EPIRB. FCC rules allow Class C EPIRBs to be tested within the first five minutes of every hour, for not more than five seconds. Class C EPIRBs can be detected by a marine radio tuned to channel 15 or 16. 406 MHz EPIRBs can be tested through its self-test function, which is an integral part of the device.

DISTRESS ASSISTANCE AND COORDINATION PROCEDURES

(171) Surface ship procedures for assisting distressed surface vessels.

(172) (1) The following immediate action should be taken by each ship on receipt of a distress message:

(173) (a) Acknowledge receipt and, if appropriate, transmit the distress message;

(174) (b) Immediately try to take D/F bearings during the transmission of the distress message and maintain a D/F watch on 500 kHz and/or 2182 kHz;

(175) (c) Communicate the following information to the ship in distress:

(176) (i) identity;

(177) (ii) position;

(178) (iii) speed and estimated time of arrival (ETA);

(179) (iv) when available, true bearing of the ship in distress. (180) (d) Maintain a continuous listening watch on the frequency used for the distress. This will normally be VHF-FM channel 16 (156.80 MHz).

(181) (e) Operate radar continuously;

(182) (f) If in the vicinity of the distress, post extra lookouts. (183) (2) The following action should be taken when proceeding to the area of distress:

(184) (a) Plot the position, course, speed, and ETA of other assisting ships;

(185) (b) Know the communication equipment with which other ships are fitted. This information may be obtained from the International Telecommunication Union's List of Ship Stations; (186) (c) Attempt to construct an accurate "picture" of the circumstances attending the casualty. The important information needed is included under Distress Signals and Communication Procedures, this chapter. Should the ship in distress fail to transmit this information, a ship proceeding to assist should request what information is needed.

(187) (3) The following on-board preparation while proceeding to the distress area should be considered:

(188) (a) A rope (guest warp) running from bow to quarter at the waterline on each side and secured by lizards to the ship's side to assist boats and rafts to secure alongside;

(189) (b) A derrick rigged ready for hoisting on each side of the ship with a platform cargo sling, or rope net, secured to the runner to assist the speedy recovery of exhausted or injured survivors in the water;

(190) (c) Heaving lines, ladders, and scramble net placed ready for use along both sides of the ship on the lowest open deck and possibly crew members suitably equipped to enter the water and assist survivors;

(191) (d) A ship's liferaft made ready for possible use as a boarding station;

(192) (e) Preparations to receive survivors who require medical assistance including the provision of stretchers;

(193) (f) When own lifeboat is to be launched, any means to provide communications between it and the parent ship will prove to be of very great help;

(194) (g) A line throwing appliance with a light line and a heavy rope, ready to be used for making connection either with the ship in distress or with survival craft.

(195) Aircraft procedures for directing surface craft to scene of distress incident.-The following procedures performed in sequence by an aircraft mean that the aircraft is directing a surface craft toward the scene of a distress incident,

(196) (a) Circling the surface craft at least once.

(197) (b) Crossing the projected course of the surface craft close ahead at low altitude, rocking the wings, opening and closing the throttle, or changing the propeller pitch.

(198) (c) Heading in the direction in which the surface craft is to be directed. The surface craft should acknowledge the signal by changing course and following the aircraft. If, for any reason, it is impossible to follow, the surface craft should hoist the international code flag NOVEMBER, or use any other signaling means available to indicate this.

(199) The following procedures performed by an aircraft mean that the assistance of the surface craft is no longer required:

(200) (a) Crossing the wake of the surface craft close astern at a low altitude, rocking the wings, opening and closing the throttle or changing the propeller pitch.

(201) Since modern jet-engined aircraft cannot make the characteristic sound associated with opening and closing the throttle, or changing propeller pitch, ships should be alert to respond to the signals without the sounds, when jets or turboprop aircraft are involved.

