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Amateurs Who Hear a Distress Signal Should Follow The Following.

10-09-2024

Obligation to accept distress traffic

A distress call or message has priority over all other transmissions and may be heard on any frequency.

When a distress call is heard, you must:

• immediately cease all transmissions

• continue to listen on the frequency

• record full details of the distress message.

If a distress message is received, wait for a short while to see if the message is received by a station better placed to help.

If the distress message is not acknowledged within a reasonable time, the amateur operator is obliged to respond.

Notifying the appropriate authority

After acknowledging or attempting to acknowledge receipt of the distress message, you must immediately forward details of the distress situation to:

• for land-based distress situations – the police via 000 

• for air or sea-based distress situations – the Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Canberra, ACT, for:

  • aviation rescue services telephone 1800 815 257

  • maritime rescue services telephone 1800 641 792.

You should resume listening and keep the respective authority informed of any developments.

Assistance should be given until cessation of distress traffic is announced (with the phrase 'seelonce feenee'), or until you are advised that assistance is no longer required.