distress. Distress traffic has priority over all other traffic. All U.S. Navy communicators must be familiar with distress signals to properly evaluate their meanings and to take appropriate action when necessary. If a ship becomes involved in a distress situation, communications   personnel   should   send   distress messages  on  normal  operating  encrypted  circuits.  If  the need for assistance outweighs security considerations, the ship’s commanding officer may authorize the transmission  of  an  unclassified  distress  message  on  one of the national or international distress frequencies. When a ship in distress is traveling in company with other ships, the ship in distress will transmit the distress message to the officer in tactical command (OTC), who will take appropriate action. DISTRESS  FREQUENCIES Several   frequencies   in   different   bands   are designated for the transmission of distress, urgency, safety, or search and rescue (SAR) messages. The following  frequencies  have  been  designated  for  use during a distress or emergency situation: 500 kHz— International  CW/MCW  distress  and calling; 2182 kHz— International voice distress, safety, and  calling; 8364 kHz—  International  CW/MCW  lifeboat, life raft, and survival craft; 121.5 MHz—  International  voice  aeronautical emergency; 156.8 MHz—  FM United States voice distress and international voice safety and calling; and 243.0 MHz—  Joint/combined  military  voice aeronautical   emergency   and   international survival  craft. During SAR missions, the following frequencies are authorized for use: 3023.5 and 5680 kHz— International SAR frequencies for the use of all mobile units at the scene of a search. Also for use of shore stations communicating with aircraft proceeding to or from the scene of the search. CW and voice are authorized. 123.1 MHz—  International  worldwide  voice SAR use. 138.78 MHz—  U.S. military  voice  SAR  on-the- scene  use.  This  frequency  is  also  used  for direction finding (DF). 172.5 MHz— U.S. Navy emergency sonobouy communications   and   homing   use.   This frequency is monitored by all U.S. Navy ASW aircraft assigned to a SAR mission. 282.8 MHz— Joint/combined  on-the-scene voice and DF frequency used throughout NATO. The control of distress message traffic on any designated  frequency  is  the  responsibility  of  the  station in distress. However, this station may delegate its responsibility to another station on the frequency. Distress   Watches Navy  units  at  sea  have  always  maintained  listening watches  on  distress  frequencies.  Communication watch requirements vary according to the operational mission  of  the  ship  and  available  equipment  assets. Ships in company normally divide distress watch requirements among the group. STATUS  BOARD The technical control of the shore station that is NECOS  for  fill-period  terminations  and  PRI  S/S circuits must maintain a status board. The status board should  indicate,  as  a  minimum,  all  systems/circuits  that are active, tuned in, or in a standby status. It should also indicate   all   inoperative   equipment.   The   watch supervisors  must  verify  the  accuracy  of  the  information contained on the status board at watch turnover and update while on watch. The status board must show the following  minimum  information  for  active  and  standby circuits: Functional title of circuit; Frequency(ies), both send/receive, if fill-duplex operation is used; Circuit designator, from communication plan; Transmitter and receiver designations; For shore stations, keying line designations; Terminal  equipment  designation  (for  example, R-2368/URR  #l); Cryptoequipment, keying material, and restart time; 1-15