§  80.1113   Transmission of a distress alert.

   (a) The distress alert must identify the station in distress and its
   position. The distress alert may also contain information regarding the
   nature of the distress, the type of assistance required, the course and
   speed of the mobile unit, the time that this information was recorded
   and any other information which might facilitate rescue.

   (b) The format of distress calls and distress messages must be in
   accordance with ITU-R Recommendation M.493-11, "Digital
   Selective-calling system for use in the Maritime Mobile Service," with
   Annexes 1 and 2, 2004, and ITU-R Recommendation M.541-9, "Operational
   Procedures for the Use of Digital Selective-Calling Equipment in the
   Maritime Mobile Service," with Annexes 1 through 5, 2004, as specified
   in § 80.1101. ITU-R Recommendation M.493-11, with Annexes 1 and 2, and
   ITU-R Recommendation M.541-9, with Annexes 1 through 5, 2004, are
   incorporated by reference. The Director of the Federal Register
   approves this incorporation by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C.
   552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies of these standards can be inspected at
   the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW.,
   Washington, DC (Reference Information Center) or at the National
   Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the
   availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to:
   http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ib
   r_locations.html . The ITU-R Recommendation can be purchased from the
   International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Place des Nations, CH-1211
   Geneva 20, Switzerland.

   (c) Ship-to-shore distress alerts are used to alert Rescue Coordination
   Centers via coast stations or coast earth stations that a ship is in
   distress. These alerts are based on the use of transmissions via
   satellites (from a ship earth station or a satellite EPIRB) and
   terrestrial services (from ship stations and EPIRBs).

   (d) Ship-to-ship distress alerts are used to alert other ships in the
   vicinity of the ship in distress and are based on the use of digital
   selective calling in the VHF and MF bands. The HF bands should not be
   used to notify ships in the vicinity unless no response is received
   within five minutes on VHF or MF.

   (e) Shore-to-ship distress alert relays are used by a station or Rescue
   Coordination Center to relay information about a ship in distress to,
   as appropriate, all ships, a selected group of ships, or a specific
   ship by satellite and/or terrestrial means. The distress alert relay
   must contain the identification of the mobile unit in distress, its
   position and all other information which might facilitate rescue.

   [ 57 FR 9065 , Mar. 16, 1992, as amended at  68 FR 46980 , Aug. 7, 2003;  73 FR 4491 , Jan. 25, 2008]