Routine Calls L5

Small Craft Operator Program

Small Craft Operator Program
Module 2 – Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime)

Topics we will be covering in the course include …

• Section 1 - Maritime Mobile Service
• Section 2 – Procedures
• Section 3 – GMDSS
• Section 4 – Digital Selective Calling

Radios

• Section 5 – Routine Communications

• Section 6 – Distress Communications
• Section 7 – Urgency Communications
• Section 8 – Safety Communications
• Section 9 – Other GMDSS Equipment
• Section 10 – Additional Information

Restricted Operator’s
Certificate (Maritime) Course

Section 5
Routine Communications

In this lesson we will be looking at…

•Preparing to Use the Radio
•Calling a Station
•Group Calling
•Position Request Using DSC

Points about calling and responding to a call

•Operators should:

•listen for a clear channel before making a call, and
•address the destination station before identifying their own station

Avoid “reverse” calling

Points about calling and responding to a call

•Receivers who get a call on a distress and calling frequency should:

•Switch to a working frequency to continue the conversation
•Balanced calling should be maintained

• Called station’s name x 3
• Your station’s name x 3

If called station’s name is said once or
twice your station name is said once or
twice to match that of the called station.

Preparing to use the radio

1.

Switch on the radio

2.

Select the frequency

3.

Adjust squelch

4.

Adjust the volume

5.

Listen for traffic before beginning your call

•It is a filter for background noise
•Think of it as a gate for radio waves

•As the squelch goes higher fewer radio signals will get through

What is the squelch?

Calling a Vessel or Radio Station Using DSC

Routine individual calls to other DSC equipped vessels or coast stations
are very straightforward, like making a phone call

Many DSC radios allow you to store numbers called on a routine basis
in the memory directory

Routine Call Procedure Using DSC

To make a routine call:
1.

Select channel on which voice communications are to be carried out

2.

Select appropriate MMSI number

3.

Transmit message digitally on Channel 70

Routine Call Procedure Using DSC

•The other vessel will receive an audible alert (usually different than a
distress alert)

•The callers MMSI and proposed channel on which voice
communication is desired will be displayed

•When acknowledged the radio will automatically change to the voice
channel preselected for communication

Routine Call Procedure Using DSC

•A voice reply from the called vessel occurs on the designated working
channel

ARR BOAT
This is
DESTINY
What is your ETA at the marina?
OVER

•A routine call can be repeated if an acknowledgment is not received
within 3 minutes

Routine Call Procedure Using Voice

Place the call by doing the following:

1.

Depress the transmit switch/button on the microphone

2.

Call the station you wish to contact (Destiny, Destiny, Destiny)

3.

Say “this is”

4.

Say your station name (Arr Boat, Arr Boat, Arr Boat)

5.

Say “Over”

6.

Release the transmit switch/button on the microphone

7.

Listen for an answer – if no response then you may call again
twice at intervals of two minutes.

Routine Call Procedure Using Voice

If a response is made to your call, it should use the same format:

1.

Say the station name of the calling vessel (Arr Boat, Arr Boat, Arr
Boat )

2.

Say ‘This is’

3.

Say the name of the replying station (Destiny, Destiny, Destiny)

4.

If the call was initially made on a distress and calling frequency, a
change to a working frequency must follow (Go to Channel 71)

5.

Say ‘Over’

You can also say ‘Switch to Channel xx’

Routine Call Procedure Using Voice

The response would be:

1.

Say the station name of the replying vessel (Destiny)

2.

Say ‘This is’

3.

Say the name of the calling station (Arr Boat)

4.

Say ‘Roger 71’

5.

Say ‘Out’.

How do I make a call to a specific station?

•Normal traffic / conversation may follow on the working channel.
•When your conversation is completed, you both must sign off:

(Arr Boat Out then Destiny Out)

•Both station then must tune their radios back to the distress and
calling frequency and maintain a listening watch.

Can I make a single Station Call using Channel 16?

•Yes! You can make the initial call to a station, but you need to switch to a
working channel to continue on with your conversation

•Once you have completed your call you then switch back to Channel 16.

How do I make a single station call to a Coast
Guard Radio Station?
•If radio traffic is heavy contact CGR on one of their working channels
•If traffic is moderate use Channel 16
•Always announce the channel you are using

• For example:

HALIFAX COAST GUARD (x 3) this is

MALLARD (x 3) on channel 26
OVER

When is a general call used?

•Used to call any station within range or in a given area:

All Stations, All Stations, All Stations

This is

Emu, Emu, Emu

Any vessel with weather information,
Thunder Cape Area,

Switch to Channel 71

Out

When is a multiple station call used?

•Used when you need to contact more than one vessel:

BLUESEAS, WINDWARD, ALTAIR

This is

CONDOR II

OVER

Can you group call with DSC?

•DSC can use group MMSI numbers to do group calling

•An organization needs to apply for a group MMSI number that is
added to DSC radios that are to be part of that group

•Select ‘Group Call’ from the DSC menu and proceed as per a routine
DSC call

Group calling with DSC

•DSC acknowledgments will not be available on a group call so voice
procedures will vary

•Have vessels report in as per voice procedures

•Wait a predetermined time and proceed with message on working
channel

Replying to calls when information is missing

•If you hear a call but are not sure if it is for you, do not reply until the
call is repeated and understood.

•If you are called but you do not know who is calling say the following:

STATION CALLING (say your station’s Identification)
SAY AGAIN
OVER

Position requests using DSC

•Position Request function allows one vessel to obtain the position of
another vessel
•No voice calling is required
•Useful feature to keep track of an accompanying vessel or a
rendezvous
•Response may be either be:

•Automatic
•Manually accepted

Position requests using DSC

•Select ‘Position Request’ and the vessel of interest in the DSC menu
and send the message
•If accepted, the other vessel’s position will be displayed
•Some radios will show bearing and range as well as the latitude and
longitude
•If no response, vessel may be out of range

Quizizz Time

End of Lesson Confirmation

Q1. What is balanced calling?

Q2. What is reverse calling?

Q3. Are boat stations required to sign off?

Q4. What channel is a DSC message sent on?

Q5. When calling a Canadian Coast Guard Radio Station what is the
additional step you need to do?

In this lesson we looked at…

•Preparing to Use the Radio
•Calling a Station
•Group Calling
•Position Request Using DSC

Questions?

Restricted Operator’s
Certificate (Maritime) Course

Section 5
Routine Communications