12, 14, 20,
635, 65, 66, 73, 74, 77
NAVIGATIONAL (Also known as the bridge-to-bridge channel.) - available to all ships. Messages must be about ship navigation, for example, passing or meeting other ships. You must keep your messages short. Your power output must not be more than one watt. This is also the main working channel at most locks and drawbridges. 13, 67
MARITIME CONTROL - to talk to ships and coast stations operated by state or local governments. Messages must pertain to regulation and control, boating activities, or assistance to ships. 17
DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING - for distress and safety calling and for general purpose calling using only digital selective calling techniques. 70
WEATHER - receive weather broadcasts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These channels are only for receiving. You cannot transmit on them. Wx-1 162.55
Wx-2 162.4
Wx-3 162.475

Channel Superscript Translation
  1. Not available in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, or the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its approaches.
  2. Only for use In the Great Lakes, St Lawrence Seaway, and Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its approaches.
  3. Available only In the Houston and New Orleans areas.
  4. Available only in the Great Lakes.
  5. Available only In the New Orleans area.
  6. Available for Intership, ship, and coast general purpose calling by noncommercial ships.
  7. Available only In the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
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HOW TO MAKE A CALL
  1. Listen carefully to make sure the channel you want to use is not busy - except in a safety emergency, don't interrupt
  2. Establish contact on channel 16 by stating the name or call sign of the other station first,then give your own identification after saying "This is". Don't reverse the sequence.
  3. End your call with "over".
  4. Listen for a reply. If no contact is made, repeat the call after an interval of at least two minutes.
  5. After establishing communication, switch to the agreed working channel.
  6. After the conversations is completed, say "This is ______ over."
  7. Never combine "over" and "out" as these have different, and contradictory meanings.

THE DISTRESS PROCEDURE -- MAYDAY
  1. The Radiotelephone alarm signal (2 audio tones of different pitch, 1300 and 2200Hz, transmitted alternately 1/4 second of each tone)
  2. The Distress Call:
    • the Distress Signal "Mayday", spoken three times
    • the words "this is"
    • the name and call sign of the vessel in distress, spoken three times
  3. The Distress Message:
    • the Distress Signal Mayday, spoken once
    • the identification of the craft
    • position of vessel (latitude and longitude, or true bearing and distance in miles from a known geographical position);
    • the nature of distress and the kind of assistance desired;
    • any other information that might facilitate the rescue; especially a description of the boat - length, color, type, etc., number of people on board; over.

USE MAYDAY SPARINGLY

The distress signal Mayday should be used only when the vessel is threatened with grave and immediate danger and requests immediate assistance.
It should not be used for situations such as being out of fues, running aground, or engine failure under conditions of no immediate danger.