Urgency Communications L7 - Lt(N) Wickson

Section 7
Urgency Communications

• Section 1 - Maritime Mobile Service
• Section 2 – Procedures
• Section 3 – GMDSS
• Section 4 – Digital Selective Calling

Radios

• Section 5 – Routine Communications

• Section 6 – Distress Communications
• Section 7 – Urgency Communications
• Section 8 – Safety Communications
• Section 9 – Other GMDSS Equipment
• Section 10 – Additional Information

• Call and message is sent on the authority of the person in command

of the vessel

• An urgency message from a ship shall be transmitted on VHF Channel

16 (156.800 MHz) or MF 2182 kHz regardless if DSC is used or not

• Urgency calls have priority over all other transmissions, except

distress

• Stations that hear urgency the call must listen for at least 3 minutes

following urgency call for message

• All stations which hear the call must not interfere with urgency

message

• If Urgency signal is not addressed to ALL STATIONS, stations that wish

to communicate on frequencies other than those used for
transmission of urgency message may continue normal work on the
frequencies not in use

To transmit a DSC Urgency signal

1. Select the “All Ships” function
2. Specify working channel as

16 unless message is lengthy,
then specify working channel
(eg Channel 6)

3. Transmit urgency alert (will be transmitted on channel 70)

4. After a brief wait to allow other vessels to

change to channel 16, broadcast your
urgency message using
standard VHF procedures
preceded by

“ PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN”

5. Cancel urgency call when urgency is

concluded.

1. PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN
2. All Stations, All Stations, All Stations
3. This is “name of vessel” said 3 times
4. MMSI number of vessel if Urgency message was preceded by a DSC

alert

5. Details including position,

nature of urgency and
assistance required

6. Name of vessel
7. Over

Stations

)

Call:

• PAN PAN, PAN PAN,

PAN PAN

• ALL STATIONS,

ALL STATIONS,
ALL STATIONS

• This is
• WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW

MMSI 316012345

Message:

• Located two miles due west of Sea

Island

• Have damaged rudder, unable to

steer

• Not taking on water
• WILLOW is a three two foot power

boat

• Am in no immediate danger
• Request tow to nearest marina
• WILLOW
• OVER

MMSI # is included if Distress call is preceded by a DSC alert

Call:

• PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN
• HALIFAX COAST GUARD RADIO,

HALIFAX COAST GUARD RADIO,
HALIFAX COAST GUARD RADIO

• This is
• NORTH WIND, NORTH WIND, NORTH

WIND

Message:

• Position one zero miles south of

Halifax

• Have injured crew member requiring

medical attention

• Engine stalled, unable to restart
• Request urgent assistance
• NORTH WIND
• OVER

MMSI # is included if Distress call is preceded by a DSC alert

PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN
WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW
This is
MOONBEAMER, MOONBEAMER, MOONBEAMER
Received Urgency message.
I am located approximately one mile south and proceeding to your location to
render assistance.
ETA approximately one zero minutes
MOONBEAMER
OVER

When urgency situation has ended, station
responsible for transmission shall cancel call
when it knows that action is no longer
necessary or required.

PAN PAN

ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS

This is

WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW

Under tow to marina

URGENCY ENDED

WILLOW

OUT

• Priority
• Frequencies to be Used
• Urgency Signal
• Urgency Call and Message

Questions?

Section 7
Urgency Communications