The Mariner’s Guide to Marine Communications lan Waugh lan’s career in. mobile (marine) radio started with, ee eee OM Mme desc aed Pee Remus enon] Pe ae alee Cream enc eee mess Me gcc Cia es ee DUNC es uc RN RO eon RN ee ae ced College of Nautical Studies, where he gained his Marine Radiocommunication General Certificate (Uta Me Recess The ‘Guide’ is lan’s second book and is the first Re sea eet cs who have to manage and use marine radio and Pee esate eae eae en eee ae cen Rae pantie Mirna Wee ie a othe ata NSM Me ener eat ee rer a Ue eee ceo nia Pe Mec nme es me CU Cu pea i) ieee ection Mee Meese Malus ce CU promises and onboard their vessels. Between 1978 and 1996 fan held various ew RC MCU Mc on Ui (Latour division, including: Business Development Manager responsible for completing fence uM mee ss MLS ecu fee Mc eke eae uns ola Cand M) senvices at Goonhilly and partner stations; Customer Service Manager for Inmarsat-M and B services at their introduction in 1893 ~ working together with technical support people at Goonhilly and other Coast Earth Stations to Feet ee es RC Ue col ee meres a Re ona ee ga aa ead PRR dee een Mr ee CU ce aoa ‘across the VHF, MF and HF bands to merchant ships, fishing vessels, the offshore Ceca Mine ter Q Reece ue Website: www.nautinst.org | The Mariner’s Guide to PY elem lber Lol P] mt ° pac) | oe iS i= | oO ey 3 oO 4 lan Waugh a Foreword by Mr W A O'Neil a Sorrento VL@} : &® : a Q Benet ec institute@ THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE A MARINER’S GUIDE TO MARINE COMMUNICATIONS by Tan WaughPublished by The Nautical Institute 202 Lambeth Road, London, SEI 7LQ, England ‘Telephone: +44 (0]20 7928 1351 Fax: +44 (0}20 7401 2817 Publications e-mail: pubs@nautinstorg Worldwide web site: http:/Avww.nautinst-org Copyright © The Nautical Institute 2001 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers, except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews. Although great care has been taken with the writing and production of this volume, neither The Nautical Institute nor the author can accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or their consequences. This book has been prepared to address the subject of marine communications. This should not, however, be taken to mean that this document deals comprehensively with all of the concerns which will need to be addressed or even, where a particular matter is addressed, that this document sets out the only definitive view for all situations. The opinions expressed are those of the author only and are not necessarily to be taken as the policies or views of any organisation with which he has any connection. ‘Typeset by Javafame Computer Services 1 Ropers Court, Lavenham, Suffolk, CO10 9PU, England Printed in England by O'Sullivan Printing Corporation ‘Trident Way, International Trading Estate, Brent Road, Southall, Middlesex, UB2 5LF ISBN 1 870077 58 X ‘THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE FOREWORD by Mr. W.A. O'Neil, Secretary General IMO When the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System entered into force in 1992 under the SOLAS Convention, it heralded a new era in the provision of safety at sea. Founded on the premise that a distress call from a ship at sea should always be heard no matter what the circumstances and, moreover, heard by someone with the capability to act decisively, it made sure that the very latest in mobile communications technology was at the service of the seafarer. ‘As well as providing a framework for the effective co-ordination of search and rescue operations, it also established a system for the promulgation of safety-related information to ships anywhere in the oceans. Recognising the inherent risk in having just a single specialist on board with the necessary skills to communicate with other ships and people ashore, the GMDSS introduced the concept that all deck officers should be able to use communications equipment. This guide is written specifically for those non-specialist deck officers who now have to manage and use modern satellite and radio communications equipment. ‘An unwelcome consequence of the introduction of the GMDSS has been a marked increase in the number of false alerts. These false alerts come from two principal causes: operator error and accidental actuation of EPIRBS - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons. The configuration of the GMDSS means false alerts can significantly degrade the system. So it is imperative that the level of awareness and the quality of the training given to those obtaining a GMDSS certificate is kept as high as possible. This Nautical Institute publication by Mr. lan Waugh is most timely in this respect. A Mariner’s Guide to Maritime Communications provides a handy reference on board which will improve communications discipline and help to prevent operator errors and reduce false alerts. The new era of digital communications now extends to ships at sea, with the result that ships are now much more ‘in touch’ with people ashore and with each other than ever before. This ease of communication: has inevitably led to a considerable increase in the volume of radio trallic. Itis appropriate, therefore, that a theme running through this guide is the need to manage maritime communications effectively. Quite apart from the cost of satellite transmission time, good preparatory work and a clear understanding of the most efficient way of passing messages is now part of the deck department's responsibilities. This practical guide provides a valuable source of reference and will be particularly useful to those who use maritime communications both ashore and afloat MARINE COMMUNICATIONS iiAUTHOR’S INTRODUCTION “THIS GUIDE HAS BEEN WRITTEN PRIMARILY FOR DECK OFFICERS keeping bridge watches al sea and other persons who have to manage and use the radio/ satellite communications equipment onboard a modern merchant ship. There will be one person onboard — usually from the deck department — who will be ‘designated with responsibility for radio communications during emergencies’. To assist that ‘radio operator’ the guide explains, with examples, the type of information that should be recorded in the radio log each day, week and month. The guide is divided into three parts: Part 1 provides an overview of the GMDSS; explains how to receive ‘Maritime Safety Information’ (weather/navigational information, and shore-to-ship Search & Rescue (SAR) messages) and introduces the concept of a ‘communications plan’ for each voyage - for receiving the required maritime safety information, maintaining the correct radio watch and using ship reporting systems. Regular tests and checks that should be recorded in the radio log are covered. in this part. Part 2 covers the operating (alerting/making contact and subsequent voice/telex) procedures; for all types of communication (Distress, Urgency, Safety and Routine) ~ for each type of radio/satcom equipment —and which publications may be used for each situation, Part 3 explains how each piece of radio/satellite communications ‘equipments physically configured, including ancillary equipment, how to use the main controls on each piece of equipment and what regular (operator) maintenance and checks are required to be carried out on the equipment. Preparing for the periodic ‘Ship Radio Survey’ is covered here. ‘The guide is designed primarily as a day-to-day tool for the ‘management of radio and satellite communications onboard the modern merchant ship. It can also be used to prepare for a GMDSS training course; by training centres as a course manual; or as a ‘refresher’ publication when your training course is a distant memory. Parts I and Dinchude ‘question & answer" sections to test your understanding of the procedures included in those parts. Jan Waugh iv THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE CONTENTS Foreword by Mr. W.A. O'Neil Secretary General IMO .. Author's introduction 1.00 Chapter 1 GMDSS Overview ~~ Priority of communicatic + Definitions . + GMDSS functions Radio and satellite communications equipment ... + Sea area of operation 7 + SAR Responsbilty/Search and Rescue (SRR) regions sesso + GMDSS land-based infrastructure and ship's main CMDSS equipment. + Questions from Chapter | Chapter 2 Maritime Safety Information (MSI)... + Using SafetyNET eu + Using NAVTEX + Receiving MST using marine VHF/SSB radio 19 Radio-Facsimile (Weatherfax) services. - 2 Questions from Chapter 2... ‘ 23 Chapter 3 Radio Watch-keeping and voyage planning Radio Log ~ what to include Equipment, channels and freq} Preparing for sea Voyage communications planning. PART 2 Chapter 4 Routine Radio and Satellite Communications wna + Pilot, Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and port communication 38 + Intership communications wm . 43 + Intership communications ~ calling procedures... 44 + Onboard communications... 46 + Marine VHF and SSB radio “PC services 47 + Calling procedure on HF RT channels wo onan 49 + Public Correspondence ‘Telex Over Radio’ (TOR) services. 54 + TOR/ARQ communications 35 + Globe Wireless ARQ/TOR services wnosnnsnunmnnsnnnenninenesnn 59 + Globe e-mail service 60 + Inmarsat PC telephone, fax and data services 61 MARINE COMMUNICATIONS v+ Inmarsat-A PC telephone, fax and voice band data ealls 61 + Inmarsat-B PC telephone calls... Sra eae 68 + Inmarsat-B PC fax and data calls. 65 + Internet access and Internet electronic mail (e-mail). 65 + Inmarsat-A and Inmarsat-B High Speed Data (HSD).. 66 + Inmarsat-A and Inmarsat-B PC Telex 66 + Inmarsat-C Messaging Services ..n.. 7 + Inmarsal-C FleetNET messages 69 + Cellular radio and non-GMDSS mobile satellite services. 69 + Questions from Chapter 4 on 73 Chapter 5 Distress, Urgency and Safety Communications for Sea Areas "Al, A2, and A3/A4. GMDSS equipment for Distress Alert ip and for Distress Relays, from-shore, by Sea Area + Distress Communications - Sea Area Al (VEIF procedures). Ch6 Voice Distress Procedures ~ Example — Sea Area AV ssssnsna 70 Action onboard vessels receiving a VHF DSC Distress Alert + Distress Communications ~ Sea Area A2 (MF procedures) + 2182kH1z Voice Distress Procedures ~ Example ~ Sea Area A2 81 + Action onboard vessels receiving a DSC Distross Alert on 2187.9kHz...-81 + Distress Communications — Sea Areas A3 and Ad.eocsnunnnm 84 + Ship-to-shore Distress telephone call ~ Example ~ Inmarsat-A and Inmarsat B... 85 + Ship-to-shore Distress telex message ~ Example — TnmarsatA and Inmarsat-Bvsssesewee 86 + Ship-to-Shore Distress Alerts and Distress Priority Message Example ~ Inmarsat-C 87 + Ship-to-Shore Distress Procedures ~ Example ~ SSB Radio with HF DSC... 90 + Sea Area A3/A4 ship-to-ship Distress Calls and messages wosnmeen IL * Action onboard vestels receiving DSC Distress Alerts in Sea Area AS/AM son - 91 + Distress Relay (radi 7 + Voice ‘Mayday Relay’ procedures + Summary of Distress Acknowledgement/Disiress Relay (VEF/ME) rales on + Summary of Distress Acknowledgement/Disiress Relay (HF) rates .. 101 ‘ation on receiving a DSC Distress Relay/DSC acknowledgement... False DSC Distress aleris False alert sent on VHF Ch7t False alert sent on 2187.5KH2, False alert sent on 8414.5kHz Distress Procedure words... Urgency (Pan Pan) communications Action onboard other vessels in the vicinity of an Urgeney situation . 111 Examples of Urgency communications - radio and satellite Urgency Communications in an A2 Area — Example Using Inmarsat-A/Inmarsat-B telephone communications to make an Urgency call to a MRCC. Ls vi THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE + Using Inmarsat-C to send an Urgency message toa MRCC + Urgent Medical Advice and Urgent Medical Assistance Urgent Medical Advice Safety (Sécurité) communications + Dangers in the use of VHF radio in collision avoidance .. + Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) + Questions from Chapter 5 PART 3 Chapter 6 ‘The Marine VHF Radio Installation .. ‘The Marine VHF radio network Marine VHF radio installation, with DSC Power supply .. VHF antennas and propagation Marine VHF radio ~ equipment operation and controls. 130 VHF DSC Controller — operation and controls. 