A ship station that has established initial contact on 218kHz or Ch-16 must communicate on an authorized working frequency for the transmission of messages.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only during emergencies
• D. Only when requested by the other station

Answer: (A)

In marine radio, the calling channel (for example, 2182 kHz on MF or Channel 16 on VHF) is used to establish contact. Once contact is made, you must move to a designated working frequency that is authorized for the actual message traffic. This keeps the calling channel free for new calls and ensures conversations take place on a channel appropriate for the communication, as permitted by regulations and your license. So after initial contact, proceed to the agreed working frequency to transmit and receive messages. This applies to routine traffic as well as emergencies; it’s not limited to specific situations or only at the other station’s request.