NAVDAT vs NAVTEX

Myths & Misconceptions

9:00 am EST, 15:00 CET

June 2023
Agenda
• Introduction
• The NAVDAT Opportunity
• Planning for NAVDAT…
• Things to consider
Hermann ZENSEN John Whyte
Sales & Marketing Head of Marketing & Product Strategy

• Possible misconceptions KENTA Nautel

• Questions and answers

Philipp Schmid
Chief Technology Officer
Nautel
Questions & Answers
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KENTA Technologies & NAUTEL:
Shared passion for maritime communications
Nautel HQ, Halifax, Canada
Nautel Maine, Bangor, US
Kenta Technologies, France
20,000 Deployments
Five Decades
Nautel + Kenta Expertise

World’s Largest
NAVTEX Supplier

NAVDAT
High Power Digital
Transmitters Transmission
NAVDAT
2 Minute Overview
The El Faro Disaster and Hurricane Joaquin
El Faro departed Jacksonville, Florida, under the command of Captain Michael Davidson, bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 8:10 p.m.
EST on September 29, 2015, when then-Tropical Storm Joaquin was several hundred miles to the east. Two days later, after Joaquin had
become a Category 4 hurricane, the vessel likely encountered swells of 20 to 40 ft (6 to 12 m) and winds over 80 kn (150 km/h; 92 mph)
as she sailed near the storm's eye. Around 7:30 a.m. on October 1, the ship had taken on water and was listing 15 degrees. The last
report from the captain, however, indicated that the crew had contained the flooding. Shortly after that, El Faro ceased all communications
with shore.[5][4]
 Todays NAVTEX Captured Forecast in Nova Scotia

Bermuda
Transmission

* Small frequency offset

needed for SDR
The promise of NAVDAT: Better data and content
The way forward now, and in line with the strategic implementation plan on e-
navigation*, is to introduce digital communications.
The gap-analysis of e-navigation identified the need to present information in
graphical format.

* See MSC.1/Circ.1595
Advantages of NAVDAT
• Enhanced Range & Reliability:
• Offers greater transmission range and reliability compared to NAVTEX.
• Higher Data Capacity:
• Capable of transmitting a larger volume of data, allowing for more
comprehensive safety messages.
• Multimedia Capability:
• Supports various data formats, including text, images, and potentially video,
enhancing the clarity and understanding of safety messages.
• Flexibility:
• Adaptable to various frequency bands and can be integrated with existing
maritime communication systems.
Ice Reports
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
1. “Existing NAVTEX infrastructure can be reused for NAVDAT”
Typical Spectra: NAVTEX and NAVDAT

300 Hz NAVTEX 10 kHz NAVDAT

NAVTEX vs NAVDAT Bandwidth Requirements
300Hz Typical NAVTEX Spectrum
NAVTEX vs NAVDAT Bandwidth Requirements
300Hz

1 kHz
NAVTEX vs NAVDAT Bandwidth Requirements
300Hz

1 kHz
3 kHz
NAVTEX vs NAVDAT Bandwidth Requirements
300Hz

1 kHz
3 kHz
5 kHz
NAVTEX vs NAVDAT Bandwidth Requirements
300Hz

1 kHz
3 kHz
5 kHz
10 kHz
NAVTEX vs NAVDAT Bandwidth Requirements
300Hz

1 kHz
3 kHz
5 kHz
10 kHz
Significant implications for transmission chain:
• Transmitter, Antenna Tunning Unit, Antenna
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
1. “Existing NAVTEX infrastructure can be reused for NAVDAT”
FACT:
• Maybe, but implies possible NAVDAT compromises
• NAVDAT requires much more peak power to transmit its digital signal.
• Existing antenna, ATU, and power supply need to be evaluated
• can it handle the required peaks?
• can it handle the broader bandwidth?
• may need to be upgraded?
• some may choose to use a separate transmission infrastructure for NAVDAT
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
2. “A 1 kW or 5 kW NAVTEX transmitter can be replaced by similar
power NAVDAT transmitter”
NAVTEX Constant Single Carrier Power Envelope
• Single modulated carrier
• Constant power envelope
• TX Power == PEP Power
• Bit rate: 100 bits/s = 0.1kbit/s
• Binary Frequency Shift Keying
with a frequency shift of 170 Hz
• Frequencies: 490 kHz, 518 kHz,
(4209.5 kHz)
NAVDAT Transmitters Must be Sized for Peak Power
Peak Envelope Power

10 dB (10x)
more power

Average Power

Both positive and

negative envelopes
shown for illustration

• Size transmitter for varying power envelope up to 10 dB (10x) - conservative

• Carriers with random phase and amplitude add constructively and destructively
• Peak to average power reduction algorithms will be optimized in the future
• NAVTEX is a single carrier system: Average Envelope Power == Peak Envelope Power

