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 emergency, man
overboard, on fire, adrift, etc.
8. Give number of persons aboard and conditions of any injured persons.
9. Estimate present seaworthiness of your ship (e.g. how immediate is the danger due
to flooding or fire or proximity to shore).
10. Briefly describe your ship (length, type, color, hull).
11. Say: “
I WILL BE LISTENING ON CHANNEL 16.
”
12. End message by saying “
THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat}, OVER.
”
13. 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.