CrewTraders

I'm sure Mr Bogart said it and most certainly someone in the A-Team said it. But in the real world no one should ever say it. ...
'Over and out'. This is bad radio practice.
'Over' means that you have finished but will continue after a response.

For example:

Person 1: 'What is the weather like today?' - 'Over'
Person 2: 'Sunny and windy' - 'Over'
Person 1: 'Thanks very much' - 'Out' (the conversation is now over)

To read what the correct procedure for a MayDay call is . There is a correct procedure for making a Mayday call and there is a rule as to when you can make a Mayday call. We will deal with the 'when' part first.

A Mayday call should only be used if there is likely to be loss of life due to the danger your vessel is in.

For example:

The yacht Nonsuch has struck a submerged object and is sinking rapidly.
The skipper decides that his yacht and the lives of the crew are in grave and imminent danger and broadcasts the following message.
If on VHF use Ch. 16 if SSB then 2182khz is the distress frequency.

Proceed as follows:

1. "Mayday mayday mayday,
2. This is nonsuch nonsuch nonsuch
3. Mayday nonsuch and your call sign
4. Position 43.02 south, 81.30 east (the decimal point is pronounced deceemal)
5. My yacht is holed, I am taking on water and sinking rapidly
6. I have 4 crew members on board, the hull is white and the rest of the structure is orange with blue sails.
7. I require immediate assistance - Over.

"Let's break it down line by line.

1. Always repeat 'Mayday' 3 times unless you are relaying the Mayday call.
2. Always repeat your vessel name 3 times
3. Mayday once more - your vessel name and your call sign.
4. Give your position - latitude and longitude and use 'decimal' not 43 - point - 02
5. Report what has happened to your vessel so that the rescuers know what the situation is and can act accordingly.
6. Report your crew number and identification of your vessel to aid search and rescue operations.
7. Indicate that you need immediate assistance.

All vessels receiving this message are by law required to acknowledge receipt of the message, after giving radio stations and vessels closer to the vessel in distress an opportunity to acknowledge receipt first.

All vessels and radio stations that do not become involved in the rescue operation must maintain radio silence until further notice to prevent interferance to the rescue operation.

Vessels or radio stations may act as a relay station for the distress vessel. A reason for this could be that the closest vessel may no be able to assist but the vessel that can assist is out of range.

The relay vessel/station would reply to the mayday in this way:

1. Mayday yacht Nonsuch yacht Nonsuch yacht Nonsuch
2. This is Drillerama Drillerama Drillerame
3. Received Mayday over.

After hearing no other response the master of the Drillermam realizes that his vessel is the only station that received the distress from the Nonsuch and, because the Drillerama is engaged in drilling operations and too far from the vessel in distress, decides to send the following Mayday relay message.

1. Mayday relay Mayday relay Mayday relay
2. This is Drillerama Drillerama Drillerama
3. Mayday Nonsuch/call sign
4. Position 43.02 south, 81.30 east (the decimal point is pronounced deceemal)
5. My yacht is holed, I am taking on water and sinking rapidly
6. I have 4 crew members on board, the hull is white and the rest of the structure is orange with blue sails.
7. I require immediate assistance - Over.

"Points 4 - 7 is verbatim Nonsuch mayday call.
Point 3 has Mayday once which signifies this is a relay call.

If another vessel 'Napoleon' receives the relay call and acknowledges as follows:

1. Mayday (once only since this is a relay)
2. Cape Town radio Cape town radio Cape Town radio (nearest radio station to distress situation)
3. This is Napoloen Napoleon Napoleon
4. Romeo Romeo Romeo Mayday, over.

Cape Town radio will now reply as follows:

1. Mayday
2. Napoleon napoleon napoleon this is Cape Town radio Cape Town radio Cape Town radio

A fishing vessel acknowledges the call by Cape Town radio and responds.

1. Mayday Cape Town radio Cape Town radio Cape Town radio
2. This is Horiki Horiki Horiki Romeo Romeo Romeo Mayday over.

Cape Town radio will reply to Horiki with:

1. Mayday Horiki Horiki Horiki this is
2. Cape Town radio Cape Town radio Cape Town radio
3. All received, please standby.

The coast station will now relay all this information to the Rescue Coordinating Centre (RCC). If not further acknowledgments are received the Coast staion will contact all the staions that have acknowledged receipt individually. They in turn will provide their positions and if they were to proceed to the assitance of Nonsuch their ETA.

Once all the relevant information is obtained the RCC will determine which vessel is closest to Nonsuch and instruct the Master by telegram to proceed to the vessel in distress (the telegram has legal standing being a hard copy). The master of Horiki will now inform Nonsuch that he is proceeding towards his position and what his ETA would be.

The above is taken from the Cape Town Radio 'Restricted RT operators Examination Guide'