132 Routine maintenance and checks .. Chapter 7 Marine ME/HF SSB Radio smn ‘The Marine ME/HF SSB radio networ ‘The MF/HF SSB radio installation nasa SSB radio operation and controls aici Power su MPF DSC Controier and Scanning Watch Receiver’ — operation and controls... Routine maintenance and checks SSB antennas.. ‘Antenna maintenance and checks Antenna radiation hazard MF/HF radio wave propagation 2... Basie rules for ground wave propagation .. Basic rules for sky wave propagation Chapter 8 Mobile Satellite Installations + The Inmarsat communications + Land Earth Stations (LES) .... . + Network Coordination Stations (N‘ Ship Earth Stations (SES)... Inmarsat ‘to’mobile’ services « nmassat services. ‘ellite propagation .. Inmatsat C insfalltions Tnmarsat-C operation and controls. 159 Local Area Network (LAN) encoun aaceuens Tamarsat-C ‘Store and Forward’ communications 160 Logging-in to your chosen satellite. . ‘The Inmarsat Enhanced Group Cail [EGC) service 161 MARINE COMMUNICATIONS viiAddress Book sooninnnininnnnnnnnnsinnnnnnnnnnns 16D Position reporting/polling.- 162 ‘Tests and checks for you Inmarsat-C installation 163 Antenna radiation hazard (Inmarsat-C).. Sonnnnnnennsnne 163 Inmarsat-A and Inmarsat-B installations... : 164 Inmarsat-A/Inmarsat B telephone/telex procedures s.meuemnueannn 167 Satellite acquisition 167 ‘Anienna Radiation Hazard 169 Inmarsat-A/Inmarsat-B equipment set-up 169 Equipment tests and checks ven a la TnmarsatA/B high speed data (FSD) service 17 Call encryption Inmarsat-B/Inmarsat-M) Inmarsat-M and Mini-M services .. Inmarsat-M and Mini-M installations. Equipment tests and checks... High bandwidth ‘multi-channel’ satellite networks ‘The multi-channel installation Equipment tests and checks. Other mobile satellite systems — Chapter 9 NAVTEX eronnrnn + The international NAV sn 180 + The NAVTEX installation 182 + Station/message selection 184 + Routine maintenance and checks... 185 Chapter 10 EPIRDs and SARTS wn sveennennnnnes 186 EPIRBs 186 + The Cospas-Sarsat network . - 186 + Inmarsat EPIRBs.. + Local homing on 121-5MFIz... + EPIRB registration + EPIRB installation, maintenance and checks + Search and Rescue (radar) transponder (SAR) + SART detection by marine radar on + Routine maintenance and checks Chapter 11 Power Supplies snnnsninnnsnnniinnnninnnninnin Radio station main/emergency power supply + Regular checks and maintenance + Batiery compartment salety precautions... + Emergency generator + Individual equipment fuses 2 Handheld VHF radio batteries MSS bandsheld Vii Chapter 12 Ship Radio Inspections... )perating area viii. THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE 1 1 1 1 a 2. 2. 32 7 72 7.5{a) Electrical energy radiation — vertical. 73 76 81 82 Electricity supplies VHF radio telephone equipment VHE DSC controllers/modems wns VHF Ch70 DSC watchkeeping receivers ME/HE SSB radio installations ME/HE DSC controllers/modems ME/HF DSC watchkeeping receiver's). ovo ME/HE Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP} telex equipment NAVTEX receiver(s) ME/HE Maritime Safety Information (ASI) receivers) Enhanced Group Call (EGC) receiver's) Inmarsat-C installation(s} Satellite EPIRBs. Search and Rescue (radar) transponders (SART) Airband transceiver {passenger vessels) Survival Craft hand-held VHF radiotelephone transceiver 8) Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) helmets... GPS position finding equipment. Navigation equipment... Ship Radio Survey — possible outcomes. FIGURES Sea Areas AVA2 Sea Areas A3/A4 Search and Rescue Regions (SRR) NE Adantic ... ‘The main GMDSS infrastructure International Nav/Met areas with Inmarsat st footprints Metarea 10 forecast areas 7 ‘Australia coastal navigation warning areas NAVTEX diagram — Southern A NAVTEX diagram. HIF DSC stations Inmarsat global spot beam coverage Inmarsat ~ individual satellite spot beam coverage ‘The marine VHF radio network. A marine VHF installation .. VHF line of sight propagation MEVHF Distress and Safety services (b) | ME/HF commercial services sno. ‘The MF/HF radio installation ‘Marine MF/HE SSB radio — schematic diagram Whip antennas (alternative arrangements) 'b) Electrical energy radiation — horizontal Energy flows across the earth's surface be arsat satellite constellation mmarsat ground infrastructure Inmarsat-€ installation (two type: Inmarsat EGC SafetyNET anc Inmarsat-A and Inmarsat-B ii MARINE COMMUNICATIONS ix8.6 Satellite acquisition ~IOR .... 8.7 Inmarsat-A, Inmarsat-B and Inmarsat-M antenna radiation hazard 169 8.8(a} Inmarsat worldwide coverage map sti 1 8.8(b)Mini-M coverage for individual satellites : 173 8.9) Tnmarsat-M and Mini-M installations re 810 Multi-channel private satellite network 175 S11 Globalstar service coverage 812 Thuraya coverage map. 9.1 ‘The NAVTEX networ 9.2 The NAVTEX insiallation . 9.3 Co-axial cable... 10.1 Gospas-Sarsat satellite constellation 10.2 Cospas-Sarsat approximate GEOSTAR coverage .. 103 SART deployment : 104 SART transmissions on approaching vessel's radar scree! ILL Ship radio station power supply system... T12{a) Cartridge and bayonet fuses. 11.2{8) Using a multimeter to test fuses/tamps App IV.1 a} I cycle-per-second (1Hz); b) 2 cycles-persecond (2Hz} AppIX.1 Regions 1,2 and 3 and tropical zones, GLOSSARY Glossary of Terms srmnnnnnnnnnnne APPENDICES I Distress, Urgeney and Safety definitions and explanations ....... 217 TL Phonetic Alphabet, Morse Code and Procedure Words, LIL GMDSS equipment for Sea Areas Al, A2, A3 and Ad TV Marine radio and satellite frequency spectrum... V___Yessel identification {radio and satellite services) VI Medical Advice ~ CIRM message format . i VIL__ Action in the first RCC to receive a Distress Alert .n. VEIT Daily, weekly and monthly tests and checks. TX Frequencies for use in the GMDS X Radio Watch summary. XI_—_Voyage Communications 249 INDEX Index .. x THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE. PART 1 GMDSS overview; receiving MSI; Radio watchkeeping, the Radio Log and the Voyage Communications Plan ‘Tus PART OF THE GUIDE INCLUDES AN OvERVIEW of the GMDSS — the land-based infrastructure, Sea Areas of Operation and equipment ~ and briefly explains which tasks can only be carried out using GMDSS equipment and which may use alternative, non-GMDSS equipment. Receiving Maritime Safety Information (MSI) for the voyage is covered (using automatic and manual systems) and Ship Reporting Systems are explained. The duties of ‘the person designated with responsibility for radio communications in an emergency’ (the designated person) are introduced, followed by guidance on making a voyage communications plan — help the designated person prepare for that role. Examples of voyages are included, to exercise the use of relevant publications. An introduction to radio log keeping is included - with examples showing how to record ‘MSI services being monitored, the radio Distress Watch being maintained and routine tests and checks. This part assumes that the radio operator knows how to operate the various types of communications equipment fitted onboard. For those who don’t ~ actual equipment operation is included in Part 3. The assumed {marine radio/satcom) equipment is: + Marine VHF Radio, with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) + Marine MF/HF ‘SSB’ Radio with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and Telex Over Radio/Narrow Band Direct Printing (TOR/NBDP) + NAVTEX Inmarsat-C (including SafetyNET) Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB Search & Rescue (radar) Transponder (SART) Hand-held VHF Radio for Onboard Communications (all channels) Hand-held GMDSS-VHF liferafi sets Inmarsat-A and/or Inmarsat-B ‘The vessel is assumed to carry the Admiralty List of Radio Signals Volumes 1,2,3,5 and 6; ITU List of Ship Stations; ITU List of Callsigns and Numerical Identities and the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual Volume 3 MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 1Chapter I GMDSS OVERVIEW ALL PASSENGER VESSELS AND CARGO VESSELS over 300 tons, engaged on international voyages, have to carry a range of radio/satellite communications equipment specifically to meet the ‘functional requirements’ of the GMDSS. The actual equipment fitted depends on the vessel’s ‘Sea Area of Operation’, This chapter lists the functions that a GMDSS vessel should be able to carry out; introduces GMDSS. equipment that may be used for each function (with alternatives where appropriate); explains ‘GMDSS Sea Areas of Operation’ and describes, the land-based GMDSS communications infrastructure. Priority of communications Inthe GMDSS, maritime radio/satellite communications fall into four ‘priority’ groups: Distress, Urgency, Safety and Other. Mariners have to decide, for each circumstance, which category a particular incident/requirement falls into before making contact with shore or other vessels, The official definitions are shown below. (An expanded explanation, to aid understanding, is provided at Appendis 1) Definitions DISTRESS (Mayday) ‘a mobile unit, or a person, is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance’. URGENCY (Pan Pan) is where you have ‘an urgent message to send concerning the safety of a mobile unit, or a person’. In Distress and Urgency situations, you are asking for assistance. For Distress, that usually means ‘rescue’. For Urgency, you are specifying a particular ype of assistance which should solve your problem. (See the expanded explanations in Appendix Ito help distinguish between Distress and Urgency situations) SAFETY is where you have ‘an important navigational or meteorological warning’ to send — including ‘bridge-to-bridge’ communications, between, ships, concerning the safety of navigation. Ina Safety situation — unlike Distress and Urgency — you are not asking for assistance 2 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE Distress, Urgency and Safety communications should normally be conducted exclusively on GMDSS radio/satellite communications equipment. Non-GMDSS equipment should only be considered if GMDSS equipment has failed to gain the assistance required (Distress/Urgency), or to pass a safety message. OTHER All communications which are not classed as Distress, Urgency or Safety are, in the GMDSS, classed as Other communications and will include (i) normal communications with ports, pilots and ship movement/ vessel traffic services; (ii) normal intership communications and iii) private/business calls/messages in the ‘public correspondence’ service fie, normal ship-shore telephone, fax and data calls and telex/e-mail messages). ‘Other’ communications with ports, pilots and ship movement/vessel traffic services will normally be carried ont using GMDSS radio Jequipment. Intership communications will normally be conducted on! GMDSS radio equipment. Communication in the public correspondence service may be carried out on GMDSS radio or satellite communications equipment ~ but is increasingly being carried ‘out on non-GMDSS/non-marine radio and satellite communications equipment (including Cellular Radio and non-GMDSS Mobile Satellite Services like Inmarsat-M and Inmarsat-Mini-M — both covered in Chapter 4). GMDSS functions The GMDSS was progressively introduced between 1992 and February 1999. It introduced two fundamental changes from the pre GMDSS system for distress and safety communications; (i) the traditional aural (listening-by-ear) watch, carried out by radio operators ashore and afloat, was replaced by automatic alerting systems. This particularly applies to distress watch keeping and to the reception of maritime safety information; and (ia list of GMDSS functions was introduced — requiring ships to be able to: * send ‘Distress Alerts’ from ship-to-shore; receive ‘Distress Alerts’ from shore; and send/receive ship-to-ship Distress Alerts. In the GMDSS, the first priority for ships in distress is (normally) to get a Distress Alert/Message to a shore-based Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC] so that, if that was the only opportunity to MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 3communicate with anyone, the RCC would be able to coordinate the subsequent Search and Rescue (SAR) operation. + Exchange ‘Search and Rescue Coordinating’ communications with RCCs and ‘On-scene’ communications between vessels in the area of the SAR operation, + Send ‘locating’ signals when you are the one in distress, and