(202) Surface ship procedures for assisting aircraft in distress.-1. When an aircraft transmits a distress message by radio, the first transmission is generally made on the designated air/ ground en route frequency in use at the time between the aircraft and aeronautical station. The aircraft may change to another frequency, possibly another en route frequency or the aeronautical emergency frequencies of 121.50 MHz or 243 MHz. In an emergency, it may use any other available frequency to establish contact with any land, mobile, or direction-finding station.

(203) 2. There is liaison between Coast Radio Stations aeronautical units, and land-based search and rescue organizations. Merchant ships will ordinarily be informed of aircraft casualties at sea by broadcast messages from Coast Radio Stations, made on the international distress frequency of 156.80 MHz (VHF-FM channel 16). Ships may, however, become aware of the casualty by receiving a message from the aircraft in distress or a SAR aircraft.

(204) 3. For the purpose of emergency communications with aircraft, special attention is called to the possibility of conducting direct communications on 2182 kHz, if both ship and aircraft are so equipped.

(205) 4. An aircraft in distress will use any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its position, and obtain help, including some of the signals prescribed by the applicable Navigation Rules.

(206) 5. Aircraft usually sink quickly (i.e., within a few minutes). Every endeavor will be made to give ships an accurate position of an aircraft which desires to ditch. When given such a position, a ship should at once consult any other ships in the vicinity on the best procedure to be adopted. The ship going to the rescue should answer the station sending the broadcast and give her identity, position, and intended action.

(207) 6. If a ship should receive a distress message direct from an aircraft, she should act as indicated in the immediately preceding paragraph and also relay the message to the nearest Coast Radio Station. Moreover, a ship which has received a distress

message direct from an aircraft and is going to the rescue should take a bearing on the transmission and inform the Coast Radio Station and other ships in the vicinity of the call sign of the distressed aircraft and the time at which the distress message was received, followed by the bearing and time at which the signal ceased.

(208) 7. When an aircraft decides to ditch in the vicinity of a ship, the ship should:

(209) (a) Transmit homing bearings to the aircraft, or (if so required) transmit signals enabling the aircraft to take its own bearings.

(210) (b) By day, make black smoke.

(211) (c) By night, direct a searchlight vertically and turn on all deck lights. Care must be taken not to direct a searchlight toward the aircraft, which might dazzle the pilot.

(212) 8. Ditching an aircraft is difficult and dangerous. A ship which knows that an aircraft intends to ditch should be prepared to give the pilot the following information:

(213) (a) Wind direction and force.

(214) (b) Direction, height, and length of primary and secondary swell systems.

(215) (c) Other pertinent weather information.

(216) The pilot of an aircraft will choose his own ditching heading. If this is known by the ship, she should set course parallel to the ditching heading. Otherwise the ship should set course parallel to the main swell system and into the wind component, if any.

(217) 9. A land plane may break up immediately on striking the water, and liferafts may be damaged. The ship, should, therefore, have a lifeboat ready for launching, and if possible, boarding nets should be lowered from the ship and heaving lines made ready in the ship and the lifeboat. Survivors of the aircraft may have bright colored lifejackets and location aids.

(218) 10. The method of recovering survivors must be left to the judgment of the master of the ship carrying out the rescue operation.

(219) 11. It should be borne in mind that military aircraft are often fitted with ejection seat mechanisms. Normally, their aircrew will use their ejection seats, rather than ditch. Should such an aircraft ditch, rather than the aircrew bail out, and it becomes necessary to remove them from their ejection seats while still in the aircraft, care should be taken to avoid triggering off the seat mechanisms. The activating handles are invariably indicated by red and or black/yellow coloring.

(220) 12. A survivor from an aircraft casualty who is recovered may be able to give information which will assist in the rescue of other survivors. Masters are therefore asked to put the following questions to survivors and to communicate the answers to a Coast Radio Station. They should also give the position of the rescuing ship and the time when the survivors were recovered.

