Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 54 Part 2.djvu/315

 54 STAT.] MULTILATERAL-TELECOMMUNICATION-APR. s. 193S ARTICLE 24 Distress Traffic and Distress Signal-Alarm, Emergency, and Safety Signals A. GENERAL [542] §1. No provision of these Regulations shall prevent a mobile station in distress from using any means available to it for drawing attention, signaling its position, and obtaining help. [544] §2. (1) When distress, emergency, or safety is involved, the telegraph transmission speed, in general, must not exceed 16 words per minute. [545] (2) The transmission speed for the alarm signal is indicated in §21 (1) [No. 593]. B. WAVES TO BE USED IN CASE OF DISTRESS [546] §3. (1) Ships. (a) In case of distress, the wave to be used shall be the inter- national distress-wave, that is, 500 kc (600 m) (see article 21) [No. 479]; it must preferably be used in type A2 or B. Ship stations which cannot transmit on the international distress-wave shall use their normal calling- wave. [547] (b) Low-power radiotelephone stations shall use, for this pur- pose, the calling- and distress-wave of 1,650 kc (182 m), as indicated in article 31. [548] (2) Aircraft. Any aircraft in distress must transmit the distress call on the watching-wave of the land or mobile stations capable of helping it; when the call is addressed to stations of the maritime service, the waves to be used are the distress-wave or watching-wave of these stations. C. DISTRESS SIGNAL [549] §4. (1) In radiotelegraphy, the distress signal shall consist of the group ...- - - ... , transmitted as one signal, in which the dashes must be emphasized so as to be distinguished clearly from the dots. [550] In radiotelephony, the distress signal shall consist of the spoken expression MAYDAY (corresponding to the French pronun- ciation of the expression "m'aider"). [551] (2) These distress signals shall announce that the ship, air- craft, or any other vehicle which sends the distress signal is threat- ened by serious and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance. D. DISTRESS CALL [552] §5. (1) The distress call, when sent in radiotelegraphy on 500 kc (600 m) shall, as a general rule, be immediately preceded by the alarm signal as the latter is defined in §21 (1) [No. 593]. 1535 Distress traffic and distress signal, etc. Pod, p. 1543. Waves to be used in ease of distress. Ante, p. 1523. Pod. p. 1567. Distnes signal. Distress cal. Pot,p. G.

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