Marine Safety Circular CD-MSC 07-03 Rev01

Commonwealth of Dominica

Office of the Maritime Administrator

TO: ALL SHIPOWNERS, OPERATORS, MASTERS AND OFFICERS

OF MERCHANT SHIPS, AND RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS

SUBJECT: (GMDSS) RADIO LOG BOOK

PURPOSE: Provides guidelines and examples of a completed (GMDSS) Radio

Log Book as stated on the Marine Safety Circular CD-MSC 31-01

APPLICABILITY: All ships 300 GT and more & all non-GMDSS ships required to have
radio equipment as per national regulations.

REQUIREMENTS:

A record shall be kept, to the satisfaction of the Administration and as required by the Radio
Regulations, of all incidents connected with the radio communication service which appear to be
of importance to safety of life at sea. (SOLAS Reg. IV/17 & ITU RR App. 11)

Therefore, the maintenance of radio records, in compliance with the requirements of the Radio
Regulations, SOLAS Convention as well as required by the Commonwealth of Dominica
International Maritime Act 2000, Chapter 1, Part II, Sections 20 and 21, is the responsibility of
the radio operator designated as having primary responsibility for radio-communications during
distress incidents. The following shall be recorded, together with the times at which they occur
(examples of entries are provided on the Annex of this circular):

DAILY ENTRIES (STCW A & B-VIII)

(1) The proper functioning of the DSC equipment shall be tested at least once each day but
without radiating any signal.
(2) Inmar-C with EGC function Test: Self-test shall be tested by means provided.
(3) Batteries shall tested ON-LOAD and OFF-LOAD daily, and where necessary, brought to
fully charged condition.

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Inquiries concerning the subject of this Circular should be directed to the Deputy Maritime Administrator
Commonwealth of Dominica 32 Washington Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719 USA
registration@dominica-registry.com
Marine Safety Circular CD-MSC 07-03 Rev01

WEEKLY ENTRIES (STCW A & B-VIII)

(1) DSC distress and safety radio equipment shall be tested at least once each week by means
of a test call when within communication range or coast station.
(2) Batteries shall be tested once per week by means of hydrometer where practicable, or
where a hydrometer cannot be used (sealed batteries) by suitable load test.

Reference: Testing Equipment Used for Distress and Safety Calls.(IMO)

Testing on the exclusive DSC distress and safety calling frequencies should be avoided as far as
possible by using other methods. There should be no test transmissions on the DSC calling
channel on VHF ch.70. However, when testing on the exclusive DSC distress and safety calling
frequencies on MF and HF is unavoidable, it should be indicated that these are test
transmission (RR No.3068 (Mob-87)). The test call should be composed in accordance with
Recommendation ITU-R M.493 and the call should be acknowledge by the coast station.
Normally there would be no further communication between the two station involved.

MONTHLY ENTRIES (STCW A & B-VIII)

(1) Each search and rescue radar transponder shall be checked at least once a month using
the in built test facility and checked for security and sign damage.(SOLAS Reg.III/19)
(2) Each survival craft two-way VHF equipment shall be tested at least once a month on a
frequency other than VHF ch.16.(SOLAS Reg.III/19)
(3) Inmar-C with EGC shall be tested by means of actual communication.
(4) Batteries shall be checked once per month for the security of each battery and its
connection and the condition of the batteries and their compartment or compartments.

LOGGING NAVTEX MESSAGES

The reception of weather forecasts or navigational warnings on NAVTEX need not be noted in
the (GMDSS). RADIO LOG BOOK The NAVTEX receiver print-out may replace the log
entries required by chapter IV of the 1974 SOLAS Convention. (IMO Res. A.617 (15))

FORMAT
(GMDSS) RADIO LOG BOOKS on board of Commonwealth of Dominica vessels, need not be
endorsed by the Administration, therefore those found on board may be of the generic type.

MAINTAINED IN DUPLICATE
The logs needs to be maintained in duplicate and for this reason it is produced in carbonized
paper.