Also ensure ATU and antenna can handle peak power

Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
2. “A 1 kW or 5 kW NAVTEX transmitter can be replaced by similar
power NAVDAT transmitter”
FACT:
• Technically yes, but you’ll probably need more power.
• The promise of NAVDAT won’t be achieved at NAVTEX power levels
• NAVDAT requires more peak power to take advantage of its higher data capacity.
• If NAVDAT Tx power = NAVTEX Tx power: you’ll face a choice:
• Maintain similar range as NAVTEX but at data rates not much better than NAVTEX
or
• Transmit at higher data rates but at a much compromised range
• Rough rule of thumb: 10:1 power
• Replace a 1 kW peak NAVTEX with a 10 kW peak NAVDAT
• Replace a 5 kW peak NAVTEX with a 50 kW peak NAVDAT
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
3. “NAVDAT transmits 25 kbps”
NAVDAT Low, Medium, High Data Rate Modes
Up to 229 carriers (sine waves)

A
φ

4 QAM 16 QAM 64 QAM

2 bits per carrier/symbol 4 bits per carrier/symbol 6 bits per carrier/symbol
Robust waveform Highest data rate
~14 dB SNR ~18 dB SNR ~22 dB SNR
6.4-9.6 kbps 12.7-19.1 kbps 19-29 kbps
ITU-R M.2010-2 Bit rates

Flexible
Configurations
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
3. “NAVDAT transmits 25 kbps”
FACT:
• Yes but…
the data rate you achieve depends on
• Bandwidth
• Power
• Modulation type and channel coding
And impacts coverage
• Data rates can vary from 0.22 kbit/s to 28.68 kbit/s
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
4. “NAVTEX and NAVDAT have comparable range and coverage”
 NAVTEX Coverage Planning
Reception is limited by:

• Shipboard / manmade noise

• Vessel RX dependent

• Atmospheric Noise, varies by

• Geography
• Time of day
• Season

Recommendation ITU-R M.1467 http://rtcm.info/sc123/293-2010-SC123-08.pdf

provides guidance to administrations for

predicting sea area A2 and NAVTEX • Nautel India Example:
coverage areas by taking into account • 100 uV/m – 40 dBU Signal Strength
variations in the propagation conditions.
• 3 kW TX => 389 nm range
 NAVTEX Coverage: How much Power do I need?

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1057724.pdf
 NAVTEX Coverage Today
Fringe
>30 dBu
>35 dBu
Mode NAVTEX >40 dBu
>45 dBu
>50 dBu
Bandwidth 300 Hz
Min Field Strength 40 dBu
Data Rate 100 bps
Transmitter Power 0.75-1.5 kW
Transmitter Size 0.75-1.5 kW

NAVTEX provides excellent coverage at

low power through superior signal-to-noise ratio
 Converting NAVTEX Transmitters to NAVDAT
Fringe
40 dBu
>21 dBu
NAVTEX
>26 dBu
Mode NAVDAT >31 dBu
Range
>36 dBu
>41 dBu
Bandwidth 10 kHz
Min Field Strength 52 dBu
Data Rate 19-29 kbps
Transmitter Power 94 - 188 W
Transmitter Size 0.75-1.5 kW
* 64 QAM with 9 dB peaks
Converting NAVTEX TX that is NAVDAT Ready
delivers Too Low Transmitter Power due to
NAVDAT signal peaks; reduced coverage.
 NAVDAT High Data Rate at NAVTEX RMS Power
Fringe
40 dBu
>30 dBu
NAVTEX
>35 dBu
Mode NAVDAT Range
>40 dBu
>45 dBu
>50 dBu
Bandwidth 10 kHz
Min Field Strength 52 dBu
Data Rate 19-29 kbps
Transmitter Power 0.75-1.5 kW
Transmitter Size 6-12 kW PEP
* 64 QAM with 9 dB peaks
NAVDAT requires better signal-to-noise ratio
to achieve high data rate. Bigger transmitter sizes
are required even at same power level due to
NAVDAT signal peaks
 Extend NAVDAT Coverage: Low Data Rate
Fringe
40 dBu
>23 dBu
NAVTEX
>29 dBu
Mode NAVDAT >33 dBu
Range
>39 dBu
>43 dBu
Bandwidth 1 kHz
Min Field Strength 34 dBu
Data Rate 0.3-1.0 kbps
Transmitter Power 150 - 300 W
Transmitter Size 0.75-1.5 kW
* 4 QAM with 7 dB peaks

Only small improvement in data rate over

NAVTEX with same size transmitters. Slightly
smaller coverage compared to NAVTEX.
 NAVDAT Coverage matching NAVTEX Coverage
Fringe
40 dBu
>43 dBu
NAVTEX
>47 dBu
Mode NAVDAT Range
>52 dBu
>57 dBu
>62 dBu
Bandwidth 10 kHz
Min Field Strength 52 dBu
Data Rate 19-29 kbps
Transmitter Power 12-24 kW
Transmitter Size 95-190 kW
* 64 QAM with 9 dB peaks

High Data Rate needs High Power.