(221) (a) What was the time and date of the casualty? (222) (b) Did you bail out or was the aircraft ditched? (223) (c) If you bailed out, at what altitude?

(224) (d) How many others did you see leave the aircraft by parachute?

(225) (e) How many ditched with the aircraft?

(226) (f) How many did you see leave the aircraft after ditching?

(227) (g) How many survivors did you see in the water? (228) (h) What flotation gear had they?

(229) (i) What was the total number of persons aboard the aircraft prior to the accident?

(230) (j) What caused the emergency?

(231) Helicopter evacuation of personnel.-Helicopter evacuation, usually performed by the Coast Guard, is a hazardous operation to the patient and to the flight crew, and should only be attempted in event of very serious illness or injury. Provide the doctor on shore with all the information you can concerning the patient, including age, current condition, pulse, blood pressure, respiration rate, and any known medical history, so that an intelligent evaluation can be made concerning the need for evacuation. Most rescue helicopters can proceed less than 150 miles offshore (a few new helicopters can travel 250 to 300 miles out to sea), dependent on weather conditions and other variables. If an evacuation is necessary, the vessel must be prepared to proceed within range of the helicopter, and should be familiar with the preparations which are necessary prior to and after its arrival. (232) When requesting helicopter assistance:

(233) (1) Give the accurate position, time, speed, course, weather conditions, sea conditions, wind direction and velocity, type of vessel, and voice and CW frequency for your ship. (234) (2) If not already provided, give complete medical information including whether or not the patient is ambulatory. (235) (3) If you are beyond helicopter range, advise your diversion intentions so that a rendezvous point may be selected. (236) (4) If there are changes to any items reported earlier, advise the rescue agency immediately. Should the patient die before the arrival of the helicopter, be sure to advise those assisting you.

(237) Preparations prior to the arrival of the helicopter: (238) (1) Provide continuous radio guard on VHF-FM channel 16 (156.80 MHz).

(239) (2) Select and clear the most suitable hoist area, preferably aft on the vessel with a minimum of 50 feet (15.2 meters) radius of clear deck. This must include the securing of loose gear, awnings, and antenna wires. Trice up running rigging and booms. If hoist is aft, lower the flag staff.

(240) (3) If the hoist is to take place at night, light the pickup areas as well as possible. Be sure you do not shine any lights on the helicopter, so that the pilot is not blinded. If there are any obstructions in the vicinity, put a light on them so the pilot will be aware of their positions.

(241) (4) Point searchlights vertically to aid the flight crew in locating the ship and turn them off when the helicopter is on the

scene.

(242) (5) Be sure to advise the helicopter of the location of the pickup area on the ship before the helicopter arrives, so that the pilot may make his approach to aft, amidships, or forward, as required.

(243) (6) There will be a high noise level under the helicopter, so voice communications on deck are almost impossible. Arrange a set of hand signals among the crew who will assist. (244) Hoist operations:

(245) (1) If possible, have the patient moved to a position as close to the hoist area as his condition will permit-time is important.

(246) (2) Normally, if a litter (stretcher) is required, it will be necessary to move the patient to the special litter which will be lowered by the helicopter. Be prepared to do this as quickly as possible. Be sure the patient is strapped in, face up, and with a life jacket on (if his condition will permit).

(247) (3) Be sure that the patient is tagged to indicate what medication, if any, was administered to him and when it was administered.

(248) (4) Have patient's medical record and necessary papers in an envelope or package ready for transfer with the patient. (249) (5) Again, if the patient's condition permits, be sure he is wearing a life jacket.

(250) (6) Change the vessel's course to permit the ship to ride as easily as possible with the wind on the bow, preferably on the port bow. Try to choose a course to keep the stack gases clear of the hoist area. Once established, maintain course and speed.

(251) (7) Reduce speed to ease ship's motion, but maintain steerageway.

(252) (8) If you do not have radio contact with the helicopter, when you are in all respects ready for the hoist, signal the helicopter in with a "come on" with your hand, or at night by flashlight signals.

