What is the best procedure for calling another ship station using HF radiotelephone when signals are weak but readable?

When calling another ship station using HF radiotelephone and the signals are weak but readable, using the call sign of the ship being called three times with phonetics is the best procedure. This method focuses on clarity and repetition, which enhances the likelihood that the receiving station will accurately hear the call, despite the weak signals.

Using phonetics ensures that even if the reception is poor, there is a greater chance that the characters of the call sign will be correctly understood. For example, saying "Kilo, Alpha, Sierra" will help the receiving station differentiate these sounds from possible distortions or interference. Repeating the call sign three times further emphasizes the message and allows for any potential misunderstanding to be corrected early in the communication attempt.

The other options do not prioritize direct communication with the ship station as effectively. Notifying a vessel traffic service might not be suitable for ships in direct communication, as this could introduce unnecessary delays and is more appropriate in other contexts. Simply giving the name of the ship being called misses the exact identification provided by using the official call sign. Lastly, instructing a public correspondence station to add the call sign to a traffic list does not directly facilitate immediate communication between vessels and would be less efficient in this scenario, especially when direct vessel