receive locating signals from others in distress. + Receive ‘Maritime Safety Information’ (MST) including weather and navigation warnings which, it is hoped, should help keep you out of trouble. + Exchange ‘bridge-to-bridge’ communications between ships in close proximity for the safety of navigation. + Exchange ‘general (routine day-to-day) radio communications’ with port authorities and vessel traffic services; pilot stations; other vessels; and with the office/home of owners, operators, charter party, passengers and crew. Radio & Satellite Communications Equipment (by GMDSS function) All GMDSS vessels carry a range of equipment from the list below (left-hand column), for the GMDSS tasks/functions shown (middle column) - and may use alternative, non-GMDSS equipment (righthand column) for some routine task: GMDSS Equipment Non-GMDSS (approximate range) GMDSS Task/Function Alternative VHF Marine Radio + Distress, Urgency and Safety, {none} with DSC ship shore/shore-hip/ship ships (Short range sp (includes recising Marine tn around 50 miles) Suet Information (MSD) Routine Intership communications (none) Ports, Plots & Ship Movement Inmarsat A, Band C + Distress, Urgency and Safety, GON w 708) ship-shore/shore-ship (none) {includes receiving MSI) (none) + Dubie correspondence Mobile Satelite Services Inmarsat EPIRE + Distress Alets, coshore (none) (IN t 70'S) Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB + Distress Alerts, to-shore {none} (Gaba) SART (9GHz/3cm) + sending locating signal, by radar (none) Hand-held VHF + onboard communications (hand-held UNF radio) {up to 10 miles|__+Iieraft/SAR communications (none) Sea Area of Operation GMDSS vessels should be fitted with a range of radio/satellite ‘communications equipment to match the shore-based (distress and safety) facilities covering their ‘Sea Area of Operation’. The four GMDSS Sea Areas (Al, A2, A3 and Ad) are determined by the shore-based radio {acilities/Inmarsat system coverage for receiving distress aleris/relaying those aleris to a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC). The Sea Areas, with an abridged definition/explanation, are: SEA AREA Al within radiotelephone range (normally limited to 20-30 miles) of a VHF DSC coast station keeping a GMDSS distress watch. SEA AREA A2 within radiotelephone range (to around 150 miles) of a MF DSC coast station keeping a GMDSS distress watch (but outside area Al). Author's explanation: DSC alerts on VHF/MF will activate the alarms on receiving equipment beyond the range at which tiva-way voice (radiotelephone) communications can be established — hence ‘radiotelephone? range. Vessel Traffic Services: {none} + Public correspondence Cellular Radio + Onboard communications UHF Radio ME/HE SSB Radio + Distress Urgency and Safety, (none) with DSC. ship-shore/shore-ship/ship-ships (UP 10 200 miles; (ineludes receiving MST) HE ~ worldwide) + Routine Intership Communications (none) + Pilot Stations (none) + Public correspondence Mobile Satellite Services NAVTEX + Receiving Maritime Safety {none} {agerage 300 miles) Information (MSI) 4 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE ‘Al and A2 Coast Stations for the GMDSS, and diagrams showing the limits of Al and A2 Sea Areas around the world, are contained in Admiralty List of Radio Signals Volume 5 (ALRS Vol. 5 and figure 1.1) SEA AREA A3 within the ‘global footprint’ of the Inmarsat satellite system (see figure 1.2) , where continuous alerting is available (but not including those Al and A? areas which also fall within that footprint} MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 57 ms Ze eg pal ik +i ozstO1OO (outa suaq) A3 ‘Horta, omen runeraf Pe SND) arte ) lees cam, ¢ // | ron oazatees Figure 1.1 from ALRS Vol. 5) Seas Areas AV/A2 - Stations listed by name and MMSI number are ‘operational! stations. Stations within an Al and A2 area have VHF and MF facilities, unless indicated with (VHF) ~ in which case itis an AI station (VHE) only (e.g. Las Palmas ‘and Tenerife have VHF and MF DSO; Reykjavik has MF only; there are no ‘VEF- only” stations on this map), 6 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE Fou 19- Medi Sates Contnrcaons Inmarsat? Figure 12 Sea Areas A3/A4 — Inmarsat coverage is considered good for GMDSS purposes up to latitude 70°N and 70°S. Latitudes above 70°N/70°%S are ‘Ad areas. MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 7SEA AREA Ad any area outside of areas Al, A2 and A3. Author's explanation: Sea Area Ad mainly covers the polar regions, above latitude TON and 7PS, though there will be some areas below those latitudes where your Inmarsat antenna will not be able to ‘ee’ an Inmarsat satellite and where you will have to use other equipment (primarily MF/HE DSC and/or Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB) designed for Ad-arca communications Problem: We were anchored in a bay on the north coast of Corsica (Corse) recently and noticed that we could not make VHF contact with the shore and our Inmarsat-C and Inmarsat-B equipment had lost the satellite signal. The A1/A2 diagram in ALRS Vol. 5 shows this as an Al area, Latitude about 43° North, well below the 70° limit of Inmarsat coverage. How would we send a Distress Alert in those circumstances? Answer: you could try an MF DSC Distress Alert (which might alert Genova or La Garde — both being combined VHF/MF stations] or, if that failed, HF DSC. Ultimately you might have to rely on your Cospas- Sarsat EPIRB. SAR Responsibility/Search and Rescue Regions (SRR) ALRS Vol. 5 (SAR Section} shows, in tabular form (but more clearly on the maps at the end of the SAR section) which country is responsible for Search & Rescue (SAR) operations, for different ocean areas, around the world ~ and lists telephone, telex and fax numbers for the Rescue Coordination Cenires in each country. When in distress, rather than make a telephone call to the RCC, you would try to make direct radio/ satcom contact ~ preferably using the radio or satellite communication {facilities in that country ~ ox, where the country’s radio/satcom facilities cannot be accessed direct, by using the GMDSS facilities in another country. Search and Rescue Region (SRR) maps included at the end of the SAR section] show the locations of Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC) and indicate, using a colour key, which parts of the world are designated as Sea Area Al, A2, and A3/A4 (explained later) For example, the covering NE Atlantic (extract shown as figure 1.2) shows the divisions between the SRRs of Morocco, Portugal, Spain (Canaries/ Ailantic), France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Iceland and Canada. The map colour-key also shows which parts are Al areas 8 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE NORTH ATLANTIC- EAST ‘Maritime Search and Rescue Regions (SHR) Rue 1.3 (fiom ALRS Vol. 5) Search and Rescue Regions (SRR) NE Atlantic MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 9(coloured pink}, A2 (green) and A3 (blue). The map does not extend beyond 70° North, so no A4 area in this map. GMDSS Land-based Infrastructure and Ship's Main GMDSS Equipment ‘The GMDSS infrastructure for Distress and Safety communications consists of a range of land-based facilities, with the MRCC as the hub of distress, urgency and safety communications (sce figure 1.4). A range of systems is available to let ships at sea connect, directly or indirectly, to the MRCC. The GMDSS infrastructure provides for the full range of maritime distress, urgency, safety and routine communications between ship and shore, and ship-to-ship, but ~ as ‘mentioned earlier ~ some ‘other’ communications are now being carried out on non-GMDSS systems (covered in later chapters). Questions from Chapter 1 1 Which of the following describes Sea Area A3? (a) Within radiotelephone coverage of a VHF DSC coast station. (b) Within coverage of the Inmarsat satellite system. (c) Within radiotelephone range of an MF DSC coast station. 2. Which of the following systems use satellites to relay information? {a) SSB Radio with digital selective calling: (b) Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB. (c) Search and Rescue Transponder (SART). (d) Inmarsat-C transceiver. 3. Put the following four ‘Priorities of Communication’ in order, starting with the highest priority first: (a) Routine. (b) Distress. (c) Safety. (d) Urgency. Answers from Chapter I 1 (b) 2 (b) and (d) both use satellites 3. Distress, Urgency, Safety and Routine. 10. THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE | | = =] | anit peso [| ge | ee $ Iomanat 4 MP SSB" TEIRD | Radio [AZ area | with po Aira Teak | siete eee] (Sees = fe ; Fan) Telecomm’ Telecomm networks ft] Maritime Rescue Coordination Cente leo] netrorks fhueec) t Tapa Series or Mia Sri, nd rials nd ge btn igs and tiene Figure 14 1e main GMDSS infrastructure. ‘Not shown on the diagram are the handheld VHF radios and the Search and Rescue (rade) Transponder ‘SART). Compare chis figure with the diagram asic Concept of the GMDSS' in ALRS Vol. 5 MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 11Chapter 2 MARITIME SAFETY INFORMATION ONr OF THE MAIN ADVANTAGES OF 7HE GMDSS is the ability, where service has been provided, to receive Maritime Safety Information (MSI - including weather, navigation and Search and Rescue (SAR) information) — automatically, and with a paper printout. The two primary GMDSS services that cater for this function are: + The NAVTEX service, an international service for broadcasting coastal weather and navigation information, and initial distress messages. + The Inmarsat SafetyNET service, for broadcasting MSI for ocean walers and, in some countries which do not have a NAVTEX service, for broadcasting coastal information. Many countries still use the traditional methods of broadcasting MSI, by voice on marine VHF and ME/HF SSB Radio, or by radio- telex (Narrow Band Direct Printing ~ NBDP) services on Marine MF/ HF SSB Radio ~ either instead of NAVTEX/SafetyNET, or additional to those services. ‘This chapter explains how to use ALRS Volume 3 (MSI) and ALRS Volume 5 (GMDSS) to identify automatic (NAVTEX and SafetyNET) services, and alternative/supplementary (VHF/SSB) services. Using SafetyNET “The SafetyNET service is provided as part of the Inmarsat-C ‘Enhanced Group Call’ (EGC) service. EGC provides a method of broadcasting information to a number of vessels at the same time, without any need for the vessels to respond. ‘The most common way to receive SafetyNET information is through an Inmarsat-C receiver. To receive this information, you must ‘log-in’ (Chapter 8) to the satellite that broadcasts the information you require, for the area you require. For the purposes of broadcasting MSI, the world is divided into 16 international ‘NAVAREAS’, or ‘METAREAS’. (The providers of navigational information use the ‘NAVAREA’ term; weather/ meteorological services prefer ‘METAREA\). ALRS Vol. 5 (SafetyNET section) includes a world map showing the 16 NAV/METAREAS (I to XVI - see figure 2.1). The map also shows the ‘footprint’ of each of the four Inmarsat satellites (AOR-E/ 12 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE E—>|<-W W<-|->E gue 30-NAVAREAS win nmaret tees Figure 2.1 International Nav/Met areas with Inmarsat footprints (from ALRS Vol. 5) MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 13Adantic Ocean Region-East; AORW/Atlantic Ocean Region-West; Indian Ocean Region/IOR; and Pacific Ocean Region/ POR). You must. be within the footprint of a satellite in order to log-in and receive information from that satellite. ‘The ‘Transmission Schedule for full GMDSS service’, (ALRS Vol. 5 adjacent to the map], lists all sixteen NAV/METAREAS - showing which satellite(s) broadcast NAV (Navigational) and MET (Weather) information for the area and the regular, scheduled, broadcast times for each type of information. Ifa satellite is indicated alongside the listed time, the information is only available on that satellite. If there is no satellite listed in the individual, NAV/MET column, then the ‘Satellite’ column on the far right of the page applies to that information. MET Information NAV/MET NAV Information Issuing Country/Times AREA _Coordinator/Times (UTC) (wre) Satellite 1 Prance/1630 (AORE) France/0900, 2100 AORE/AORW (AORE/AORW) x Pakitan/0800 Pakistan/0700 TOR Example | ~ Transmission Schedule for Nav/Met Area II; and Nav/Met Area IX Author's explanation: The ‘Transmission Schedule’ in ALRS Vol. 5 lists the satellites for all 16 (1 to XVI) Nav/Metareas. The above two examples (extracted from the full ALRS Vol. 5 table) show that: For Area IL (2) Navigation (NAV) warnings are coordinated by France and sent on the AOR-E satellite at 1630 UTC daily. Weather (MET) forecasts are also issued by France, and are seni on both AORE and AORW satellites at 0900 and 2100 UTC daily. (The right-hand column is a summary of satellites used for both types of broadcast) For Area IX (9) Navigation warning broadcasts/veather forecasts are coordinated/issued by Pakistan. Nav warnings are transmitted at 0800 and weather forecasts at 0700 UTC, daily. As there is no satellite mentioned in the individual Nav/Met columns, the far-right column applies to both (i.e, in this case, both Nav and Weather information is broadcast on the JOR satellite). The “Transmission Schedule’ is followed by maps which show the names of the weather forecast areas within some of the 16 METAREAs. Where a map is titled ‘SafetyNET - METAREA’ ~ this identifies the forecast areas for the entire ocean area concerned (see figure 2.2). 