Since the time of the Titanic, Marine Radio has helped to save tens of
thousands of lives, and become the key element in Marine Search and Rescue (SAR).
Pre-GMDSS Marine Radio equipment was required to provide operation over a
minimum specified range of 150 nautical miles.
This was based on the (not unreasonable) assumptions that ships usually
travelled well-used routes and that there were sufficient ships at sea and shore stations
dispersed about the world to receive distress calls.
Without radio, there can be no SAR...
However, if a ship was outside of the normal shipping lanes or was rapidly
overwhelmed by the forces of nature, her distress alert may go unheard.... many ships have
gone to the bottom without any distress signal being sent - they have, to use the common
parlance, "sunk without trace".....
)
