User's Manual

Table Of Contents
40
Northstar Explorer VHF Series: 721/725 Operation and Installation Manual Northstar Explorer VHF Series: 721/725 Operation and Installation Manual
Section 6 - Distress Calls
WARNING
A valid USER MMSI must be entered into this radio before these DSC functions can be used.
See Appendix E - Enter Your USER MMSI (USER MMSI).
6-1 Send a Distress Call
1. Open the red cover labelled DISTRESS.
If time is available to specify the nature of the distress, go to step 2. Otherwise, go directly to step 3.
2. Press the DISTRESS key (located under the red cover) to display the following categories.
Scroll to the category that describes your situation, then press ENT or push the rotary knob:
UNDESIGNATED Undesignated
FIRE (Fire)
FLOODING (Flooding)
COLLISION (Collision)
GROUNDING (Grounding)
LISTING (Listing)
SINKING (Sinking)
ADRIFT (Adrift)
ABANDONING (Abandoning)
PIRACY (Piracy)
OVER BOARD (Over Board)
3. Hold down the DISTRESS key for about 3 seconds, until you see the distress call message (DISTRESS CALL
SENT!) on the LCD. The whole display starts to flash and beep loudly.
Thedistresscallrepeatsvetimescontinuously.Itthenrepeatsrandomlyevery3.5to4.5minutesuntil
a distress acknowledgement (DISTRESS ACK) is received from a search and rescue authority or until you
cancel the distress call manually.
The radio selects CH16 automatically so that you can hear any incoming voice contacts from search and
rescue authorities or other vessels within range.
Press ESC if you need to cancel the distress call. This is the only key that operates in distress mode.
6-2 Receive a Distress Acknowledgement (DISTRESS ACK)
For a Distress Acknowledgement (DISTRESS ACK) sent from the Search and Rescue (SAR) authori-
ties of your country, your radio automatically cancels Distress Mode transmissions and CH16 appears.
Press PTT to establish voice contact with the Search and Rescue (SAR) authority.
The Search and Rescue (SAR) authorities of your country are the only instance allowed to send a Distress
Acknowledgement (DISTRESS ACK).
DISTRESS CALL
> ABANDONING
PIRACY
OVER BOARD
DISTRESS CALL
> PIRACY
HOLD DISTRESS
2 SECONDS..
DISTRESS CALL
SENT! WAIT..
PRESS ESC
TO CANCEL...