44 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE sehr i & i Figure 2.2 ‘Metarea 10 Forceast areas (from ALRS Vol. 5) Some maps identify a ‘Coastal Navigation Warning’ service (usually in countries without a comprehensive NAVTEX service), using SafetyNET (see figure 2.3) ~ that can be programmed for reception by your Inmarsat-C system/EGC-receiver. MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 15,: oe i 3 ALSTAALIA Figure 2.3, Australia Coastal Navigation Warning Areas (from ALRS Vol. 5) With some makes of equipment (including those which use CAPSAT software) you will receive the SafetyNET information automatically ~ for your international NAV/METAREA ~ if you are logged-in to the correct satellite and your ship's position is correctly 16 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE programmed. With other makes (e.g. Trimble Galaxy/Marconi Orcades) ‘you need to programme the EGC sofware ‘Primary Area’ for ‘Use Ship’s Position’ - or programme for a specific NAVAREA (see Chapter 8) To receive ‘Coastal Navigational Warnings’ (where service is provided), you need to programme your equipment for the specific Coastal Navigational Area letter (-Z) ~ or letters if more than one area required (as shown in figure 2.3 for Australian waters). You also have to programme the type of information you require, for the Coastal Area. ‘Asa minimum, you should programime categories A, B, D and E (Nav. warnings, Gale Warnings, SAR messages and the twice-daily weather forecast). Problem: | logged-in to AOR-E in the Mediterranean Sea and started to receive SafetyNET information as expected. Some time later, 1 noticed that the equipment was no longer logged-in to AOR-E but had changed to the IOR. Nobody onboard admitted to changing the satellite. Answer: Some Inmarsat-C equipment automatically ‘scans’ the control frequencies for all four satellites and may change satellite, automatically, if it finds a stronger control signal than the one you have chosen. ‘To prevent this happening, you can tell your equipment to ‘SCAN’ only the satellite you require, rather than ‘scan all regions’ (this isa software function and will be explained in your User Manual). Some vessels are fitted with an ‘EGC Receiver’, rather than an Inmarsat-C ‘transceiver’, if this applies to your vessel, you need to program the EGC Receiver for the required satellite. Exceptionally, some Inmarsat-A equipment is fitted with an ‘EGC Receiver’ capability. If you have this type of equipment, your Inmarsat-A ‘dish antenna’ must be pointed at the required satellite (sce ‘Satellite Acquisition’, Chapter 8) to let you receive SafetyNET information for your NAV/METAREA. Problem: I have Inmarsat-A equipment fitied onboard and I receive Distress and Urgency messages from RCCs, but no weather/navigation information. Why? Answer: Some RCCs use the Inmarsat-A/Inmarsat-B telex service to broadcast SAR information. This is not ‘SafetyNET” as such, which is why you do not receive the regular NAV/MET bulletins MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 17Using NAVTEX "ALRS Vol. 3 (Maritime Safety Information) and Vol. 5 (GMDSS) both describe the operation of the NAVTEX (Coastal Warning) service, and list the operational and planned stations around the world. Stations are listed in a tabular form, by country, and are also shown. on maps following the tables, Rather than use the tabular list to find a station, it is easier to plot your position/route on the maps following the tabular list, and identify the station(s) from that map (stations are shown on the map along with their station identity letter, for programming into your NAVTEX receiver - see figure 2.4). yy i t vu ean South Africa \ oo baten (0) pass) nf South Africa cme we ee seat Fron at eas) Figure 2.4 NAVTEX diagram ~ Southern Affiea (from ALRS Vol. 5) Example: ‘The map covering South Africa coastal waters shows Stations Durban (O}, Port Elizabeth [1] and Cape ‘Town [C} ‘To programme your NAVTEX receiver for Cape Towa, use letter ‘C for Durban, use letter ‘O” and for Port Elizabeth, programme your receiver for letter ‘’. Having identified and programmed the stations) covering your location, your equipment must also be programmed to receive the types of message required. You can receive/programme more than one station at a time in some locations ~ especially when on passage. Alll messages are given an identification number consisting of two letters (AA-ZZ) ~ where the fist letter represents the transmitting station and the second letter represents the ‘subject indicator’ (type of message). ‘The full list of ‘subject indicators’ is included in ALRS Vol. 3 and ALRS 18 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE Vol. 5, near the beginning of the NAVTEX section. The two letters are followed by two numbers (1-99), the numerical sequence being applied to each subject indicator, individually. ‘Example: NAVTEX Message OA22, off the coast of South Africa, would be from Durban (station O) and message type ‘Navigation Warning’ (subject indicator A. This particular message is type ‘A’ (Navigation Warning) number 22 of 99, ‘The same message number received near the centre of the Mediterranean Sea would also be Navigation Warning number 22 of 99, but would come from Malta (Station O - see ALRS Vol NAVTEX map for the Mediterranean Sea area) Some subjects, namely type A (Navigation Warnings); B (Weather Warnings}; and D (Search & Rescue messages) cannot be rejected by a GMDSS approved NAVTEX receiver. Subject indicator ‘L’ ‘Navigation Warnings additional to letter ‘A’ should not be rejected from your NAVTEX receiver. Problem: I ofien receive ‘asterisks’ in my NAVTEX messages, especially during the night. Why is this? Can I do anything about it? Answer: Asterisks “ in the text of a NAVTEX message indicate interference ~ either radio interference, or electrical. If you are receiving asterisks during the night, but not during the day, your equipment is OK — what you are experiencing is ‘sky wave” interference from a distant station which happens to broadcast at the same time as your own, programmed station. If you are experiencing asterisks night and day within reasonable range of your programmed station, you may have a problem onboard ~ sce Chapter 9. Receiving MSI using Marine VHF/SSB Radio (Voice and telex/ NBDP services) NAVTEX and SafetyNET are the two main ‘automatic’ methods of receiving MSI in the GMDSS. Many countries continue to provide MST using conventional voice and/or telex broadcasts, using VHF and SSB radio, for coastal and deep-sea information. In some countries, the VHF/SSB broadcasts are additional to NAVTEX/SafetyNET broadcasts (and may be monitored, for example, if you have a problem with NAVTEX/SafetyNET reception). In other MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 19countries, the voice/telex broadcasts may be made in the absence of, NAVTEX/SafetyNET information - and may be your only source of detailed coastal information. Vessels trading in waters which have adequate MSI broadcasts using HF NBDP may be exempt from carrying Inmarsat SafetyNET - using their HF SSB Radio, with NBDP, instead. To find the VHF/SSB stations broadcasting MSI using voice/NBDP (Narrow Band Direct Printing) for radio stations in any particular country, you can: Open ALRS Volume 3 to the ‘Index of Geographical Sections’. Find the country you require and turn to the pages for that country. Identify which stations are operating; their broadcast channels/ frequencies, and broadcast times for Nav/Weather information. Use the ‘Weather Forecast Area (W) Diagrams’ and ‘Navigation Warning (N) Diagrams’ to identify the ‘forecast/navigation warning areas’ referred to in their messages. Example 1 - South Africa Shows Cape Town Radio, Port Elizabeth and Durban Radio broadcast times and frequencies for Storm Warnings, Weather Forecasts and Navigational Warnings on NAVTEX; HF Voice/NBDP; and VHF Radio. (The example shows an extrac ofthe Cape Town frequencies/chanels) Cape Town (ZSC) [C] Diagrams (W21/W22 page ... NI page ... X3 page ..) B 518 FIB cy 42d FIB c 8431.5 FB D 4435) JRE D 8800 BE E_ Alexander Bay cha (position lat/long) E Port Nolloth chor (position lat/long) Storm Warnings B-E: On receipt and at the next scheduled time. Weather Messages Bi 1220, 1620 Gale warnings/ Weather forecast for Areas 3, 4, 11 on diagram wo? C: 0990, 1730 Gale warnings/Weather forecast for Areas 1-6, 8-17 on diagram wo2. D,E: 1015, 1933, 1815. Navigational Warnings BE: On receipt and at the next scheduled time, i.e; B: 0020, 0420, 0820, 1220, 1620, 2020, €: 0930, 1730. DE: 1015, 1815, Author's explanation: Station is identified as ‘Cape Town’. ZSC" is the ‘radio callsign’ for the station (useful when tuning-in t @ radio-lelex/NBDP broadcast Frequency, where the radio callsign is transmitted as slow-morse to identify the station — see Chapter 4 ~ TOR ARQ! communications). Letter [C] = Is the NAVTTEX identity (used with frequency ‘B). Frequency ‘B’ — 518kHz/FIB is the NAVTEX frequency. (FIB means ‘telex/ NBDP’ — NAVTEX is a form of radio-telex). 42M4kH2/8431.5kHz — FIB — are used for NBDP broadcasts, which you can receive on your $$B Radio using the telex/NBDP facility on the computer connected to the SSB radio. 4435kH2/8800kHz/J3E_ (J3E means Single Sideband Voice/ Upper Side Band/USB) for receiving on your SSB Radio. Are VHF Channels — their location is indicated by name and by position latitude/longitude. Frequencies Frequencies Frequencies ‘E? Broadcast times for Weather Messages are shown as Frequency B (518kHz - NAVTEX) = 1220 and 1620, Frequencies C (HF telex/NBDP = 0930 and 1730. Frequencies/channels D/E (HF/VHF voice) ~ 1015, 1333 and 1815. Broadcast times for Navigation Warnings and Storm Warnings are similarly listed. The particular Weather (W] and Navigation (N) diagrams listed below the station name, with ALRS Vol. 3 page numbers, show the actual forecast/ ‘warning areas used in messages from this station. (ALRS Vol. 3 has the full list of MSI frequencies for Cape Town Radio, and other stations around the world. You can also get a booklet shoceing South African Radio Station services divect from “Telkom Maritime Radio Services, Private Bag X01, Milwerion 7435, South Africa; Tel. +27 21 551 0721 Fax +27 21 552 9750- cor callin using VILF/SSB radio and ask for a copy to be posted-on) Example 2 - Canada Pacific Coast Identifies Canadian stations; their MSI broadcast requencies/channels; and broadcast times, eg Prince Rupert (VAJ}[D] (Canadian Coast Guard) Diagrams (W10 page ... NS page .. X5 page ..) A 18 FB B Prince Rupert 2054 JE, (position lat/long) 20 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 21B Sandspit J8E (position lat/long) CC Mount Dent (position lat/long) Dundas I. (position lat/long) CC Klemtn WX (position lat/long) CC Cumshewa WX3 (position lat/long) ‘Weather Messages ‘A: 0030, 0830, 1230, 2030 — ‘Synopsis for areas...” (as shown on diagram W10). B: 0105, 0705, 1305, 1905, CC: Continuous broadeast (interrupted during live broadeasts ‘Synopsis and forecast for ...