The channels you'll use
| Channel | What it's for |
|---|---|
| 16 | Distress, urgency and safety calls, and initial calling. Keep calls short and move to a working channel. |
| 70 | Digital selective calling (DSC) only, including DSC distress alerts. Never used for voice. |
| 67 | UK small craft safety channel, used by HM Coastguard to work with yachts and small craft. |
| 6, 8, 72, 77 | Ship-to-ship (intership) calls in the UK. |
| 80 | Most UK marinas. |
| M (M1 or 37) and M2 | UK private channels, used by some marinas and by yacht clubs. |
Port and harbour authorities each have their own working channel, and some ask you to call before entering or crossing their area. Look it up in the almanac or pilot book for each harbour you visit.
Channel 16: keep it clear
- Listen on channel 16 (or dual watch with it) whenever you're at sea, so you hear distress calls and safety broadcasts.
- Use it only to make contact, then agree a working channel and move. For a call to another yacht that means one of 6, 8, 72 or 77.
- Mayday, Pan-Pan and Sécurité calls are made on 16, after a DSC alert where appropriate.
Weather and safety broadcasts
HM Coastguard announces its maritime safety information broadcasts, including weather and navigational warnings, on channel 16, then reads them out on a working channel it names in the announcement. Listen for the announcement and switch over. See the shipping forecast terms for what the words mean.
DSC and your MMSI
A DSC radio has a red distress button that sends an automated alert on channel 70, with your identity and, if it's connected to GPS, your position. That only works if the radio has been programmed with your boat's MMSI, the nine-digit number that identifies it. Check yours is set up and that the GPS is connected. For the full distress procedure, see how to send a Mayday or Pan-Pan.
Channel allocations differ in other countries, so check the local almanac when you cruise abroad. For how to speak on the radio, see the phonetic alphabet and radio numbers.