Operation 
4-31 
4.4.5 Distress alerts 
When in distress, press the dedicated DISTRESS button to send a distress alert. The distress 
alerts send own MMSI, ships position, time of the position, and the nature of distress. 
 CAUTION
 
 
Do not test the distress alert as doing so may inconvenience local shipping and 
Rescue Centers.
 
 
 
 
When sending a distress alert, follow the instructions of the ship's captain or 
officer in charge. 
 
 
 
If a false distress alert is transmitted accidentally, use the [CANCEL] button to 
cancel transmission of the distress alert.
 And then report the false distress 
alert to a nearby RCC (Rescue Coordination Center, in Japan, inform the 
nearest Japan Coast Guard.) Information to be reported: 
Ship's name, type, nationality, and ID number, the date/time, location and 
reason why the false distress alert was transmitted. Also, report the unit 
model name and manufacture number/date, if possible. 
 
 
 
4
4
.
.
4
4
.
.
5
5
.
.
1
1
 
  Quick distress alerts 
The following describes the procedure to send a distress alert immediately without using menus.   
In this case, the nature of distress in the message is sent as "UNDESIGNATED" by default.   
Further, if no information for the position and the time of position obtained within 23.5 hours, the 
information are composed automatically as "9999999999" and "8888" respectively. 
■ Procedure ■ 
1
1
1
.
.
.
 
 
 
Open the DISTRESS button cover.