° (areas shown on diagram WIO plus reports from local and lighthouse weather reporting station) ‘Navigational Warnings A: 0430, 16 B: 0105, 0705, 1305, 1905, C: Continuous broadcast (interrupted during live broadcasts...) Author's explanation: Station is identified as Prince Rupert’ ~ radio callsign VAT’ ~ NAVIBX Identity eter [D], broadcasts MSI using NAVIEX (S18LlHe); SSB voice on 2054kEHe fiom a number of lcations and on VHF vuice, ass from a number of different Locations ~ all controlled fiom Prince Rupert Weather forecasts are sent: + On NAVTEX (frequency ‘A)) at 0030, 0830, 1230 and 2030 (synopsis and forecasts for areas identified on diagram W10, in ALRS Vol. 3). + By voice (J3B) on frequency ‘B’ — 2054kHz — from Prince Rupert, ‘Sandspit (and other listed locations, not shown in this example} at 0105, 0705, 1305 and 1905, + Bycontinuous voice broadcast on VHF ‘Weather’ channels (WX 1, WX2 and WX) and Coastguard channel 21B (Weather channels available on VHF Radio with a ‘US? option rather than International’ only ~ see Chapter 6 — VHF Radio controls), Navigation Warnings ~ broadcast times ~ are also shown for the frequencies listed. Radio-Facsimile (Weatherfax) Services “Although not part of the GMDSS system (vessels are not required to carry radio-facsimile equipment as part of their GMDSS fitting) - some vessels are fitted with a ‘Weatherfax’ receiver that can receive weather ‘pictures’ from radio stations transmitting information in the form of a radio-facsimile. In addition to a ‘surface analysis’, stations may transmit ‘Routeing’ and ‘Ship's Safety’ information - including a ‘prognosis’ (forecast) of items such as wind direction and strength; sea & swell wave height; ice edge; 22. THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE _ ship's superstructure ice accretion (light, moderate or heavy}; and/or snow probability line. ALRS Vol. 3 (radio-facsimile section) includes diagrams/maps showing station locations; transmitting frequencies; broadcast times; and areas covered. Questions from Chapter 2 1 Name the two main systems for receiving and printing-out Maritime Safety Information, automatically, onboard GMDSS-ftted vessels. Answers from Chapter 2 L NAVTEX and SafetyNET are the two main GMDSS systems, MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 23Chapter 3 RADIO WATCHKEEPING, THE RADIO LOG and THE VOYAGE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Au.SOLAS-convenion’ vessits, depending on their GMDSS Sea Area of operation, are required to maintain a radio watch which will ensure that they receive ‘Maritime Safety Information’ (including weather and navigation warnings, and ‘SAR’ messages) from-shore, typically using: + NAVTEX — when within coverage of a NAVTEX coast station. + The Inmarsat SafetyNET service when outside of NAVTEX coverage (except where they have exemption, and use HF NBDP instead): Vessels must also be able to: + Receive DSC Distress, Urgency and Safety Alerts from other vessels, in all four GMDSS Sea Areas (Al, A2, A3 and Ad). + Receive DSC Distress, Urgency and Safety Alerts from VHF-DSC/ MEDSC coast stations when within AL or A2 areas. + Receive Distress (Relay] Messages, from shore, over the Inmarsat EGC (SafetyNET) service when in A3 areas; OR receive DSC Distress Relay Alerts from HF DSC Coast Stations covering their area when in A3 waters, if they use HF DSC (rather than Inmarsat EGC) for A3 area coverage + Receive DSC Distress Relay Alerts from HF-DSC Coast Stations when ‘in Sea Area A4. + Receive voice Distress Calls and Messages from non-GMDSS vessels, on VHF Chl6, without first being aleried by DSC on Ch70 (until | Feb. 2005). + Receive bridge-to-bridge voice calls concerning the safe movement of vessels, on VHF Chi13, without first being alerted by DSC on Ch70. Receiving MSI by NAVTEX, SafetyNET and VHF/MF/HF Radio was covered in Chapter 2. Radio Log — what to include When at sea, your day-to-day entties in the GMDSS Radio Log should show: + Stations/satellites being monitored for the reception of Maritime Safety Information (MSI. + Channels/irequencies being monitored for, and a summary of, communications relating to, Distress (Mayday), Urgency (Pan Pan) and Safety (Sécurité) traffic. 24 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE + Ship's position, at least once each day. + Daily, weekly and monthly tests and checks of equipment (see Appendix VIII). + The outcome of test calls exchanged with other ships/coast stations. + A record of important incidents connected with the radio service, including brief details of: + GMDSS equipment breakdown, or serious malfunction. + Any breakdown of communications with Coast Stations in the maritime mobile radio service, or with Coast Earth Stations in the maritime mobile (Inmarsat) satellite service + Adverse propagation conditions — including static, noise or other interference which affects the radio watch or otherwise interferes with normal communications. + Serious breaches of radio procedures by other stations, + Problems with coast stations regarding, for example, non-delivery of messages or disagreement about charges. Equipment, Channels and Frequencies for the Distress & Safety Watch * Vessels in Sea Area Al must maintain DSC watch on VHF Ch70. + Vessels in Sea Area A2 must maintain DSC watch on VHF Ch70 and on 2187.5kHz (MF). + Vessels in Sea Area A3, in addition to the VHF/MF DSC wateh above, should keep watch on the Inmarsat EGC (SafetyNET) service (for SAR information shore-to-ship); OR may keep watch using HF DSC on the 8MHz Distress and Safety alerting frequency and one other HE DSC Distress and Safety alerting frequency for shore-to-ship DSC alerts (in addition to the ship-to-ship watch using VHF and MF DSC), + Vessels in Sea Area Ad must keep DSC Watch on VHF Ch70; MF 2187.5kHz, and on the 8MHz DSC Distress & Safety Alerting frequency (8414.5kHz) , and one other HF DSC Distress & Safety Alerting frequency (Appendix IX). Vessels must also keep watch, ‘whenever practicable’, on VHF Chi6, for voice Distress Calls and Messages from non-GMDSS vessels (until 1 Feb. 2005); and on VHF Chl for voice calls relating to ‘intership safety of navigation’. Preparing for Sea One of the responsibilities of the ‘person responsible for radio communications in an emergency’ is to know what shore-based facilities, are available, at all points of the voyage, for sending and receiving MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 25emergency (Distress, Urgency and Safety) communications. Before leaving harbour, that person should identify the equipment which will be used to receive MSI, and for Distress and Safety watchkeeping (from- shore and from-ship), according to the type of “GMDSS Sea Area of operation’ (Al, A2, A3 or Ad) in which the departure port is situated This is best done by making a ‘voyage communications plan’ showing, for each part of the voyage: + What Maritime Safety Information (MSI) is available to cover the voyage. + Which country is responsible for SAR communications for each part of the voyage. + The type of GMDSS Sea Area (A1/A2/A3 or Ad) in which the departure port is situated and the shore-based radio/satcom facilities that are available for receiving Distress (Mayday), Urgency (Pan Pan) and Safety (Sécurité) communications in that country and throughout the voyage. + Alternative facilities which can be accessed using the ship's equipment, if the shore-based facilities of the country responsible for SAR operations do not match the equipment fitted onboard your vessel, for each part of the voyage + What ‘reporting systems’ - voluntary or compulsory - might be in place for any part of your voyage. + What reports are required, and when, by Pilot services, Vessel Traffic Services and Port Operations services at the ports of departure and destination. ‘The ‘person responsible’ is also tasked with carrying-out certain daily, weekly and monthly cheeks of equipment and power supplies (see Appendix VITI) and ensuring that the radio log is maintained, The master is ultimately responsible (as with everything) and should check and sign the radio log daily. ‘Voyage Communications Plan ‘The following worked examples explain how to use ALRSs to make a ‘voyage communications plan’ (Appendix XI). The plan should identify/detail: + Stations/satellites providing MSI for the voyage. + The Radio Distress Watch that will be required throughout the voyage. + Shore-based facilities for sending/receiving Distress, Urgency and Safety messages, should the need arise. + Ship Reporting Systems to be used during the voyage. 26 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE + Any requirements of Pilot Services, Vessel Traffic Services and Port Operations services for the ports of departure and destination, ALR Reykiavit {0} Con 0 Fi Hora.’ + [R| Monsanto, . (1 Tate (6) Cssablanca [P| Porte Santo) Madeira. =n UU Las Palmas 7 a Figure 3.1 NAVTEX diagram {from ALRS Vol. 5) MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 27Example 1 — leaving Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bound Reykjavik (Iceland) (@ Receiving MSI ALRS Vol. 5, [NAVTEX section — see figure 3.1) shows Las Palmas as station ‘I’— you need to programme your NAV'TEX receiver to receive Station I and also for the types of message you wish to receive. If your route north takes you out of range of the stations shown on the coasts of Morocco, Spain, Portugal and Ireland, your next NAVTEX station will be Reykjavik (station Identity ‘R’ for Iceland coastal information ~ which also broadeasts coastal information for the East Coast of Greenland using station Identity *X’). The area between Las Palmas and Reykjavik NAVTEX services will be covered by the Inmarsat SafetyNET service, available on your Inmarsat-C equipment. ALRS Vol. 5 (SafetyNET section) shows that yon will pass through international NAVAREA/METAREA II (2) and then I (1) {figure 2.1). The table facing the world map shows that you can receive navigation warnings on satellite AOR-East only. Weather information, is available on AOR East and AOR West (see Example 1 on page 14). To receive both weather and navigation information, you need to log-in to AOR East for NAV/METAREA IL Looking ahead to NAV/METAREA I (ie. when we cross 48° 27°N) we find that Nav and Met information is available on AOR-East, with weather ‘warnings only’ available on AORWest. AOR-East will provide SafetyNET information for the complete voyage. (i) Sea Area on Sailing/SAR Responsibility On a voyage from Las Palmas to Reykjavik, the maps in ALRS Vol. 5 (SAR Section) indicate that the responsible countries are Spain (on leaving Las Palmas), then Portugal, then the United Kingdom, and finally Iceland (figure 1.3). The maps also indicate that Las Palmas is an ‘AL’ area and that the vessel will move into an A2 area, before entering the Portugal SRR (Search and Rescue Region) which is, for this voyage, almost entirely A3. Assuming the vessel keeps to the west of the Ireland SRR, it will remain in an A3 area until it approaches the Iceland SRR and which, for this voyage, is an A2 area. (iii) Shore GMDSS facilities/Alternative facilities ‘The AI/A2 areas on leaving Las Palmas cover the Spanish SRR (for our route north). ALRS Vol. 5 [VHF DSC/MF DSC Coast Stations sections - figure 1.1) shows VHE/MF DSC stations covering the start of our route to be Las Palmas (MMST 002240995) and Tenerife (MMSI (002241007). At the other end of the voyage, in the Iceland SRR, the ‘AY station is Reykjavik (MMSI 002510100) For the A3 area (Portugal and UK SRRs), ALRS Vol. 5 (Inmarsat, Satellite section ~ ‘Land Earth Station Operators, Contacts and Services’ and ‘Inmarsat-A/B and C Service Providers and Access Codes’) identifies Inmarsat-C stations in both Portugal and the United Kingdom ~ so we can send Distress, Urgency and Safety messages direct to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Stations (MRCCs) in both ‘countries using Inmarsat-C and we can receive Distress Relays from both countries using the Inmarsat-C SafetyNET service. HF DSC could also be used to cover this part of the route. ALRS Vol. 5 (HF DSC Stations for Sea Area A3/A4 ~ edition 2000/ 01) includes a map of the HF DSC stations, world-wide (part shown here as