MAYDAY Relay & Frequency Silence
advancedUK phraseologyRelay another aircraft's distress call that the ground station could not hear, then demonstrate the listening discipline required when radio silence is imposed: recognise "STOP TRANSMITTING, MAYDAY", hold your traffic, and resume only after "DISTRESS TRAFFIC ENDED, SILENCE FINISHED".
Briefing
You are in PA-28 Golf Bravo Golf Hotel India receiving a Basic Service from London Information on 124.750. You hear a weak MAYDAY from another aircraft, Golf Alpha Bravo, that the controller does not acknowledge — they are out of range of the ground station but you can hear both.
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- Exchange 1
London Information did not acknowledge the distress call. Relay it: say MAYDAY RELAY three times, identify yourself, then pass the other aircraft's details (Golf Alpha Bravo, engine failure, ten miles south of Oxford, two persons on board).
💡 To pass on a distress call from an aircraft the ground station cannot hear, prefix it with "MAYDAY RELAY" (spoken three times) — NOT a plain "MAYDAY", which would imply YOU are in distress. Then pass the stricken aircraft's callsign and details as heard.
- Exchange 2
ATC: “All stations, London Information, STOP TRANSMITTING, MAYDAY.”
The controller has imposed radio silence for the distress traffic. You still have a routine request. What do you do?
💡 "STOP TRANSMITTING, MAYDAY" is a direct instruction to every station to cease transmitting so the distress traffic is not blocked. The correct action is to say NOTHING and listen — even acknowledging the instruction would step on the emergency.
- Exchange 3
ATC: “All stations, London Information, DISTRESS TRAFFIC ENDED, SILENCE FINISHED, time three seven.”
The distress traffic is over and the frequency is released. You may now transmit. Make your call to London Information and request a Basic Service.
💡 "DISTRESS TRAFFIC ENDED, SILENCE FINISHED" tells all stations the emergency working is over and normal traffic may resume. You do not acknowledge it — you simply make your normal call again when you have something to say.
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