While this system has served the Coast Guard well over the years, it consists of out-of-date and non-standard equipment with many limitations.
The Coast Guard currently operates a National Distress System, a network of about 300 VHF transceivers and antenna high-sites which are remotely controlled by regional communications centers to provide coverage extending out to at least 20 nautical miles from shore, and often much further.
The system is not Global Maritime Distress & Safety System-compatible, coverage gaps exist in several locations, it cannot operate on public safety channels, it has no direction finding capability, distress calls cannot be received at a high site when the site is transmitting on any channel, and the system is near the end of its useful life.
Charts showing predicted areas of VHF National Distress System coverage can be downloaded in .jpg format.
Alaskan coverage was based upon reception of a 1 Watt transmission from a handheld radio 2 meters above sea level.