figure 3.2). Figure 3.2 indicates that Portugal has plans to operate an HF DSC station from Horta, in the Azores (operating on 4MEz, MHz and 8MHz). Once operational, the station will be able to receive HF DSC Alerts and provide subsequent voice communications, long range, to cover the Portuguese SRR. Until then the only long-range GMDSS facility for the Portugal SRR appears to be the Inmarsat-C station, Sintra, in Portugal. If we want voice communications, we will have to contact the Portuguese RCC through another country (using either Inmarsat-B or HF radio}. ‘There are no HF DSC Coast Stations in the United Kingdom, but that country’s Inmarsat station offers an Inmarsat-B service (and other Inmarsat services}, allowing our vessel to have direct voice communications with the MRC in that country, using satellite rather than radio communications. (iv) Ship Reporting Systems Our route takes us through the SRRs of Spain, Portugal, the UK and Iceland. Of those four countries, ALS Vol. 1 (Ship Reporting 28 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 29‘Systems section) shows a Ship Reporting System to be operational in the UK only. ‘That ‘MAREP” system is ext voluntary and only applies to vessels in the English Channel mY and is not relevant to our ho ae route. The only system we | | + need to report into for this 002240900 Fistor .4 1 Bale route, therefore, is the HPO ere "beatae AMVER system (if our vessel | |? (002241004 237673000_ participates in AMVER) f ison 3 (2) Pilot Services, Vessel Traffic || ony Ba Systems; Port Operations feelers Dales The ALRS Vol. 6 entry oe msm Ha for Las Palmas (Puerto de la Nene aye Luz) explains that we should ‘006270000 contact the pilot office — call “Practicos Las Palmas’ - on eae i Ch16, one hour before leaving. The entry also shows Fade Janeiro the working channels for ecrio0001 Practicos Las Palmas to be | | wonevdeo capa tour Ch12 and Ch14. The Port | tei ooroiorss - —‘sosoicoot office also expects calls on | [erdelPia Ch16, and works on Ch12. Tugs work on Chi4. Pilotage Figure 3.2 is available “H24 (24 hours | HF DSCStaions (rom ALRS Vol. 5) each day). The entry for our destination port — Reykjavik — shows the preferred calling channels for Pilots and Port to be Chi? (although they also listen on Chi6). Working channels are Ch12 and Chi7. Like Las Palmas, service is available ‘H24’. ‘Pilotage is compulsory for vessels over 60m in length ...’ ETA must be sent 24 hours in advance of arrival (this will have to be by telephone call over Inmarsat or HF SSB Radio - we will not be in VHF range of the port office at this stage) and we need to call direct on Ch12/Ch17, three hours ahead of arrival 980 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE tM Voyage Communications Plan (Las Palmas to Reykjavik) ‘A voyage communications plan — like the example below ~ can be written-up prior to departure — using information from ALRS/other available publications/signals. (A proforma voyage communications plan is provided at Appendix XD). ‘Voyage Communications Plan (Las Palmas to Reykjavik) Departure Port: Las Palmas (Gran Canaria. Calling; Working Channels) ..16;12, 4. Procedure: Call Practicos Las Palmas’ | hour before sailing (‘o confirm ETD/Pilot) GMDSS Sea Area on Departure Al ..B#°. Jo (circle/delete as appropriate) Distress Watch Required on Departure: VHF DSC Ch70, VHF Voice Ch16/13. istress Watch * Waypoint Sea Area 29°N Az VHF Ch70/16/13 and DSC 21875kE BIN AB ‘As AQ, plus SafetyNET/HF DSC 8/12M Hz 60°N AQ Revert to VHF and MF watch * For A3/A4 area HF DSC watch, your ‘one additional HF DSC frequency’ will change, at least twice daily, to allow for day/night propagation conditions. These changes need not be recorded in the ‘voyage communications plan’ — but should be centered in the GMDSS Radio Log as they occur. Location or MST SAR Radio/Satcom Facilities/Alternatives Waypoint available ry(Ship Shore Distress Alerts/Relays) On departure NAVTEX \VEF/ME DSC stations at Las Palmas (0) {Las Palmas (002240995) SoleyNET “Tenerife (002241007) Navarea I1& 1 vin AOR East SENweW — SafetyNETAORE — Portugal Inmarsat C- Sintra’ AORE, 45°NoxW — SafetyNETAORE UK Inmarsat-C and B Goonhilly AORE 4e27N Enter Navares 1 Ww (SofetyNET vin AORE) GUN xc W NAVTEX~ Teeland MP DSC Seaton at Resins ataion BD Reykjavik (00251010) Reporting System|s) on Departure: Sailing report to AMVER Reporting Systems en-route/Destination: AMVER Position/Deviation/Arrval Reports Destination Port: Reykjavik Calling; Working Channelfs): Chi2, 16; 12, 12 Procedure Send ETA.24 hours in advance. Call direct on Ch12/ChI7 ~ 3 hours ahead of arrival MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 31Leaving Las Palmas bound Reykjavik — Sample Log Your DSC Distress Watch commences on departure from any port It would be prudent to commence your Maritime Safety Information watch some time before departure, rather than leave port without prior warning of weather conditions and possible navigation hazards. There is no requirement to ‘log’ the contacts with ports/pilots, unless Distress, Urgency or Safety traffic is passed. Messages to/from the AMVER system count as ‘safety’ messages and should be entered in the log. Frequency Channel or : Remarks ___ ‘Satellite 22.12.00 1200 Departing Las Palmas de Gran Canaria bound Reykjavik Ch70 ‘Watch set VHF DSC & Voice cni613 Wateh set NAVTEX Station I (Las Palmas) and Tnmarsat SafetyNET for Nav/Metareas IT and I AORE 1230 Departure Report (copy attached} to AMVER via Southbury Sat-C Author’ explanation: You would have been in contact with the port authority/ pilots at Las Palmas on their VF working channel (see Chapter 4) but, being ‘routine’ communication, there is no statutory requirement to enter it in the GMDSS radio log (though you can if you want). By the time you depart (at the latest, by ‘tart of voyage’) you should have set wwatch on all appropriate channels/frequencies, relevant to your location and voyage. As Las Palmas is in Sea Area At, your Distress Watch would be on VHP Ch70 for DSC Alerts, and Chi6 for voice distress calls from non-GMDSS aessels. You should also keep watch on VELF Chi3 for possible intership messages regarding the safety of navigation. Your MST watch would initially be on NAVTEX from Las Palmas (the only station covering the area) and, as you ill be passing out of NAVIEX coveroge very soon, you should also start your Inmarsat SafetyNET coverage for the tzvo ocean areas you expect to traverse Between Gran Canaria and Iceland (Areas IZ initially, then Area I~ both ‘areas available on Atlantic Ocean Region East (AORE) satellite). Later in the day, as you approach the limit of Sea Area A1 (heading north) you will need to add MF DSC watch on 2187.5kH2z, whilst still maintaining the VHF watch (entering the additional (2187.5kHz) watch in the log). When you subsequently move fiom Sea Area A2 to A3, you need to add the additional distress watch using either: 32. THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE HE DSC on 8414.5kHz and one other HF frequency; or Inmarsat EGC (SafetyNET) watch (as already shown in the log, above) (enter your ‘AB Area’ Distress Watch method into the radio log, when moving from A2 area to A3, whichever method is being used). Example 2 — leaving Durban (South Africa) bound Fremantle (Australia) (i Receiving MST ALRS Vol. 5 (NAVTEX section) shows station ‘O° located at Durban [figure 2.4) ~s0 we need to programme the NAVTEX receiver for station ‘O’ before sailing. There are no stations en-route (unless wwe are visiting Mauritius), and none in Australia (but a note on the NAVTEX map covering Australia tells us to ‘see International SafetyNET Service’. ‘The SafetyNET map in ALRS Vol. 5 (SafetyNET section). Figure 2.1 shows that, for our route (which passes below 30° South) we start the voyage in NAVAREA VII (7) and move directly to NAVAREA X (10). The table on the previous page shows that MSI nav. and weather information is available on AOR-East. The table shows that the JOR satellite carries weather information only, for NAV/METAREA VII, beyond 50° East. To receive MSI for Area VII in it’s entirety, we need to log in to AOR East. We cannot ask for Area X as an additional area, as that information is not available on AOR-East. When we travel beyond 50° East we can change satellite to the OR and ask for Area X as an additional area. ‘On the page following Area X ‘High Seas Forecast Areas’ (figure 2.2), we find details of ‘Coastal Navigational Warnings Areas’ (figure 2.3) for the Australian coast. As we are heading for Fremantle, (at 30° O1’S 115° 47°E) we can programme our SafetyNET receiver for Coastal Area ‘F’ and the types of information we requie. (ii) Sea Area on Sailing/SAR Responsibility ALRS Vol. 5 (SAR section) shows that the voyage takes us through the SRRs of South Africa; France (Reunion), Mauritius and Australia. The entire route, from departure to arrival, is an A3 area. (iii) Shore GMDSS facilities/Alternative facilities ALRS Vol. 5 (Inmarsat Satellite section) shows that there are no Inmarsat LESs in South Africa, Reunion, or Mauritius. There is a station in Australia (Perth) which will cover the Australian SRR. MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 33ALRS Vol. 5 (HF DSC Stations for Sea Areas A3/Ad) shows HF DSC stations in South Africa (Cape Town Radio) and Australia (Perth Radio), but none in Reunion or Mauritius, Distress Relays from-shore should be expected on SafetyNET for all 4 SRRs, but any requirement to exchange Distress, Urgency or Safety communications with the rescue authorities at Reunion and/or Mauritius will have to use HF SSB Radio through adjacent areas South Africa (Cape Town Radio, for Reunion) or Australia (Perth, for Mauritius) ~ or use Inmarsat-C/Inmarsat-B through the French LES (for Reunion) and/or the Australian LES. (iv) Ship Reporting Systems At the time of going to print, ALRS Vol. 1 (Ship Reporting Systems) identifies a reporting system in place in South African waters, ona trial basis, for South African vessels only. There are no reporting systems identified for Mauritius nor for Reunion (and the French “SURNAY?” reporting system only applies to vessels within 50nm of the coast of France). If our route takes us north of latitude 30° South, the Madagascar/Indian reporting systems apply. The Australian AUSREP system will apply on crossing 75° East — reports into AUSREP will be forwarded, on request, to the AMVER system (removing the need for two reports) (2) Pilot Services; Vessel Traffic Systems; Port Operations ALRS Vol. 6 shows that Durban pilots listen on Chi6; and work on Ch09, 11, 13 and 4. Durban Port Control listens on Ch16; with Ch12 as a working frequency. ALRS Vol. 6 also shows that pilotage is compulsory in Fremantle for vessels over 150 GRT and is available H24. Vessels are required to send ETA to Fremantle Harbour starting 48 hours in advance and at stated intervals until arrival. ‘Voyage Communications Plan (Durban (RSA) to Fremantle (Australia)) Departure Port: Durban, Calling; Working Channel)... 