Log keeping
A radio log must be maintained containing up to date records of all incidents connected with radiocommunications that appear to be of importance to the safety of life at sea. The following are normally required:
· a summary of communications relating to distress, urgency and safety traffic;
·a reference to important radio service incidents; the position of the ship at least once per day.
The log should contain the identities of other stations with which the ship communicates or attempts to communicate, and records of any difficulties experienced owing to congestion, interference, atmospheric noise or ionospheric disturbances.
Incidents involving obscene language or unnecessary transmissions should be recorded with the identities of the stations concerned, if known. This is particularly relevant to VHF Channel 16.
Testing of equipment and false alerts
Radio equipment should be tested at the intervals stated by the manufacturer and in accordance with flag state requirements. Great care should be taken to avoid the transmission of false alerts when testing equipment.
Cancellation of false alerts
If a distress alert is inadvertently transmitted by either VHF, MF or HF DSC:
· the equipment must be reset immediately;
· as appropriate the equipment should be:
· set to VHF Channel 16, or
· tuned for R/T on MF 2182 kHz, or
· tuned for R/T on the HF distress and safety frequency in each band in which the false alert was transmitted;
· a broadcast message to all stations' must be transmitted, cancelling the false alert.
If a distress alert is inadvertently transmitted by an SES the appropriate rescue co-ordination centre (RCC) should be notified that the alert is cancelled by sending a distress priority message by way of the same coast earth station (CES) through which the false distress alert was sent.
If a distress alert is inadvertently transmitted by an EPIRB the appropriate RCC should be contacted through a shore station and the distress alert should be cancelled.
