GMDSS

A User’s Handbook

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A user-friendly guide covering both the analogue and digital
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 5th edition

GMDSS
A User’s Handbook

Denise Bréhaut

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 For Jake, my friend, my hero and my safe haven.

Published by Adlard Coles Nautical

an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square
WC1B 3DP
www.adlardcoles.com

Copyright © Denise Bréhaut 1999, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2013

First edition 1999

Second edition 2002
Third edition 2006
Fourth edition 2009
Fifth edition 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4081-8782-1
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4081-7911-6
ePDF ISBN: 978-1-4081-7912-3

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any
means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping
or information storage and retrieval systems – without the prior permission in writing of
the publishers.

The right of the author, Denise Bréhaut, to be identified as the author of this work has
been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This book is produced using paper that is made from wood grown in managed,
sustainable forests. It is natural, renewable and recyclable. The logging and manufacturing
processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

Cartoon on page 1 by Jake Kavanagh

Page design and typesetting by Susan McIntyre
Typeset in 10 on 12pt Rotis Serif
Printed and bound in India by Replika Press

Note: While all reasonable care has been taken in the preparation of this publication,
the publisher takes no responsibility for the use of the methods or products described
in the book.

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 CONTENTS
PREFACE 8
GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS 9
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 10

1 INTRODUCTION TO THE SYSTEMS.................................................... 11

Sea areas 13
Equipment requirements for compulsorily fitted vessels 14
Voluntarily fitted vessels 15
Questions 15
Answers 16

2 TRAINING COURSES AND EXAMINATIONS.......................................... 17

The General Operator Certificate Course (GOC) 17
The GOC examination 17
The Long Range Certificate Course (LRC) 18
The LRC examination 18
Satellite module 19
The Restricted Operator Certificate Course (ROC) 19
The ROC examination 19

3 MODES OF EMISSION AND PROPAGATION.......................................... 20

Modes of emission 20
Propagation of the radio wave 23
Types of radio waves 25
Practical uses within radio frequency bands 28
Questions 29
Answers 30

4 GENERAL REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES....................................... 31

Identification of stations 31
Radio watch 32
DSC watch keeping 33
Test transmissions 34
Documents 34
Transmissions in UK harbours 35
Simplex and duplex 35
The use of channels and frequencies in the maritime band 36
Transceiver functions 38
Maximum permitted transmitter power 39
The phonetic alphabet 39
Control of communications 40
Making a routine call 40
Difficulty with communications 41
Questions 41
Answers 43

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 6 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

5 DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING.......................................................... 45

Distress alert 47
Undesignated or designated distress alerts 48
Receipt and acknowledgement of DSC alerts 49
Distress alert relay 51
Urgency call 51
Safety call 51
Routine call 53
DSC priorities or call categories 53
Classes of DSC controller 54
Cancelling false alerts 54
Avoiding false alerts 55
Questions 55
Answers 57

6 DSC AND RADIOTELEPHONY PROCEDURES........................................ 59

Distress 59
On-scene communications 63
Procedural words relating to distress working 63
Distress relay 64
Urgency 65
Safety 65
Routine procedures 66
Contacting a vessel whose MMSI is unknown 67
Questions 68
Answers 70

7 THE RADIOTELEPHONY EXAMINATION............................................... 73

8 THE INMARSAT SYSTEMS ............................................................. 81

INMARSAT B 83
INMARSAT C 83
INMARSAT Fleet F77 83
Operations 84
Two-digit special service codes 85
Distress priority connections on Sat B and Fleet F77 86
Distress alerting on SAT C 86
Avoiding false alerts 86
Cancelling false alerts 86
Security 87
Questions 87
Answers 88

9 INMARSAT PROCEDURES ............................................................. 89

INMARSAT B and Fleet F77 89
Priority connections 89
Distress priority connection by telephone 89
Distress priority connection by telex (SAT B only) 89
Distress message by telephone or telex 90

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 contents 7

Distress relay connection 90

Urgency priority connection 90
Urgency message by telephone or telex 90
Safety priority connection 91
Safety message by telephone or telex 91
Routine priority connection 92
INMARSAT C 92
Distress alerting 92
Distress message 93
Other priority messages 94
Logging out 94
Questions 95
Answers 96

10 EPIRBs AND SARTs...................................................................... 98

EPIRBs 98
Activation 101
SARTs 101
AIS-SART 103
Testing of EPIRBs and SARTs 104
Avoiding false alerts 104
Questions 105
Answers 106

11 ANTENNAE AND BATTERIES ......................................................... 107

VHF antenna 107
MF and HF whip antenna 109
Wire aerial 109
Antennae for INMARSAT B and Fleet F77 110
Antennae for INMARSAT C 110
Maintenance of antennae 111
Batteries 111
Battery maintenance 112
Questions 113
Answers 114

12 MARITIME SAFETY INFORMATION ................................................. 115

Navtex 115
Message types 116
FEC 119
Enhanced Group Calling (EGC) 119
Questions 121
Answers 122

13 QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE........................................................... 123

