The third regular meeting of the year 2000 will be held in the Anchor & Shield Club on Thursday, March 16, at 1930.

I would like to thank the following people for volunteering their personal time to assist with our booth at the recent Boat Show which was held at the Mobile Convention Center, and anyone else who stopped by to assist us:

Great job to all the ones who participated in the air/sea rescue demonstration!

Thanks again,

Deborah Shaw

The first Ramp Day of year 2000 will be March 25,2000 at Luscher Park , 2459 N. Dog River Dr. from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. We will be doing Vessel Safety Checks on any recreational boat whose owner requests it. Any member who is interested in this part of the Auxiliary program is invited to show up and observe and possibly participate. We will be doing the same thing in the parking lot at E&B Marine on Government Street on April 1,2000 if you can't make it on the 25th.

For more information on any of these programs contact Ken MacRae at (334)666-1766, e-mail at [email protected].

(Note: This is a copy of an e-mail that was received in all caps)

COMDTNOTE 16100

SUBJ: RESPONSE TO CH 16 VHF-FM S-O-S TRANSMISSIONS AND AUTOMATED/SYNTHESIZED MAYDAY BROADCASTS

A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 030019Z FEB 99/ALDIST 040/99

1. SITUATION. IN JUST THE LAST FEW MONTHS, GROUP/ACTIVITY COMMCENS HAVE EXPERIENCED DRAMATIC INCREASES IN S-O-S TRANSMISSIONS ON CH 16 VHF-FM. ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE OTHER S-O-S CAPABLE RADIOS, THE MOST RECENT TRANSMISSIONS HAVE BEEN TRACED TO THE HUMMINBIRD VH5 HANDHELD RADIO PRODUCED BY TECHSONIC INDUSTRIES. THIS RADIO IS SELLING EXTREMELY WELL DUE TO ITS LOW COST. THE VH5 WILL TRANSMIT S-O-S IN MORSE CODE ON CH 16 VHF-FM IF THE PRIORITY CHANNEL BUTTON - WHICH IS NOT LABELED AS SUCH - IS PRESSED FOR AS SHORT AS 3 SECONDS. THE S-O-S TRANSMISSION WILL REBROADCAST INDEFINITELY EVERY 3 SECONDS UNTIL THE PRIORITY CHANNEL BUTTON IS PRESSED AGAIN. ADDITIONALLY, SOME COMMCENS HAVE RCVD ELECTRONICALLY SYNTHESIZED VOICE MAYDAY CALLS IN THE LAST YEAR. THIS PARTICULAR RADIO, COMMONLY CALLED A "MAYDAY MIKE", WAS ON THE MARKET SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT PRESUMABLY NOT MANY WERE SOLD DUE TO ITS UNPOPULARITY. HOWEVER, A FEW EVIDENTLY REMAIN IN USE.

2. DISCUSSION. THESE TYPE OF FEATURES CREATE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SAFETY OF LIFE ISSUES FOR BOTH THE PUBLIC AND CG. TECHSONICS INDUSTRIES IS COOPERATING WITH THE CG AND INVESTIGATING HOW THEY CAN REMOVE THE AUTOMATIC S-O-S FEATURE FROM EXISTING AND FUTURE RADIOS. THE CG REQUESTED FCC TO:

REVOKE THE GRANT OF AUTHORIZATION ISSUED FOR THE RADIO; REQUEST THE COMPANY RECALL UNITS SOLD; REQUEST THE COMPANY CIRCULATE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR DISTRESS CALLING TO USERS OF UNITS NOT RECALLED; AND NOT AUTHORIZE MARINE RADIO EQUIPMENT THAT HAS A SIMILAR FUNCTION WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULTATION AND SUPPORT FROM THE CG.

3. ACTION.

A. ALL S-O-S TRANSMISSIONS AND AUTOMATED/SYNTHESIZED VOICE MAYDAY BROADCASTS WITH NO POSITION OR VESSEL IDENTIFICATION MAY BE TREATED AS UNCORRELATED MAYDAY'S AS PER REF A.

UPON RECEIPT OF AN S-O-S TRANSMISSION OR AUTOMATED/ SYNTHESIZED VOICE MAYDAY BROADCAST, SMC SHALL BROADCAST A UMIB, AS A MINIMUM RESPONSE. ASSETS NEED NOT BE IMMEDIATELY LAUNCHED BASED SOLELY ON A SINGLE MORSE CODE S-O-S OR SYNTHESIZED MAYDAY HEARD ON CH 16 VHF-FM. A LAUNCH WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF A REASONABLE SEARCH AREA CAN BE DETERMINED AND THERE ARE ADDITIONAL FACTORS THAT MAY INDICATE AN ACTUAL DISTRESS SITUATION, I.E. VOICE MAYDAY, OVERDUES, FLARE SIGHTINGS, LOCAL CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES, ETC.

DISTRICTS SHOULD ESTABLISH THE LEVEL OF APPREHENSION THAT WILL REQUIRE A LAUNCH WITHIN THEIR AOR.

B. IN SARMIS II A NEW OPTION UNDER SPECIFIC NOTIFICATION IS BEING ADDED TO INCLUDE RECEIPT OF AN S-O-S TRANSMISSION OR AUTOMATED/ SYNTHESIZED VOICE MAYDAY BROADCAST. THE SPECIFIC OPTION IS "AUTOMATED VHF DISTRESS BDCST NON-DSC". DOCUMENTION OF THESE CALLS IS REQUIRED TO COMPILE DATA AND FURTHER CG EFFORTS IN EDUCATING MANUFACTURERS AND BOATERS ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.

4. ALL DISTRICTS SHALL ENSURE THAT THIS POLICY IS DISEMINATED IMMEDIATELY TO UNITS IN THEIR AOR INVOLVED IN RECEIVING, EVALUATING OR DIRECTING THE RESPONSE TO DISTRESS BROADCASTS.

5. POC: LCDR BRAD NELSON, COMDT(G-OPR-1), (202)267-2275

6. INTERNET RELEASED AUTHORIZED.

7. RELEASED BY RADM TERRY M. CROSS, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS POLICY.

The Coast Guard Spouses Club of Mobile will award one $1,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior who is an eligible dependent of a Coast Guard Member, officer or enlisted, who is:

1. Stationed on active duty in the Mobile area; or
2. Retired with pay, living in the Mobile area, and having served a PCS tour in the Mobile area; or
3. Deceased (while in aforementioned categories) and dependent is living in the Mobile area; or
4. Stationed (active duty) or living (retired with pay) outside of the Mobile area, preceded by a tour in the Mobile area, where the dependent is still living in the Mobile area; or
5. An eligible dependent of a U.S. Uniformed Service member, officer or enlisted, currently on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard in the Mobile area, or retired in the Mobile area, having served a PCS tour with the U.S. Coast Guard in the Mobile area.

Application deadline is 21 April 2000.

For additional information, please contact Mrs. Elaine Stark at (334) 662-6062.