Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

ALRS Vol 5 deals with GMDSS including maps of coverage areas etc

There are 4 sea areas:

A1 Within VHF range (30-50NM) of a coast station with continuously available
DSC facilities
A2 Outside A1 but within MF range (up to 200NM) of a coast station with
continuously available DSC facilities
A3 Outside A1 and A2 but inside the footprint of an Inmarsat geosynchronous
communications satellite
A4 Outside A1, A2 and A3 effectively just at the poles above or below 76N/S

Carriage Requirements for vessels over 300grt and all passenger vessels:
A1 Maritime Safety Information receiver such as NAVTEX
VHF capable of monitoring and sending on DSC Ch 70, RT Ch 16
Two Search and Rescue Transponder (SART) (1 if <500grt)
Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
Three GMDSS Handheld VHF Radios (2 if < 500grt)
A2 As for A1 plus:
MF capable of monitoring and sending on DSC 2187.5kHz, RT 2182kHz
A3 As for A1 and A2 plus:
Inmarsat-C Maritime Safety Information receiver (no NAVTEX coverage)
HF capable of monitoring and sending on DSC 8414.5kHz, RT 8291kHz
OR
Satellite Radiotelephone (cannot be combined with Satellite MSI unit)
A4 As for A1, A2 and A3 plus:
HF capable of monitoring and sending on DSC 8414.5kHz, RT 8291kHz

Digital Selective Calling (DSC) sends alerts on DSC channels indicating a follow up
Radiotelephone (RT) channel like making a phone ring and connecting the line when
its picked up

RT format for Distress Alert Message:

Call Mayday x3
This is x3
Callsign
MMSI
Message Mayday
This is
Callsign
MMSI
In position
NATURE OF DISTRESS
Require Immediate Assistance
 ADDITIONAL INFO (eg SOB)

RT format for Distress Alert Relay:

Call Mayday Relay x3
All stations/coastguard station x3
This is x3
Callsign
MMSI
Message Repeat original Distress Alert Message adding own Additional Info at
the end

RT format for Distress Alert Acknowledgement:

Call Mayday
VESSEL IN DISTRESS x3
This is x3
Callsign
MMSI
Received Mayday
Distance, Speed and ETA
ADDITIONAL INFO (eg facilities)

Safety and Urgency Announcement also tend to mix the call and message into one,
omitting the repetition of the vessels identity

Radios broadcast DSC Distress Alerts for 30 seconds and then wait for
acknowledgement. After a further 4 minutes they broadcast it again. An
acknowledgement stops this from happening

Should I acknowledge a DSC Distress Alert?

Ideally a shore station like the Coastguard would acknowledge a DSC Distress Alert
and then take responsibility for organising a response. Part of that will involve
sending out a Distress Alert Relay to all stations in the area. You should only
acknowledge a DSC Distress Alert if it repeats without a shore station acknowledging
or a shore station is unlikely to be within range due to the Sea Area. You must then
take responsibility for transmitting a Distress Alert Relay by all available means to
ensure it reaches everyone who can help

Whether you acknowledge immediately will depend on the system and Sea Area:
VHF MF HF
A1 No No No
A2 Yes No No
A3 Yes Yes No
A4 Yes Yes No
Note that HF is generally not acknowledged because it can reach you from almost
any part of the world so you need to be certain you are in range to assist even if it
repeats