VHF Radio Procedures — MindPlay Sailing

Channel Reference

Channel 16 is the international distress, safety and calling frequency. Always monitor Channel 16 — it is a legal requirement when at sea.

Channel	Use	Notes
16	Distress, safety and calling	ALWAYS monitor. Call on 16, then move to working channel. Never have a long conversation on 16.
6	Inter-ship safety communications	Bridge-to-bridge safety. Required for safety messages between vessels.
8	Inter-ship working	Commercial and recreational use. Good general working channel.
9	Marinas and harbours	Commonly used by marinas in the Mediterranean. Call marina on Ch 9 or Ch 16.
12	Port operations / vessel traffic	Used by port authorities in some Greek ports. Check locally.
13	Bridge-to-bridge navigation	Mandatory for large vessels navigating in certain areas. Useful when approaching ports.
67	UK Coastguard (reference)	Safety working channel in UK. Not relevant in Greece but worth knowing.
70	DSC Digital Selective Calling	Data only — never voice. Dedicated to DSC distress and calling functions. Never transmit voice on 70.
72	Inter-ship working (recreational)	Popular with yachts in the Mediterranean for ship-to-ship chat.
77	Inter-ship working	Secondary working channel. Less busy than 72.

Basic Radio Procedure — WAIT, LISTEN, TRANSMIT

Before transmitting: WAIT for a gap in traffic. LISTEN to ensure the channel is clear. TRANSMIT clearly, at a measured pace, slightly louder than normal speech.

Standard calling format:

Name of station called (×3 on first call, ×1 on repeated calls)
"This is"
Name of your vessel (×3 on first call, ×1 on repeated calls)
"Over" (inviting a reply)

Key procedure words:

Over — I have finished transmitting and expect a reply
Out — I have finished, conversation is complete (no reply expected)
Roger — I have received and understood your last message
Wilco — Understood and will comply
Say again — Please repeat (never say "repeat" — it has military artillery connotations)
Standby — Wait, I will call you back shortly
Break — I am interrupting to pass a message of higher priority

NATO Phonetic Alphabet

Use phonetics when spelling out vessel names, waypoints or when clarity is needed.

Letter	Word	Letter	Word	Letter	Word
A	Alpha	J	Juliet	S	Sierra
B	Bravo	K	Kilo	T	Tango
C	Charlie	L	Lima	U	Uniform
D	Delta	M	Mike	V	Victor
E	Echo	N	November	W	Whiskey
F	Foxtrot	O	Oscar	X	X-ray
G	Golf	P	Papa	Y	Yankee
H	Hotel	Q	Quebec	Z	Zulu
I	India	R	Romeo

Number pronunciation: 0 = ZERO, 1 = WUN, 2 = TOO, 3 = TREE, 4 = FOW-er, 5 = FIFE, 6 = SIX, 7 = SEV-en, 8 = AIT, 9 = NIN-er, decimal point = DECIMAL, thousand = TOUSAND.

MAYDAY — Distress Call (Life in Danger)

Use MAYDAY when there is grave and imminent danger requiring immediate assistance — vessel sinking, fire, serious medical emergency, man overboard with unrecovered casualty.

Transmit on Channel 16, full power (25W). If DSC is fitted, send DSC distress alert first (hold distress button 5 seconds), then voice MAYDAY.

⚡ MAYDAY SCRIPT

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY

This is [VESSEL NAME] [VESSEL NAME] [VESSEL NAME]

MAYDAY [VESSEL NAME]

My position is [POSITION — lat/lon, OR bearing and distance from a named landmark]

e.g. "Three miles south-west of Cape Sounion" or "37°34.2N 023°28.6E"

I am [NATURE OF DISTRESS]

e.g. "sinking" / "on fire" / "man overboard" / "dismasted" / "medical emergency"

I have [NUMBER] persons on board

I require immediate assistance

Over

After transmitting:

Release PTT, listen on Channel 16 for a reply.
If no response within 1 minute, repeat the call.
Acknowledge any response: "MAYDAY [station calling], this is [your vessel], received, over."
Once acknowledged, coastguard will take control — follow their instructions.
Set off EPIRB if situation warrants.

