Signals (pgs 35-49)

Question 1

Who controls maritime radio services in NZ?

Answer 1

Maritime Safety Authority (MSA)

Question 2

What channel should you use for distress and safety calls on your VHF radio?

Answer 2

Channel 16

Question 3

What frequency should you use for distress and safety calls on your MF (medium frequency) SSB (singalo sideband) radiotelephone?

Answer 3

2182 kHz

Question 4

What frequency should you use for distress and safety calls on your HF (high frequency) SSB (singalo sideband) radiotelephone?

Answer 4

4125, 6215, 8291, 12290, 16420 kHz and others

Question 5

When should you be monitoring VHF channel 16?

Answer 5

All the time unless you’re using it to communicate

Question 6

What is the procedure for calling on your VHF or radio telephone?

Answer 6

1. Listen to make sure you’re not interrupting a distress call or other communications
2. Call on VHF 16 or 2182 kHz
3. Say the station you’re calling’s call sign 3 times, followed by your own name and call sign.
4. They will respond using your name and call sign, and then confirming their name and call sign.
5. Switch to a suitable working channel.
6. Switch back to VHF 16 or 2182 kHz when communications are completed.

Question 7

When are silence periods on MF/HF radiotelephones?

Answer 7

No communications are permitted (except for distress calls) from :00 to :03 and :30 to :33 of each hour so the frequency is clear to detect weak distress signals.

Question 8

What is the distress signal and what does it mean?

Answer 8

The signal is ‘mayday’, and it’s used when your boat is in grave and imminent danger.

Question 9

What is the urgency signal and what does it mean?

Answer 9

The signal is ‘pan-pan’, and it’s used when you have serious cause for concern, but the danger is not yet grave and imminent.

Question 10

What is the safety signal and what does it mean?

Answer 10

The signal is ‘securite’, and it means the station is about to transmit a message concerning an important meteorological or navigational warning

Question 11

What is a voyage or trip report, and when is it used?

Answer 11

On departure from port, you should call in a TR. Include:

1. The abbreviation ‘TR’
2. The name and callsign of your boat
3. Your port of departure
4. Your port of destination and your ETA
5. The number of persons on board

Question 12

Can you also request medical advice via radio?

Answer 12

Yes

Question 13

What are the limitations of cell phones at sea?

Answer 13

Coverage at sea is incomplete, and cell phones cannot broadcast a general call for help.

Question 14

If you must use your cell phone at sea, what guidelines should you follow?

Answer 14

Use your phone in addition to a VHF radio or other additional communcation device. Keep it in a plastic bag. Call 0800 MARITIME for non-urgent assistance. Call 111 for emergency assistance. Conserve your battery.

Question 15

How do you make a mayday call?

Answer 15

Mayday (x3)
This is 
Boat's name and callsign (x3)
Mayday (x1)
Boat's name and callsign (x1)
State your position
What is the nature of the distress?
What assistence do you require? (immediate assistance, firefighting assistance, medical assistance)
State the number of people aboard (POB)
Give any additional information
Over

Question 16

How do you acknowledge a mayday call?

Answer 16

If you hear a call and do not hear an acknowledgement:
Mayday relay (x3)
This is
Boat’s name and callsign (x3)
Relay the distress message as sent by the vessel
Give assistance if possible, and advise the coast station of your actions.

Question 17

How do you cancel a mayday call?

Answer 17

All mayday and pan-pan calls must be cancelled if assistance is no longer required.
Mayday
All stations (x3)
This is
Boat’s name and callsign (x3)
Cancel my earlier mayday, help is no longer required.
Out.

Question 18

What is a SART?

Answer 18

A Search And Rescue Radio Transponder. It is a beacon that shows a distinctive signal on any vessel’s radar screen, and leads the vessel to the beacon.

Question 19

What is a EPIRB?

Answer 19

An Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon. It is a battery-operated radio transmitter that can be used in the water or from a boat or survival craft to alert rescue services and allow aircraft or vessels to home-in and effect a rescue. Most EPIRBs can also signal to passing satellites.

Note that the 121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs were fazed out as of 2009 because of their low accuracy and high number of false alerts.

Question 20

The flags indicating letters N and C together indicate distress. What do they look like?

Answer 20

Blue and white checkered flag over a flag with horizontal stripes (blue, white, red, white, blue).

https://aceboater.com/media/guide/1/distress-flags-n-and-c.jpg

Question 21

Any square shaped flag with a spherical object below it signals what?

Answer 21

Distress

Question 22

Two orange sheets are signals of distress. What do they look like?

Answer 22

1. An orange sheet with a black square over a black circle.

2. An orange sheet with a large, black V.

Question 23

What are the phyrotechnic signals appropriate for small boats?

Answer 23

Rocket parachute flare (for summoning help from far away), had flare (for summoning help from a closer range), orange smoke signal (daylight only, light winds), buoyant orange smoke signal (daylight only, burns longer than hand-held). Fire all signals on the downwind side of the boat.