Emergencies - Maydays etc

1. take a deep breath, calm right down, be logical and methodical, speak slowly and clearly.
2. if the emergency is a Mayday condition - life threatening - use Ch 16 as your primary channel and Ch 80 as a backup channel.
   ACRM primarily monitor Ch 80 but also monitor Ch 16. The Water Police monitor Ch 16 from Perth.
3. if the emergency is not life threatening use Ch 80. Ch 80 is the local ACRM repeater channel and it has wider coverage than Ch 16.
4. establish communication.
   Be aware that if you are at the edge of radio range you will be dropping out of reception at the operator's station.
5. speak slowly - the operator needs to be able to clearly hear the details and needs to be able to copy them down and confirm (read back) them with you.
6. provide your position - latitude first. The SW of WA has a 2 digit latitude in the low 30s area. South. Negative.
7. then longtitude. The SW of WA has a 3 digit longitude in the 115s area. East. Positive.
   Please Note - marine equipment uses Degrees Decimal Minutes, smart phones & sat navs use Decimal Degrees.
   It is important that the operator knows which system you are using.
   Clearly indicate where the decimal point is going.
   If you say 33 10.123S that says that you are using marine decimal minutes.
   If you say 33.10123S that says that you are using satnav decimal degrees.
8. provide identifying and contact information - callsign, mobile number etc.
9. switch your radio onto dual watch 16 \ 80 and notify the operator that you are doing so.
   Ch 16 is a simplex channel and the rescue craft can make direct communication with you on it. You can then change to Ch 67.
10. ensure that you have flares. When you can see or hear the rescue craft light a smoke flare.

If You Have a Non Life Threatening Emergency :-

1. contact ACRM on Ch 80.
2. speak slowly. Provide the information in parts. Wait for confirmation of each piece of information.
3. provide your position. Indicate where you are placing the decimal point. This will indicate the position format - DD MM.mm (marine equipment) or DD.dd (smartphones \ satnavs).
   Marine radios display the degrees separately from the minutes. For the local area the latitude degrees are 2 digits and the longitude degrees are 3 digits. The minutes are displayed as 5 digits - 2 before the decimal point and 3 after. This method can be used to distinguish the systems being used.
   If you are using a smartphone then clearly indicate the decimal point.
4. describe the nature of your emergency.
5. provide your identification details - callsign, boat description, mobile number etc.

If You Have a Life Threatening Emergency :-

1. transmit a Mayday, Mayday, Mayday call on Ch 16.
2. if no reply transmit the Mayday, Mayday, Mayday call on Ch 80.
3. speak slowly. Provide the information in parts. Wait for confirmation of each piece of information.
4. provide your position. Indicate where you are placing the decimal point. This will indicate the position format - DD MM.mm (marine equipment) or DD.dd (smartphones \ satnavs).
   Marine radios display the degrees separately from the minutes. For the local area the latitude degrees are 2 digits and the longitude degrees are 3 digits. The minutes are displayed as 5 digits - 2 before the decimal point and 3 after. This method can be used to distinguish the systems being used.
   If you are using a smartphone then clearly indicate the decimal point.
5. describe the nature of your emergency.
6. provide your identification details - callsign, boat description, mobile number etc.

Dual Watch :-

In an emergency situation maintain dual watch on Ch 16 & Ch 80. Or tripple watch on Ch 16, Ch 22 (receive only) & Ch 80.

Ch 80 (ACRM) and Ch 22 (Water Police \ Marine Rescue) are repeater channels. You can only communicate via the repeaters. If you are out of range you cannot communicate directly. Ch 16 is a simplex channel and you can use it to communicate directly hence the emergency services will use that as the primary channel to communicate with you. You may then be switched to Ch 67.