(253) (9) Allow basket or stretcher to touch deck prior to handling to avoid static shock.

(254) (10) If a trail line is dropped by the helicopter, guide the basket or stretcher to the deck with the line; keep the line free at all times. This line will not cause shock.

(255) (11) Place the patient in basket, sitting with his hands clear of the sides, or in the litter, as described above. Signal the helicopter hoist operator when ready for the hoist. Patient should signal by a nodding of the head if he is able. Deck personnel give thumbs up.

(256) (12) If it is necessary to take the litter away from the hoist point, unhook the hoist cable and keep it free for the helicopter to haul in. Do not secure cable or tail line to the vessel or attempt to move stretcher without unhooking.

(257) (13) When patient is strapped into the stretcher, signal the helicopter to lower the cable, attach cable to stretcher sling (bridle), then signal the hoist operator when the patient is ready to hoist. Steady the stretcher so it will not swing or turn.

(258) (14) If a trail line is attached to the basket or stretcher, use it to steady the patient as he is hoisted. Keep your feet clear of the line, and keep the line from becoming entangled.

(259) Medical advice and/or evacuation.—In the event a master of a vessel requires medical advice and/or there is a potential of evacuation the following should be volunteered by master: (260) Vessel's name and call sign.

(261) Vessel's position and time at position.

(262) Vessel's course, speed and next port and estimated time of arrival (ETA).

(263) Patient's name, nationality, age, race and sex. (264) Patient's respiration, pulse and temperature.

(265) Patient's symptoms and nature of illness.

(266) Any known history of similar illness.

(267) Location and type of pain.

(268) Medical supplies carried on board vessel.
(269) Medication given to patient.
(270) Weather.

(271) Communication schedule and frequency.

(272) Coast Guard droppable, floatable pumps.-The Coast Guard often provides vessels in distress with emergency pumps by either making parachute drops, by lowering on helicopter hoist, or by delivering by vessel. The most commonly used type of pump comes complete in a sealed aluminum drum about half the size of a 50-gallon oil drum. One single lever on top opens it up. Don't be smoking as there may be gas fumes inside the can. The pump will draw about 90 gallons per minute. There should be a waterproof flashlight on top of the pump for night use. Operating instructions are provided inside the pump container.

(273)

Preparations for being towed by Coast Guard: (274) (1) Clear the forecastle area as well as you can. (275) (2) If a line-throwing gun is used, keep everyone out of the way until line clears the boat. The Coast Guard vessel will blow a police whistle or otherwise warn you before firing. (276) (3) Have material ready for chafing gear.

(277) Radar reflectors on small craft.-Operators of disabled wooden or fiberglass craft and persons adrift in rubber rafts or boats that are, or may consider themselves to be, the object of a search, should hoist on a halyard or otherwise place aloft as high as possible any irregularly shaped metallic object that would assist their detection by radar. The more irregular the shape, the better will be the radar reflective quality. Coast Guard cutters and aircraft are radar equipped and thus are able to continue searching in darkness and during other periods of low visibility. To assist in identification during periods of low visibility, shine spotlights straight up, being careful not to blind the crew when aircraft are involved. It is advisable for coastal fishing boats, yachts, and other small craft to have efficient radar reflectors permanently installed aboard the vessel.

(278) Filing Cruising schedules.-Small-craft operators should prepare a cruising plan before starting on extended trips and leave it ashore with a yacht club, marina, friend, or relative. It is advisable to use a checking-in procedure by telephone for each point specified in the cruising plan. Such a trip schedule is vital for determining if a boat is overdue and will assist materially in locating a missing craft in the event search and rescue operations become necessary.

(279) Search and Rescue Telephone Number.-The United States Coast Guard has established a toll-free search and rescue telephone number for the Great Lakes. The number is intended for use when the telephone number of the nearest Coast Guard station is unknown, or when that station cannot be contacted. The toll-free number should not be used without first attempting to contact the nearest Coast Guard station. In all Great Lakes States, except Ohio, the telephone number is 800-321-4400; in Ohio the telephone number is 800-362-1033. These numbers are to be used for search and rescue only.