16; 22 (Por), 09,11, 18,1 (Pilots) Procedure: (Departure procedure notin ALRS Vol. 6 ~ check with Durban Port Contral on arvval) GMDSS Sea Area on Departure a€T . AE. AS. bf (irle/delete as appropriate) Distress Watch Required on Departure: VHP DSC Ch70, VHF Voice Chi6/13; MF DSC 2187.5kFlz; HF DSC #/12MHz (A3 area throughout voyage) + For AS/AA area HF DSC watch, your ‘one additional HF DSC frequency’ will change, atleast wice daily, to allow for day/night propagation conditions. These changes need pot be recorded here, but should be entered in the GMDSS Radio Log as they occur Location oF sr SAR Radio/Satcom Facilties/Alternatives ‘Waypoint Available Responsibility (Ship-Shore Distress Alerts/Relays) (On Departure NAVTEX Durban (0) Sonth Africa HF DSC station Cape Town Radio SaletyNET Navarea. VIL (MMST 06010001) vi AORE Satellite PS O45 Switch to 1OR Satellite Reunion —_Inmarsat-C (Anssaguel/Franee) for Navarea VII (Wx only} (France) Inmarsat B (Aussaguel/France) additional area Navatea X 2° 60°F, Mauritius (No long-range GMDSS facilities — suse Inmacrat-C/B theongh France oF Austzalia (Poth) stations; or HE DSC through Festh/Cape Town soe'S 075°E Programme SafetyNET Aussala_Inmarai-C/B through Perth; or for “Coastal Navigation HF DSC through Peeth ‘Warnings’ area F Reporting System(s) on Departure: Sailing report to AMVER Reporting Systems en-route/Destination: AMVER Position/Deviation/ Arrival Reports; AMVER to copy to AUSREP (Australia) when in Australia SRR. Destination Fort: Fremantle Calling; Working Channel(s): C2, 16; 8,10,1114,67,68 (Port) C1216 [PV]s CHO, 15 (Tags) Procedure: Send ETA 48, 24 and 2 hours in advance (via Perth Radio) Voyage Communications Plan (Durban to Fremantle) ‘Your voyage communications plan for this trip might resemble the following: 34 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE Problem: I’ve just gone through your examples with my own copy of ALRS Vol. 6 and I get different Channels/Procedures to those you've shown in the ‘Voyage Communications Plan’. Why? ‘Answer: You may be using a later copy of Vol. 6 than me and/or you've done a better job with entering corrections using ‘Weekly Notices to Mariners’ (NTMs}. Alternatively, my example may be correct and your book may be wrong. Make a link-call to the Port/Pilot station concerned (telephone MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 35number in ALRS Vol. 6) and confirm the correct procedure. That will be less expensive than having to lay off for a day or two on arrival. If the Channels/Procedures provided by the Port Office differ from those in your book, please use the ‘Amendments to ALRS’ page to fax/e-mail the new information to the publisher. They'll thank you, and include the new information in ‘NTMs’ Leaving Durban bound Fremantle - Sample Log Frequency Date /Time Chanael or ure Remarks Satellite 22.12.00 0820 Departing Durban bound Fremantle, Australia” ch7 Watch set VHF DSC & Voice chi6/18 ‘Watch set MF DSC. 2U875KHe ‘Watch set HE DSC 8/12MHz, ‘Watch set NAVTEX Station (Durban) and Inmarsat SafetyNET for Nav/Metarea VIL AORE (0835 Departure Report (copy attached) to AMVER via Southbury _Sat-C Author's explanation: Going directly into an A3 area on sailing requires DSC Watch on VHF Ch70; MF 2187.5kHg; HP &MHz plus one other HF DSC Frequency and/or Inmarsat SafetyNET. As South Africa does not have an Inmarsat station, Distress Relays fiom shore may arrive more quickly from the HEF DSC station at Cape Town radio than over Inmarsat ~ though both will be used by the shore authorities. On entering the AUSREP reporting area, reports into the AUSREP system can be relayed to the AMVER service, on request ~ or the AMVER sercice will relay your report to AUSREP (on request). Question: I feel that I'd like to participate in the AMVER scheme. Pve read the report format in ALRS Vol. 1 - but I'm still not clear about the whole scheme and its potential benefits. Where can I find additional information? Answer: Contact AMVER by telephone, telex, fax or e-mail at the address shown in ALRS Vol. I~ they'll send you a ‘User's Manual? which describes the service, its history and its benefits. The service is open to vessels of all nationalities, and is free of charge to users. As the number of compulsory Ship Reporting Schemes seems likely to ineresse, you may be beter to get used to this system (which helps also with relays to other schemes) rather than wait for compulsion? 968 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE PART 2 Communication procedures ‘Tus parr oF THE Gurpe identifies which radio/satellite communications equipment may be used, and the voice/messaging procedures for Routine, day-to-day, communications (Chapter 4) and for Distress (Mayday), Urgency (Pan Pan) and Safety (Sécurité) communications (Chapter 5). Where non-GMDSS equipment may be used as an alternative to GMDSS equipment for some routine tasks, that equipment is also identified. As with Part 1, this part assumes that the user has a basic understanding of the equipment listed below (but you don’t have to know how to use the controls ~ which are explained in Part 3 - to learn the procedures included in this Part. ‘The emphasis is on selecting appropriate equipment for the task at hand; identifying channels/ frequencies to be used; and using the correct, (alerting/voice/messaging) procedures for exchanging information. Shore-based facilities are identified using Admiralty Lists of Radio Signals (ALRS) Volume 1 (Coast Radio Stations, and Ship Reporting Systems); Volume 5 (GMDSS SAR facilities); and Volume 6 (Ports, Pilots, and Vessel Traffic Services). ‘The assumed (marine radio/satcom) equipment is: + Marine VHF Radio with Digital Selective Calling (DSC). rine MF/HF Radio with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and SB Telex Over Radio (TOR/NBDP). + NAVTEX. + Inmarsat-C {including SafetyNET). + Inmarsat-A and/or Inmarsat-B. + Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB, + Search & Rescue (radar) Transponders (SART). + Handheld VHF Radio for Onboard Communications (all channels). + Handheld VHF Liferaft sets (Ch16, ChO6 and Ch13 only). ‘The vessel is assumed to carry Admiralty List of Radio Signals Volumes 1,2,3,5 and 6; ITU List of Ship Stations; ITU List of Callsigns and Numerical Identities; and the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search And Rescue ([AMSAR) Manual Volume 3 MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 37Chapter 4 ROUTINE RADIO/SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS ROUTINE COMMUNICATIONS ARE CONDUCTED on both GMDSS and non- GMDSS equipment. Routine communications and the equipment available, includes: + Pilot Services, Vessel Traffic Services (VIS) and Port Operations You will, normally, contact these services direct - using Marine VHF Radio; some organisations also offer MF services for use with Marine SSB Radio. + Intership Communications Channels/frequencies for direct contact between ships are, again, available on both Marine VHF and Marine SSB Radio - on all frequency bands. + Onboard Communications Marine VHF Radio offers ‘onboard communications’ using a limited number of ‘international’ channels, Your own equipment may be licensed for additional ‘private’ channels. Onboard communications may also be conducted on non-GMDSS ‘UHF’ equipment. + Public Correspondence (PC — Telephone, Fax, Teles, Data/email) Services between the vessel and the offices/homes of crew, charter parties, and passengers are available on Marine VHF; Marine SSB; and Inmarsat systems, and non-GMDSS services like Cellular Radio and non-GMDSS Mobile Satellite Services. + Ship Reporting Systems Marine VHF; Marine SSB; and Inmarsat equipment al offer facilities to deliver reports into national and international, compulsory and voluntary, ‘Ship Reporting Systems’ around the world. ‘This chapter covers the full range of ‘Routine Communications’ ~ explains what equipment may be used and the connection procedures, calling procedures; messaging procedures; and ‘Radio Traffic Charging’ for Public Correspondence (PC) calls and messages - radio and satellite Pilots, Vessel ‘Traffic Services (VTS) and Port Communications Marine VHF Radio is the main tool used to communicate directly, on a ‘one-to-one’ basis, with Pilot Stations/Pilot Vessels; Vessel Traffic Services (VTS ~ which are increasingly managing ship movements in congested waters around the world) and with Port Authorities. Some authorities do offer longer range, Medium Frequency (MF) facilites (for use with your Marine SSB Radio), but these facilities are not the norm. 38. THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE ‘When you are bound for a particular port, and expected, you may receive instructions on how/when to contact the Port/Pilot station. In ‘many places you will be expected to have found this information yourself, Some VTS systems have compulsory reporting requirements, others require that you maintain a ‘listening watch’ on a particular radio channel. ALRS Vol. 6 provides details of Pilot Stations, VTS and Port Authorities around the world ~ to let you prepare for arrival long, before you get there. Versions of ALRS Vol. 6 (and 7), prior to the 2000/2001 edition, listed harbours geographically (i.e., adjacent ports on the coast were listed beside each other in Vol. 6/7) for each country covered. In the new version of Volume 6 (Vol. 7 has been dropped from 2000), port areas are listed alphabetically within each country section, and countries are also listed alphabetically ~ not geographically. ‘You will know which country you are bound for, and the name of the port. Use ALRS Vol. 6 ‘Index of Geographical Sections’ to find the country, and then look-up the harbour required. ALRS Vol. 6 (new version) is in five separate geographical books, labelled 6(1) through 6(5). If you cannot find the country you require in the ‘Index of Geographical Sections’ ~ you are probably in the wrong book. The type of Pilot/VTS/Port information listed in Vol. 6 includes: + The radio ‘call’ which the station will answer to. + The ‘frequencies’ (VHF Channels/MF Frequencies) the station operates, + The radio-reporting ‘procedures’ to be followed by vessels bound for/leaving the port. + The ‘hours of operation’ for the Port/Pilot Service (in the form H24 for 24 hours/day; Hx for ‘irregular hours’). All times’ listed in ALRSs, are ‘UTC’ unless IT” (Local some other time zone, is specifically stated ime), or MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 39Pilots, Ports and VTS - Example 1 - Genova, Italy (no VIS/Reporting system) Pilots and Port (The entry starts by listing the Telephone, Fax and Telex numbers, and the Telegraph addres, for the Pilot Station, the Harbour Master and the Port Authority - for the benefit of vesels who need to contact the pilot station when out of radio range). Frequency: Pilots: Ch 16; 10, 12, 14 Signal Station: Ch 16; 10 Port: Ch 16; 11 Tag: Ch 10 Hours: Pilots: H24 Port 0700-1900 Procedure: (Explains which type/size of vessel must have pilotage and the notice required by the port/pilot station.) Author’s explanation: (i) we need to call ‘Pilote Brest’. (ii) The preferred calling frequency is Ch12 VHF (frequencies listed to the left of the semi-colon are preferred calling frequencies. If there is a working “frequency other than ChI6 to the left of the semi-colon, the working ‘frequency should be used in the first instance, not Ch16). (Gti) Pilotage is available 24-hours/day (24). (iv) The reporting ‘Procedure’ is explained in detail as part of the entry. Author's explanation: The above entry implies that the Pilots, Signal Station and Port all listen on Ch16 for initial calls (calling channels are shown on the left of the semi-colon’*’). Pilots work on Ch10, 12 or 14 (with 12 ‘in bold’ being the primary working channel). The Signal Station uses Ch10 as their working channel and the port uses CRIT. Tugs work on Ch10 and do not normally maintain watch on ChI6. Pilotage is available 24-hours/day (H24); Port office hours are limited (0700-1900) Pilots, Ports and VTS - Example 2 - Brest, France Pilots Area: (The entry starts by explaining The Compulsory Pilotage limits, and the Telephone/Fax numbers and telegraph address for ship's which need to contact the Pilot Office when out of radio range) Call: Pilote Brest Frequency: Ch 12 16; 12 Hours: H24 Procedure: ‘Pilotage is compulsory for the following (explanation of the type of vessel/compulsory pilotage areal Vessel Traffic Service Description: ‘The system is compulsory ..." (the entry explains the size/type of vessel for whom VTS reporting is compulsory) Area: (Deseribes the areas covered by this service) Shore stations: (Identifies Coastguard stations through which the VTS Control Centre operates; the ‘call’ used at each location; the VHF Radio Channels used for each Iocation and their times of operation.) Procedure: (Describes the reporting procedure to be followed by “Vessels Inward-Bound; ‘Vessels within the Area’ and “Vessels Outward-Bound’.} Port de Commerce Call: Hr Mr: Capitainerie Brest. (Telephone, Fax and Telex numbers are then listed} Frequency: Ch16; 12 Hours: H24 ‘Author's explanation: (i) the Harbourmaster (Hr Mr) of the commercial port uses the call ‘Capitainerie Brest; (ii) calling frequency is Ch76, working frequency is Ch12; and (iii) service is available 24-hours/day (24) Military Port Call: DP. Brest Frequency: Ch74 Hours: H24 ‘The Military port operates on Ch74 (direct calling) and uses the call “DP Brest. 