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Inquiries concerning the subject of this Circular should be directed to the Deputy Maritime Administrator
Commonwealth of Dominica 32 Washington Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719 USA
registration@dominica-registry.com
Marine Safety Circular CD-MSC 07-03 Rev01

Annex 1 Follows – Sample GMDSS Radio Log Book with Entries

- end -

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Inquiries concerning the subject of this Circular should be directed to the Deputy Maritime Administrator
Commonwealth of Dominica 32 Washington Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719 USA
registration@dominica-registry.com
 Sheet No.001
GMDSS RADIO LOG BOOK
Vessel name:…………M/V JOHANNA……………………………………………CALL SIGN:……3EAA2………………….MMSI……………………………
DATE:………04 JULY 03…………………….
MOVING: FROM ………………………………………………………………TO………………………………………….

Time Station From Station To Particulars of communication or remarks Sign

(UTC) (Freq.,Ch.,Sat) (Freq.,Ch.,Sat)
0935-0940 3EAA2 / No.1VHF Yokohama, Sea Reported ETA 11230500 LT etc. C/O
Ch.16 / 14 Patrol Ch.16 / 14
1005-1010 3EAA2 / 8379.5Khz JNA / 8419.5 khz Sent jasrep “SP” C/O
1130-1140 JMH 18220 khz Received Thyphoon warning (06Z) C/O
1310-1315 Yamaguchi LES 3EAA2 Have been instructed medical treatment for crew from Tokio seamen´s hospital. 3/O
1325-1330 JNA / Navtex Received urgent message “missing man”. Copy attached. 3/O
1340-1349 (daily) MF / HF DSC Radio Equipment: Checked by means provided routing: all sat´ry 3/O
1356-1402 (daily) No.1 & No.2 Vhf Equipment with DSC: Checked by means provided routing: all sat´ry 3/O
1410-1420 (daily) D.S.C. Watch Keeping Receiver: ---------- do-------------- 3/O
1425-1435 (daily) Inmarsat- C with EGC: Checked by means provided Self Test: sat´ry 3/O
1440-1450 (daily) ON-LOAD & OFF-LOAD radio batteries test carry-out: sat´ry
1805-1806 3EAA2 Yamaguchi LES Sent OBS 18 Z 2/O
1810-1815 Navtex Checked paper supplies in good conditions. 2/O
1820-1825 (weekly) No.1 & No.2 VHF Radio Equipment with DSC: Tested by only routing call: all sat´ry 2/O
1835-1840 (weekly) MF / HF Radio equipment with DSC: tested by special calling (auto mode) with JNA 2/O
on 8Mhz: sat´ry
1843-1858 (weekly) radio batteries tested using hydrometer: all sat´ry.
1500-1900 No.1 VHF Ch.16 / 70 All nothing 2/O
1905-1908 3EAA2 Yamaguchi LES Sent Amver (SP) C/O
2005-2010 (monthly)Two way VHF (No.1 , No2 & No.3): tested by ch. 17 (or ch.1) in good order C/O
2015-2022 (monthly) Radar transponder (No.1 & No 2): checked by in-built test facility: ok C/O
2030-2035 (monthly) Inmarsat-C with EGC: checked by mean of actual communication with Yamaguchi C/O
Land Earth Station (LES): sat´ry
2040-2058 (monthly) radio batteries checked for the security of each battery and its connection: all sat´ry C/O
1900-2300 No.2 VHF Ch. 16 / 70 All nothing and changed to No.1 VHF C/O

……………………………………..
4 of 5 MASTER
 Sheet No.001
GMDSS RADIO LOG BOOK
Vessel name:…………M/V JOHANNA……………………………………………CALL SIGN:……3EAA2………………….MMSI……………………………
DATE:………04 JULY 03…………………….
MOVING: FROM ………………………………………………………………TO………………………………………….

……………………………………..
5 of 5 MASTER