RADIO NAVIGATION WARNINGS AND WEATHER

(280) Marine radio warnings and weather are disseminated by many sources and through several types of transmissions. Morse code radiotelegraph broadcasts of navigational warnings and other advisories are not described, since these transmissions are normally copied only by professional radio operators. U.S. Coast Guard NAVTEX, high-frequency (HF) narrow-band direct printing (radio telex), HF radiofacsimile, and radiotelephone broadcasts of maritime safety information are summarized here. (For complete information on radio warnings and weather see DMAHTC Pub. 117 and the joint National Weather Service/Navy publication, Selected Worldwide Marine Weather Broadcasts.)

(281) Frequency units.-Hertz (Hz), a unit equal to one cycle per second,has been generally adopted for radio frequencies; accordingly, frequencies formerly given in the Coast Pilots in kilocycles (kc) and megacycles (mc) are now stated in kilohertz (kHz) and Megahertz (MHz), respectively.

(282) Coast Guard radio stations.-Urgent, safety, and scheduled marine information broadcasts are made by Coast Guard radio stations. In general, these broadcasts provide information vital to vessels operating in the approaches and coastal waters of

the United States including the Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

(283) Urgent and safety radiotelephone broadcasts include important Notice to Mariners items, storm warnings, and other vital marine information. U.S. Coast Guard stations which make scheduled broadcasts issue safety broadcasts upon receipt and on the next scheduled broadcast. Stations which do not make scheduled broadcasts issue safety broadcasts upon receipt and at intervals of 3 hours for 24 hours. Safety broadcasts are preceded by the safety signal SECURITY (SAY-CURITAY, spoken three times). After the preliminary signal on VHF-FM channel 16, the station may announce shifting to working frequency VHF-FM channel 22A.

(284) Scheduled radiotelephone broadcasts include routine weather, small-craft advisories, storm warnings, navigational information, and other advisories. Short-range broadcasts are made on 2670 khz and/or VHF-FM channel 22A, following a preliminary call on 2182 kHz and/or VHF-FM channel 16. (See appendix for a list of stations and their broadcast frequencies and times for the area covered by this Coast Pilot.)

(285) Weather information is not normally broadcast by the Coast Guard on VHF-FM channel 22A in areas where NOAA Weather Radio service is available. See note below regarding VHF-FM channel 22A.

(286) HF single-sideband broadcasts of high seas weather information is available on the (carrier) frequencies 4428.7, 6506.4, 8765.4, 13113.2, and 17307.3 kHz from Portsmouth, VA and San Francisco, CA.

(287) Narrow-band direct printing (radio telex or sitor) broadcasts of NAVAREA and other navigational warnings are transmitted on the following assigned frequencies:

(288) Atlantic ice reports: 5320, 8502, and 12750 kHz. (289) Other Atlantic warnings: 8490, 16968.8 kHz.

(290) Pacific: 8710.5, 8714.5, 8718, 13077, 13084,5, 17203, 22567, and 22574.5 kHz.

(291) HF radiofacsimile broadcasts of weather and ice charts are made on the following frequencies:

(292) Atlantic: 3242, 7530, 8502, (ice only), 12750 (ice only) khz.

(293) Pacific: 4298 (Kodiak), 4336, 8459 (Kodiak), 8682, 12730, 17151.2 kHz.

(294) National Standard Abbreviations for Broadcasts.- A listing of Standard Abbreviations for Textual Maritime Safety Broadcasts is contained in tables T-28 through T-30. These abbreviations were jointly approved by the U.S. Coast Guard, National Weather Service, Defense Mapping Agency, and the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services. In addition to appearing in radio broadcasts of the U.S. Coast Guard and National Weather Service, they appear in Notices to Mariners of the U.S. Coast Guard and Defense Mapping Agency, and in NAVTEX.

