Sec. 80.319  Radiotelegraph distress call and message transmission 
          procedure.

    (a) The radiotelegraph distress procedure consists of the following 
six steps: however, when time is vital, the first and second steps may 
be omitted. These two steps of the distress procedure may also be 
omitted in circumstances when transmission of the alarm signal is 
considered unnecessary:
    (1) The radiotelegraph alarm signal;
    (2) The distress call and an interval of two minutes;
    (3) The distress call;
    (4) The distress message;
    (5) Two dashes of ten to fifteen seconds each;
    (6) The call sign of the mobile station in distress.
    (b) The radiotelegraph distress transmissions must be sent by means 
of the international Morse code at a speed not exceeding 16 words per 
minute nor less than 8 words per minute.
    (c) The distress message, preceded by the distress call, must be 
repeated at intervals, especially during the 500 kHz international 
silence periods, until an answer is received. The radiotelegraph

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alarm signal may also be repeated, if necessary.
    (d) The transmissions under paragraphs (a) (5) and (6) of this 
section, which are to permit direction finding stations to determine the 
position of the station in distress, may be repeated at frequent 
intervals if necessary.
    (e) When the mobile station in distress receives no answer to a 
distress message transmitted on the distress frequency, the message may 
be repeated on any other available frequency on which attention might be 
attracted.