Cancel a false MAYDAY: If you accidentally trigger a MAYDAY, immediately announce on Ch 16: "MAYDAY [vessel name] — CANCEL MAYDAY — [explanation]" so rescue services can stand down.

PAN PAN — Urgency Call (Urgent but not Life-Threatening)

Use PAN PAN when you need urgent assistance but life is not immediately at risk — injury on board, machinery failure, navigational difficulty, missing person. Transmit on Channel 16.

⚠️ PAN PAN SCRIPT

PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN

All stations All stations All stations

This is [VESSEL NAME] [VESSEL NAME] [VESSEL NAME]

My position is [POSITION]

[NATURE OF URGENCY]

e.g. "I have an injured crew member requiring medical advice" / "I have engine failure and am drifting"

[ASSISTANCE REQUIRED]

e.g. "I require medical advice" / "I request a tow" / "Please stand by"

Over

A PAN PAN can be cancelled once the situation is resolved by transmitting "PAN PAN — [vessel name] — CANCEL PAN PAN" on the same channel.

SÉCURITÉ — Navigational Hazard Broadcast

Pronounced "SAY-CURE-EE-TAY". Used by coastguards and ports to broadcast navigational warnings — unlit buoys, obstructions, traffic warnings, weather. You may also use it to warn other vessels of a hazard.

Format: "Sécurité, Sécurité, Sécurité — All stations — This is [name/authority] — [nature of hazard and position] — Out."

Calling a Marina or Vessel — Step by Step

1Switch to Ch 16 and confirm it is clear.
2Press PTT and call: "[Marina name], [Marina name], [Marina name] — this is [your vessel], [your vessel] — Over."
3Release PTT and listen for reply. Allow 20–30 seconds before repeating.
4When marina responds, they will suggest a working channel: "Go to channel nine — Over."
5Confirm: "Channel nine — [your vessel] — Over." Then switch both radios to Ch 9.
6Conduct the conversation on the working channel. Finish with "Out" to close the call.
7Return both radios to Ch 16 after the call.

Typical marina request: State your vessel name, LOA (length overall), arrival time, number of nights, and berth preference (if any).

Radio Checks

To check your radio is transmitting correctly, call a nearby vessel or marina on a working channel:

"[Station], [Station] — this is [your vessel] — Radio check — Over."

The reply will indicate signal strength: 1 (barely perceptible) through 5 (perfectly readable), combined with signal strength 1–5. "Five and five" is perfect. You may also hear "Loud and clear."

Do not conduct radio checks on Channel 16.

DSC — Digital Selective Calling

DSC allows a vessel to send an automated digital distress alert with position (if connected to GPS) to all DSC-equipped vessels and coast stations simultaneously. Channel 70 is reserved exclusively for DSC — never use it for voice.

Distress procedure:

Lift the protective cover on the dedicated DISTRESS button.
Hold the button for 5 seconds — this sends an automated digital distress alert with your MMSI number and (if GPS-linked) your position.
Immediately follow up with a voice MAYDAY call on Ch 16.
The DSC alert wakes up all radios within range — you will receive a DSC distress acknowledgement before the voice response.

Never press the DSC distress button accidentally. A false DSC alert triggers a major SAR response. If you do trigger it accidentally, immediately call Ch 16 to cancel and notify the coastguard.

🇬🇷 Greece-Specific Notes

Hellenic Coast Guard (Limeniko Soma) maintains continuous watch on Channel 16 across Greek waters. They respond promptly and speak good English.
Port Police (Limenarchio) in many Greek ports monitors Channel 12 for port operations and may answer arrival calls there rather than Ch 16.
Marinas typically monitor Ch 9 and/or Ch 16. Approach on Ch 16 first if Ch 9 gets no response.
Some smaller island harbours have no radio watch at all — you may need to enter and find the harbourmaster on the quay.
Weather bulletins (in Greek and English) are broadcast by the Hellenic Coast Guard on Ch 16 with a Sécurité announcement, then the bulletin on a working channel — listen for the times in the area.

📻 VHF Radio Procedures