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37Northstar Explorer VHF Series: 721US, 721EU Operation and Installation Manual
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 to display the following categories. Scroll to the category that describes your
situation, then press ENT:
UNDEFINED
FIRE
FLOODING
COLLISION
GROUNDING
LISTING
SINKING
ADRIFT
ABANDONING
PIRACY
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 fl ash and beep loudly.
The distress call repeats fi 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)
The Coast Guard is the only agency allowed to send a Distress Acknowledgement (DISTRESS ACK).
When a distress acknowledgement is sent from the Coast Guard, your radio automatically cancels the distress
mode transmissions and CH16 is selected.
Press PTT to talk with the Coast Guard.
DISTRESS CALL
> ABANDONING
PIRACY
OVER BOARD
DISTRESS CALL
> PIRACY
HOLD DISTRESS
2 SECONDS..
DISTRESS CALL
SENT! WAIT..
PRESS ESC
TO CANCEL...
Section 6 - Distress Calls
A valid user MMSID must have been entered to access this DSC function. If you don’t have a user MMSID,
see Appendix D.
IMPORTANT: This Northstar radio is designed to generate a digital maritime distress call to facilitate search and
rescue. To be eff ective as a safety device, this radio must be used only within the geographic range of a shore-based
VHF marine Channel 70 distress and safety watch system. The geographic range may vary but under normal condi-
tions is approximately 20 nautical miles.