Effective 7 February 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard ceased watchkeeping on all High Frequency (HF) shortwave voice (radiotelephone) distress calling frequencies within the contiguous United States and Hawaii, except for Kodiak AK and Guam on 4125 kHz only. Watchkeeping continues instead on HF digital selective calling (DSC) frequencies available from any DSC-equipped HF marine radio.
Note: Voice watchkeeping on 6215 kHz and 8291 kHz at Kodiak and Guam has also been discontinued, a change from that announced by USCG Marine Safety Information Bulletin MSIB Number 10-21.
HF DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING
These are the DSC distress and calling frequencies monitored by the Coast Guard. If you press the distress button, a DSC distress will be sent on one or more of these frequencies. If you wish to contact the Coast Guard using DSC for other urgent reasons, these are the frequencies to use.
Portsmouth/NMN, Boston/NMF, Miami/NMA, New Orleans/NMG, Pt. Reyes/NMC, Honolulu HI/NMO, Kodiak AK/NOJ |
|||
| 4207.5 | DSC test calls on 4207.5 kHz will be automatically acknowledged from any of the US Coast Guard Communication Stations listed below EXCEPT USCG SECTOR Guam. | ||
| 6312 | |||
| 8414.5 | |||
| 12577 | |||
| 16804.5 | |||
Note: For digital selective calling, frequencies listed are assigned. Carrier frequency is located 1700Hz below the assigned frequency.
These are the DSC identities of the Coast Guard stations monitoring HF DSC distress calls. If you wish to contact one or more of them for the urgent reasons, or to make a test call, these are the identities to use.
| Station | MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE IDENTITY |
|---|---|
| Universal US Coast Guard shore-based identity | 003669999 |
| USCG Communications Command, Chesapeake VA/NMN | 003669995 |
| USCG Communications Command, remotely keying transmitters at Boston/NMF | 003669991 |
| USCG Communications Command, remotely keying transmitters at Miami/NMA | 003669997 |
| USCG Communications Command, remotely keying transmitters at New Orleans/NMG | 003669998 |
| USCG Communications Command, remotely keying transmitters at Pt. Reyes CA/NMC | 003669990 |
| USCG Communications Command, remotely keying transmitters at Honolulu HI/NMO | 003669993 |
| USCG Communications Command, remotely keying transmitters at Kodiak AK/NOJ | 003669899 |
| USCG Sector Guam/NRV | 003669994 |
Contact U.S. Coast Guard Communications Command (COMMCOM) here. USCG COMMCOM is responsible for HF and MF communications services to mariners.
OTHER DISTRESS COMMUNICATION RESOURCES
Amateur radio Maritime Mobile Service Network on 14,300 kHz. ITU and FCC regulations
allow a mariner in distress to use any means possible to attract attention to obtain help, including
amateur radio frequencies.
U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centers emergency telephone numbers. 24 hour
Regional Contacts for Emergencies. Use this if you have access to cell or satellite telephone.
Rescue 21 VHF Distress System on VHF channel 16 and VHF DSC.
Satellite from Inmarsat-C or Iridium LT-3100S terminal.
This information and schedule is/was effective November 2025.