High power levels are commonplace in other MW
applications, such as AM broadcast
What TX Power Level do you Need?

Example: 220 NM (407 km) with 10 kHz Bandwidth

QAM Data Rate 10 min Weather Charts in Average Power Est Transmitter Size
data block 10 min Peak Envelope Power
4 QAM 6-10 kbps 450 - 750 kB 2- 3 0.7 kW 3.5 kW
16 QAM 12-19 kbps 900 -1425 kB 4- 7 1.6 kW 10.1 kW
64 QAM 19-29 kbps 1425 -2175 kB 7 - 10 6.4 kW 50.8 kW

More data, more power needed

Less bandwidth, lower transmitter power
Limited by atmospheric and ship board noise
(ITU-M.2443)
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
4. “NAVTEX and NAVDAT have comparable range and coverage”
FACT:
• NAVDAT achieves NAVTEX comparable coverage at low data rates
• Low data rates don’t deliver on the NAVDAT potential
• Higher power delivers high data capacity at NAVTEX comparable coverage
• Implies new transmitters, ATUs and antennas
• Repurpose existing sites or build additional transmission sites?
• Consider use cases and goals to determine appropriate coverage and power
• Goals: detailed weather maps, ice charts, … ?
• Your specific requirements will inform your NAVDAT build out
TIP:
• If you plan for NAVDAT first, then NAVTEX can also be supported
• If you plan for NAVTEX first, then NAVDAT will be limited
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
5. “There are NAVTEX transmitters that can later be converted to
transmit NAVDAT”
Trade-offs Power – Data - Range Tradeoffs
Transmitted Power

High Range + High Data Requires High Power

• Power
• Range NAVTEX comparable power with high data rates
results in very low range
• Data rates At NAVTEX comparable power & range data rates
are minimal

Signal Range Transmitted Data

At NAVTEX comparable power, NAVDAT can provide range or data but not both
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
5. “There are NAVTEX transmitters that can later be converted to
transmit NAVDAT”
FACT:
• Technically yes…
• but you may not achieve your data and coverage goals
• There are many issues beyond the Tx upgradability:
• You may need significantly more power for NAVDAT
• ATU
• Antenna
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
6. “NAVDAT will replace NAVTEX”
NAVDAT Subject message codes
NAVTEX NAVDAT relationship

NAVDAT
Superior Content
(higher power, bandwidth, data)

NAVTEX
Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
6. “NAVDAT will replace NAVTEX”
FACT:
• In the future maybe
• NAVTEX continues to provide critical service

• May take several years for NAVDAT installations and receivers to be deployed

• Can expect many years of parallel operation

Planning for NAVDAT: Things to consider
7. “NAVDAT is a mature standard”
Evolution of the NAVDAT Standard
• Initially inspired by DRM (digitized AM
broadcast)
• Many changes over the last few years
• 1kHz and 3 kHz bandwidth added
• Modified Data Encapsulation
• Structure of the data and signalization
channel
• New modes and guard intervals
• LDPC channel encoding for the data
channel (instead of convolutional)
• NAVDAT is a modern standard adapted
for maritime communication
 Planning for NAVDAT: Technology Roll Out
• Standardization process (2024 and on-going)
• Physical communication layer is well defined
developing

• High power NAVDAT transmitters are being developed now

N • Allows for sea trials now and have started with China and France
NOW A • More field trials are needed to better characterize coverage
• Select high power transmitter test installations
V • Initial experimental receivers required
T N • Next: Stakeholder Needs to be defined in country/jurisdiction
deploying

• Do you need ice reports? Is piracy a major concern for you? ...
E A • Other? Standard is extensible with reserved message types
X V • Will you rely on real-time MAYDAY RELAYs? If yes, 24hr coverage!!
• Next: RF Coverage Planning given geography and data requirements
D • Next: Professional monitoring receiver development
A • Next: Country wide transmission installations
mature

• New sites? New towers? New transmitters?

T • Future: Commercial receiver mass production
• Will a mandate be required?
 Summary
• NAVDAT needs a system approach….
• Tx, ATU, Site, antenna
• Service and coverage planning:
• Relationship: Power, coverage, bandwidth, data rate Learn more
• NAVDAT needs more power to fulfill it’s promise Upcoming webinars
• NAVDAT Signal Deep Dive
• NAVTEX will continue for may years • NAVDAT Coverage
• Request an assessment
• NAVDAT deployment strategies:
• Separate NAVTEX and NAVDAT infrastructures
Or

• Plan for NAVDAT with specific coverage & data goals that can also do NAVTEX
Questions & Answers
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Thank You!
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