| CANCELLING
FALSE ALERTS
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CANCEL A FALSE DISTRESS ALERT *
Digital Selective Calling
1 VHF
- switch off transmitter immediately**;
- switch equipment on and set to Channel 16; and
- 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.
2 MF
- switch off equipment immediately**;
- switch equipment on and tune for radiotelephony transmission
on 2,182 kHz; and
- 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.
3 HF
As for MF, but the alert must be cancelled on all the frequency
bands on which it was transmitted. Hence, in stage 2.2 the transmitter
should be tuned consecutively to the radiotelephony distress frequencies
in the 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16 MHz bands, as necessary.
Other Distress Systems
4 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 +
5 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.
6 General
- Notwithstanding the above, ships may use any means available
to them to inform the appropriate authorities that a false distress
alert has been transmitted and should be cancelled.
- No action will normally be taken against any ship or mariner
for reporting and cancelling a false distress alert. However,
in view of the serious consequences of false alerts, and the strict
ban on their transmission, Governments may prosecute in cases
of repeated violations.
*Appropriate signals should precede these messages in
accordance with the ITU Radio Regulations chapter NIX.
**This applies when the false alert is detected during
transmission.
Adapted from International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution
A.814(19)
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