Placing a Distress Call
A distress call is a DSC call of the highest priority, and should be used only in emergency situations to request immediate help from nearby vessels and maritime safety authorities.
Lift the protective cover off the
DISTRESS button, and hold the button for three seconds.
Distress calls are automatically resent every four minutes until canceled.
Maritime safety authorities, such as the coast guard, respond to DSC distress calls, and your distress call may be relayed by other vessels over long distances. If you send a distress call by accident, you must cancel it immediately, and make a cancellation announcement on channel 16. Failure to cancel a false DSC distress call promptly may lead to penalties from your local maritime safety authority (Canceling a Distress Call).