(295) Urgent marine information broadcasts are also made on VHF-FM channel 16 by certain commercial radiotelephone stations on the Great Lakes. (See appendix for station location and area of coverage.)

(296) Warning Regarding Coast Guard VHF-FM Channel 22A Broadcasts.-The Coast Guard broadcasts urgent and routine maritime safety information to ships on channel 22A (157.10 MHz), the ship station transmit frequency portion of channel 22, of Appendix 18 of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Radio Regulations. This simplex use of channel 22A is not compatible with the international duplex arrangement of the channel (coast transmit 161.70 MHz, ship transmit 157.10 MHz). As a

result, many foreign flag vessels having radios tuned to the international channel 22 can not receive these maritime safety broadcasts. A 1987 Coast Guard survey of foreign vessels in U.S. waters indicated that half of foreign vessels in U.S. waters did not have equipment on board capable of receiving channel 22A broad

casts.

(297) Operators of vessels which transit U.S. waters and who do not have VHF-FM radios tunable to USA channel 22A are urged to either obtain the necessary equipment, to monitor the radiotelephone frequency 2182 kHz and tune to 2670 kHz when a broadcast is announced, or to carry a NAVTEX receiver.

(298) NAVTEX Marine Information Broadcasts.-NAVTEX is an international system used in the United States to broadcast printed copies of Coast Guard district notices to mariners, distress notices, weather forecasts and warnings, ice warnings, and Gulf Stream location (where applicable), and radionavigation information to all types of ships. NAVTEX consists of a small, low-coast and self-contained "smart" printing radio receiver installed in the pilot house of a ship or boat. The receiver checks each incoming message to see if it has been received during an earlier transmission, or if it is of a category of no interest to the ship's master. If it is a new and wanted message, it is printed on a roll of addingmachine size paper; if not, the message is ignored. The ship's master can, at his convenience, read the latest notices he needs to know. A new ship coming into the area will receive many previously-broadcast messages for the first time; ships already in the area which had already received the message will not receive it again. NAVTEX can be received either by a dedicated receiver, or by any narrow-band direct printing (radio telex) receiver operating in the forward error correcting (FEC) mode, tuned to 518 kHz. (299) The accompanying chart shows NAVTEX predicted coverage areas for the U.S. east and west coasts. The propagation predictions were based upon a 90% probability of reception during an average season and time of atmospheric radio noise, with a received character error rate of 1 in 1,000. The Coast Guard operates NAVTEX from stations in Boston (NMF), Portsmouth, VA (NMN), Miami (NMA), New Orleans (NMG), San Juan, PR (NMR), Long Beach, CA, San Francisco (NMC), Astoria, OR Kodiak, AK (NOJ), Honolulu (NMO) and Guam (NRV). The Canadian Coast Guard also broadcasts NAVTEX information from Sydney, Nova Scotia.

(300) As of January 1988, 43 NAVTEX stations in 19 countries were in operation worldwide, and 7 other countries indicated they might soon begin operating NAVTEX.

(301) Broadcasts are planned internationally. Mandatory carriage of NAVTEX receivers is required for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention regulated vessels (merchant vessels greater than 300 gross tons and passenger vessels on international voyages) after 1993.

(302) Questions and comments concerning the NAVTEX service in the United States are solicited. Correspondence should be addressed to:

(303) Commandant (G-TTS-3/63)
(304) United States Coast Guard
(305) Washington, DC 20593-0001

(306) Telex: 89-2427 COMDT COGARD Washington, D.C. (307) National Weather Service forecasts and warnings are issued at least every 6 hours, more frequently if necessary, by National Weather Service Forecast Offices. (See appendix for addresses.)

(308) Lake Weather Broadcasts (LAWEB) are plain language broadcasts giving current weather for all the Great Lakes and the