is backing out of a slip or ap proaching a
blind bend)
• Reports of navigational hazards (such as a
partially sunken object in a busy channel)
Un less you are in a position to help,
do not use your radio on a channel being
used for an emergency until you hear a
Silence Fini (pronounced see-lawnce feenee)
all-clear announcement.
If you do not hear the Coast Guard
reply to an emergency call, and you feel you
are close to the vessel in distress, call the
distressed vessel.
• Give your vessel name three times, and
speak the words Received Mayday.
• Then allow a short time for other stations
to ac knowledge receipt of the message.
• If you are in a position to assist and are
certain you will not interfere with other
dis tress-related calls, contact the vessel
in dis tress and explain what help you can
offer.
• Meanwhile, make every effort to contact
the Coast Guard.
Using the Radio
Marine VHF radio is meant to be used for
logistical or informational communications. It
is not to be used for private conversations or
chatting with fellow boaters. Remember that
there are many boaters on the water with a
need to communicate with someone else, and
that only one conversation at a time can take
place on a normal (analog) VHF channel. Be
courteous to others and limit your conversation
to essential information only and save the
rest for when you meet, or use another communication
system such as a cell phone or
Family Radio Service (FRS) handheld radios.
Routine Calls
• Before transmitting, listen for 5 to 10 seconds
to be sure you will not interfere with
a conversation already in progress.
• If you do not do this, you can de stroy the
value of two calls: your own and that of
another boat.
Section 12: Communications Afloat 143
• Start on the lowest power setting.
• A VHF radio has a low/high power
switch to increase power from 1 watt
to 25 watts for longer range transmissions.
• Low power (1 watt) is enough for
most communications.
• If you use low power, you will be less
apt to interfere with the calls of other
vessels.
• Initiate the call on a calling (also known
as hailing) channel (16 or 9), or a channel
you have arranged with the other party.
• Always start a call with the name of
the boat you are calling and the name
of your boat.
• Repeat the name of the boat you are
calling two or three times if necessary.
• This first call should not exceed 30
seconds.
• If you do not make contact, wait at least
2 minutes before repeating the call.
• Repeat this procedure no more than
three times.
• If you do not make contact during
this period, wait 15 minutes before
making your next try.
Let’s try it. Turn on your VHF radio and set
it to channel 16. After checking the channel
is clear, push down the talk button on your
microphone. Hold the microphone one
inch from your mouth and slowly call the
name of the other boat in a normal tone of
voice:
“Diva, Diva, Diva, this is Moxie.”
The recipient of the call (non-DSC) selects
the working channel and communicates
this to the sender on the calling channel.
Diva responds:
“Moxie, this is Diva, switch to Channel
six-eight, Channel six-eight, over,
Moxie switching to channel 68, over.”
Moxie responds on Channel 68:
“Moxie on six-eight, over”
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