40 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 41Pilots, Ports and VTS — Example 3 — Port Castries (St Lucia with VHF and MF (SSB Radio) service) Pilots and Port Call: Castries Lighthouse (Location, ‘Telephone/Fax and Telex numbers listed for vessels who require to contact the harbour by link- call through a Coast Radio Station, or using Satcom equipment) Frequency: 2182; 2146 2381 2527 2582 2638 kHz J3E Ch 16; 06 12 14 Hours: H24 Procedure: _ ‘Pilotage is compulsory (etc - nules for pilotage) ‘Author's explanation and calling procedures From the above entry we can see that: (i) The station uses the call ‘Castries Lighthouse’ (ii) The station operates on Medium Frequency (MF), listening for calls on 2182kHz (the international MF Voice Distress, Safety and Calling frequency); and has a number of MF working frequencies ~ all for use with ‘your Marine SSB Radio; (iti) The station also operates on VHE, using ChI6 as the calling channel and with three working channels to choose from. Where a station lists MF and VHF frequencies, you should attempt to contact the station on VF fist (if in range) and, if that fails, go to 2182KHz and call there. Initial calling procedure (on Ch16) would be: “Castries Lighthouse this is Wizard, Wizard — callsign GWIZ, ~ Over’ “Wizard this is Castries Lighthouse — Ch14 and standby, Over.’ “Castries Lighthouse this is Wizard ~ Chl4 and standing by (Stoitch to Ch14 and await the call from Castries Lighthouse) Note: The examples provided are intended to help you to understand how to use ALRS Volume 6 — you should not use the information in these examples in place of an up-to-date ALRS, or other source of corrected information for the ports listed. 42 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE Question: I have checked the ALRS Vol. 6 entry for a portwe expect to visit shortly and, although ‘Frequency’ and ‘Procedures’ are listed, there is no ‘Call’ (unlike your examples). What form of ‘Call’ should Luse? Answer: Look at other port entries in the same country for the preferred call (e.g. ‘Pilote Brest’ and ‘Capitainerie Brest’). Otherwise, iry the following: + Ifcalling a Pilot Station, use ‘Place Name Pilots’. + If calling a Port/Harbour Master's Office, try ‘Place Name Port Control’. + If calling a Vessel ‘Traffic Service, try ‘Place Name VTS’. (ff they answer using anything different use the Amendments to ALRS’ ‘page in your ALRS Vol. 6 (or other volume) to forwward the new information to the publishers). Intership Communications Marine VHF Radio and Marine SSB Radio both have available ‘intership’ channels/frequencies, to allow vessels to talk directly to each other ~ without making a ‘pay’ call through a Coast Radio Station or Inmarsat. A “Table of Transmitting Frequencies in the 156-174MHz band for Stations in the Maritime Mobile Service’ is included in ALRS Vol. 1, and in ALRS Vol. 6. The ‘Table of Transmitting Frequencies ..” provides the following information, for all International Channels in the Marine VHF Band: + Channel Designators: Lists all international Marine VHF Channels from 01 to 88. + Transmitting Frequencies: tells you the ship/coast station (where applicable) transmitting frequency, in Mega Hertz. (MHz) for each Channel — and then goes on to show which Channels can be used for (i) Intership. (il) Port Operations. (iii) Ship Movement, liv) Public Correspondence services. + Notes: which explain any limitations/special conditions about the use of some of the channels listed. There are twelve Intership channels: Ch 06, 08; 09; 10; 13; 15; 17; 67; 69; 72; 73; 77. MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 43Channels 06, 8, 72 and 77 are the only channels which are ership, and not also available for use in Port Operations/ Ship Movement’ service. You can avoid interfering with harbour/ship movement operations by checking ALRS Vol. 6 for your area of operation before using any of the other intership channels listed (to make sure that no local harbour/ship movement service is allocated the channel concerned). Channel 06, as mentioned earlier, is the ‘Primary Intership Channel’ ~ and must be fitted on all marine VHF sets. It is also used, during Search & Rescue (SAR) operations, for communicating with SAR aircraft/handheld VHF liferaft sets. Although designated as the ‘primary’ intership channel, Ch0G is probably one to avoid for routine ship-to- ship communications if one of the others is free at the time Channel 10, 67 and 73 may be used, by some administrations, for SAR operations or other safety communications (including Maritime Safety Information broadcasis). Channel 13 has been designated in the GMDSS for sole use for ‘bridge to bridge communications concerning the safe movement of vessels’ ~ ie, it should only be used, between two vessels, to aid safe navigation of the vessels concerned. Ch13 should not be used for normal ‘ship's business’, Note that Ch13, 09, 15, 17 and 69 are also available as ‘Port Operations/VTS’ channels. If any of these channels are allocated to a local port, you must avoid using that channel for communications - otherwise you may cause an in Tocontact another vessel using Marine VHF/SSB Radio, you have four options: 1 If your call is regarding the safe navigation of your own vessel and the other vessel, you can call direct on Ch13. All vessels should, when practicable, listen on Ch13 when at sea ~ particularly in congested waters. A voice call on ChI3 should, therefore, allow you to make contact. 2 You can make a routine DSC Call on Ch70 VHE, or on 2177kHz MF {provided that you know the other vessel's MMSI) — offering a working channel/frequency to the called vessel. The called vessel needs to 44 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE acknowledge your DSC Call, also by DSC, accepting or changing the working channel/frequency. (There’s no point in you going to the voice channel unless you receive the DSC Ack’ - if the other vessel did not receive your DSC Call, they won't move to the voice channel} 3. The preferred option, for vessels who talk together regularly on intership voice channels, is to agree a normal working channel/ frequency and monitor that channel. On VHF Radio, you can use Dual Watch or Scan mode. Some Marine SSB Radios also offer a Scan facility. (Calling direct on working channels reduces the number of DSC calls). 4 Ifthe craft you want to call is ‘non-GMDSS" and does not have DSC facilities; is a GMDSS vessel but you don't know their MMSI; and you don't know which (voice) working channel they might be monitoring ~ call by voice on Chi6. When two ships want to have anormal intership conversation, the called ship is the ‘controlling station’. That means that the called ship will decide which working channel to use (even though the calling station may have suggested one in the DSC/voice call) and will make the first, voice call on the working channel ~ e.g: Ch70 DSC Call from Wizardto Justina, suggesting Ch06 as the working channel. Ch70 DSC Ack’ from Justina, telling Wizard to go to Ch72 (no further DSC response required from Wizard) Ch72 Wizard this is Justina, Justina ~ Over. Ch72—_Justinathis is Wizard-nets all onboard and returning to harbour, Over. Ch72 Wizard this is Justina ~ Received I'll be finished in about one hour ~ see you back in harbour ~ Out. ‘When conditions are good (which you would expect on VHF on ‘most occasions) the initial voice call should take the form shown above, namely: ‘Station Galled (once) this is Station Calling (tevice) ~ Over’. Once contact is made, you can revert to ship’s names once. ‘Asa general rule, your first call should be made on low power, and only move to high power if you fail to make contact. Although VHF is ‘line of sight’ — where the power ontput should not, in theory, affect range — a one-watt signal will not be strong enough to ‘lift the squelch’ on a receiver which is more than a few miles away. MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 45Onboard Communications The notes referring to the VHF “Table of Transmitting frequencies in ALRS show that two of the ‘intership” channels ~ Chi5 and Chi7 = ‘may also be also be used for on-board communications’ ~ meaning between the bridge and handheld VHF radios on deck, When used for onboard communications, power output should always be limited to one wait (some equipment automatically selects 1W when you switch to Ch15/17). The Callsigns to be used are ‘Ship Name Control’ for the bridge, and ‘Ship Name Alfa’ ... ‘Ship Name Bravo’ ...etc., for the handheld sets —eg., Chi7 ‘Wizard Control this is Wizard Delta - Over’ (Handheld calling the bridge) You will see from the VHF “Table of Transmitting Frequencies ...” that channels 01-28 and 60-88 only, are listed. These channels are the main ‘international’ list. Channels 29-59 are available for alloc: as ‘private’ channels ~ for ‘private business’ use in shore stations (e.g,, oil depots) but also to some ships as additional ‘onboard’ channels. If your vessel has a special requirement for additional onboard channels, the radio licensing authority for your ship’s country of registration is responsible for allocating those additional channel(s). ‘UHF Radio - Onboard Communications Onboard communications may also be carried out on non-GMDSS equipment, like UHF radio equipment, fitted specifically for this purpose. The same type of callsigns should be used on UHF channels as is shown above for Marine VHE, when used between the bridge UHF radio and the handheld UHF radio equipment on-deck ‘You need to follow the manufacturer's instructions concerning battery- charging and general care and maintenance of the UHF equipment Public Correspondence (PC) Services Public Correspondence (PC) services are ‘pay’ services, for: + Telephone/fax. + Telex. e-mail/data calls and messages. Calls/messages may be made using GMDSS equipment including: Marine VHF Radio; Marine SSB Radio; and/or Inmarsat systems ~ or, in some cases, by Cellular radio and non-GMDSS Mobile Satellite Services. 46 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE Many Marine (VHF/SSB) Radio services are now provided through ‘remote’ systems ~ controlled from a central site — and others are increasingly offering an ‘automatic’, or a ‘semi-automatic’ service using ‘Autolink’, DSC, or some other method of ‘setting-up’ the call without the need for an operator on-shore to connect you to the required number. Most Coast Radio Stations providing a PC service can connect you to almost any other country in the world. Marine VHF and SSB Radio ‘PC’ Services ALRS Volume | lists Coast Radio Stations (CRS) providing a Public Correspondence (PC) service for Marine VHF and for Marine MF/HF SSB Radio, Services provided are mainly Radio Telephone (VHF, MF and HF services) and Radio Telex including e-mail) - primarily on MF and HF (for use with your Marine SSB Radio}. If you know the name of the Coast Radio Station you wish to contact (using your Marine VHF/SSB Radio), you can go to the index at the back of ALRS Vol. 1 - where stations are listed in alphabetical order with the page number alongside. you don’t know the name of astation, in the country you wish to contact, you can start by looking at the ‘Index of Geographical Sections’ at the front of Vol. 1. That will point you to the page(s) listing the radio stations in your destination country. The current edition of ALRS Vol. | lists countries, and the CRSs in each country, in geographical order along the coastline of each continent ~ not in alphabetical order (though that may change with subsequent issues of ALRS Vol. 1). Using the current method of station listing; once you find the nearest station to your location, you can see which stations are coming- up next as you progress along the coast. Some individual country sections also have maps showing the location of individual stations, pictorially (which will be particularly helpful if/when ALRS Vol. 1 changes from ‘geographical to alphabetical listing). The type of information listed for each VHF/SSB CRS, in each country, may include: + The landline telephone/fax/telex number(s) for the station. + The Position of the station (latitude & longitude). + WT services: (morse code services — which would require an operator capable of sending and receiving messages using morse. WT services MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 47