Channel 16 VHF is a radio frequency

Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...

 on the marine VHF radio band

Marine VHF radio

Marine VHF radio is installed on all large ships and most seagoing small craft. It is used for a wide variety of purposes, including summoning rescue services and communicating with harbours, locks, bridges and marinas, and operates in the VHF frequency range, between 156 to 174 MHz...

. It is used for shipping and maritime purposes, to call up ships and shore stations, and as an international distress frequency

International distress frequency

Since early in the 20th century, the radio frequency of 500 kilohertz has been an international calling and distress frequency for Morse code maritime communication. The unit kilohertz was not introduced until 1960...

. After an initial response the call is to be switched to one of the working channels, except in case of emergency traffic. Channel 16 is used for broadcasting distress calls such as mayday

Mayday (distress signal)

Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications. It derives from the French venez m'aider, meaning "come help me"....

, pan-pan

Pan-pan

In radiotelephone communications, a call of three repetitions of pan-pan is used to signify that there is an urgency on board a boat, ship, aircraft or other vehicle but that, for the time being at least, there is no immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself. This is referred to as...

, securite

Securite

When a marine radio transmission begins with "Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité" , it means that what follows is important safety information. The most common use of this is by coast radio stations before the broadcast of navigational warnings and meteorological information.It is normal practice to...

 or other urgent safety messages. It is allied to the 2,182 kHz

2182 kHz

The radio frequency of 2182 kHz is the international calling and distress frequency for maritime radiotelephone communications on the marine MF bands.- Transmission modes :...

 frequency.

Authorized usage

VHF channel 16 (156.8 MHz) is monitored 24 hours a day by coastguards around the world. In addition, all sea bound vessels are required to monitor channel 16 VHF when sailing, except when communicating on other marine channels for legitimate business or operational reasons. Coastguards and others are permitted to broadcast short informative safety messages on channel 16, however, it is an offence in most countries to make false mayday calls. When using the channel to call up ships or shore stations, the call has to be switched to a working channel after the initial response in order to keep channel 16 available to others.

See also

• MayDay
  Mayday (distress signal)
  Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications. It derives from the French venez m'aider, meaning "come help me"....
  
  
• Pan-pan
  Pan-pan
  In radiotelephone communications, a call of three repetitions of pan-pan is used to signify that there is an urgency on board a boat, ship, aircraft or other vehicle but that, for the time being at least, there is no immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself. This is referred to as...
  
  
• 2,182 kHz
  2182 kHz
  The radio frequency of 2182 kHz is the international calling and distress frequency for maritime radiotelephone communications on the marine MF bands.- Transmission modes :...
  
  
• Filipino monkey
  Filipino Monkey
  "Filipino Monkey" is a taunt used by radio pranksters in maritime radio transmissions since at least the 1980s, especially in the Persian Gulf. This taunt is also used as a name for pranksters who make odd, confusing, or even threatening calls on VHF marine channel 16, which is the VHF calling and...