INDEX 126

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 PREFACE
In 1988 The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) was
incorporated into the 1974 Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) regulations. This
1988 amendment came into force on 1 February 1992 and became mandatory
from 1 February 1999 for compulsorily fitted craft. These are vessels over 300
GRT and passenger vessels on international voyages.
In the transition the percentage of false distress alerts rose to 96%. A false
distress alert is one that has been inadvertently sent. Many of these can be
directly attributed to poorly designed equipment and lack of sufficient training.
Radio Officers are no longer being trained. In many cases, the responsibility for
communications has been added to that of the Deck Officer.
Equipment design has been addressed by the introduction of more specific
guidelines for manufacturers. There is no plan to recall the preceding
generations of equipment already installed on board vessels. However, the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) has urged the use of dedicated
protected distress buttons and modification of existing equipment where
necessary. Training courses are intensive, making it possible to instruct
students on only one or two designs of equipment. It is, therefore, imperative
to stress that users, once qualified, should take the time to read their
instruction manuals and learn how to use the specific equipment on board
their vessels. Diligence and awareness can decrease the false alert rate.
Class D VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) controllers have been produced
for leisure craft and other voluntarily fitted vessels in coastal waters whose
owners wish to benefit from the GMDSS. It is just as important for users of this
equipment to gain training and an insight into the system as a whole to ensure
that distress alerts are not sent in error.
Examination syllabi for the GMDSS General Operator Certificate (GOC),
Long Range Certificate (LRC) and Restricted Operator Certificate (ROC) are
covered within this book, as simply as possible. Although the text covers more
detail than is required for the ROC examination, it is hoped that readers will
gain a valuable insight into the system as a whole. Candidates embarking on
GOC and LRC training courses will benefit greatly from reading the text in
advance. It can then be used as a reference book during the course and an aide
memoire once qualified.

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 GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS
AIS-SART Automatic Identification System – Search And Rescue Transmitter
ADRS Admiralty Digital Radio Signals
ALRS Admiralty List of Radio Signals
AMVER Automated Mutual-Assistance VEssel Rescue system
AORE Atlantic Ocean Region East
AORW Atlantic Ocean Region West
ARQ Automatic Repeat on reQuest (one to one telex mode)
ATU Antenna Tuning Unit
CRS Coast Radio Station
CS Coast Station
CQ An abbreviation for All Stations
DE An abbreviation for This Is
DMG Distress Message Generator
DSC Digital Selective Calling
EGC Enhanced Group Calling
EPIRB Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
EU Electronic Unit
EUMETSAT EUropean organisation for the exploitation of METeorological
SATellites
FEC Forward Error Correction (telex mode for distress working
and Navtex)
GEO Geostationary Earth Orbit
GHz Gigahertz (1000 MHz)
GMDSS Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
GPS Global Positioning System
GRT Gross Registered Tonnage
H24 Continuous service
H3E Single sideband with full carrier
HF High Frequency 3–30 MHz
HX No fixed hours or specific intermittent hours
IMO International Maritime Organization
IOR Indian Ocean Region
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network (used for F77)
ITU International Telecommunications Union
J3E Single sideband with suppressed carrier
kHz Kilohertz (1000 Hz)
LEO Low altitude Earth Orbit
LES Land Earth Station (can be called a Coast Earth Station)
LUT Local User Terminal
MCA Maritime and Coastguard Agency
MCC Mission Control Centre

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 10 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

MEO Medium altitude Earth Orbit

MES Mobile Earth Station (can be called a Ship Earth Station)
MF Medium Frequency 300–3000 kHz
MHz Megahertz (1000 kHz)
MID Maritime Identification Digits
MMSI Maritime Mobile Service Identity
MPDS Mobile Packet Data Service (used for F77)
MRCC Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre
MSI Maritime Safety Information
NCS Network Co-ordination Station
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
POR Pacific Ocean Region
PTT Press To Talk
R3E Single sideband with reduced pilot carrier
RT RadioTelephony – ie voice communications
Rx Receiver
SAR Search And Rescue
SART Search And Rescue Transponder
SOLAS Safety Of Life At Sea
SSB Single SideBand
TDM Time-Division Multiplexing
Tx Transmitter
UTC Universal Time, Co-ordinated
VHF Very High Frequency 30–300 MHz (Marine VHF 156–174 MHz)

Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Jake Kavanagh, Gill Norton, Kevin Walsh, Stan Bréhaut and
Marion Bréhaut for their time and encouragement.
Illustrations by Gill Norton.
Cartoon (page 1) by Jake Kavanagh.
Computer graphics by Stan Bréhaut.
Photographs: Page 33 Luke Duggan; Page 43 Jotron UK Ltd; page 46 (both
images) Electrotech Australia, www.electrotech.net.au; Page 49 JSASTC;
Page 54 Standard Horizon; Page 56 Icom UK Ltd; Page 67 Electrotech
Australia, www.electrotech.net.au; Page 85 JSASTC; Page 91 Electrotech
Australia, www.electrotech.net.au; Page 93 Denise Bréhaut; Page 99 Sartech
Engineering Ltd; Page 100 Jotron UK Ltd; Page 105 Kannad Marine; Page 108
(top) Jake Kavanagh; Page 108 (bottom) Denise Bréhaut; Page 115 McMurdo.
Thank you to all concerned for providing photo opportunities.

SafetyNET and FleetNET are service marks of INMARSAT.

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 chapter 1

Introduction to
the Systems

In 1979 the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Assembly overviewed

the existing maritime distress and safety system. In the light of technological
advances, it was decided to create a new Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System (GMDSS) to improve the safety of life at sea.
The old system was based on coast stations and certain classes of vessels
main­taining a continuous listening watch on nominated distress frequencies.
These vessels were also required to carry basic communications equipment
with a working range of approximately 150 nautical miles. Vessels in distress
offshore were therefore reliant on nearby shipping to provide assistance.
The new system, which came into force in 1992, incorporated satellites and
digital selective calling technology, enabling distress alerts to be received
automatically over great distances.
Despite some students finding the technology and procedures daunting, it
is important to remember that the difference with GMDSS is that there are
now more ways of alerting Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCC)
and other authorities to a maritime incident (see Figure 1 on page 12). Many
of these options are more reliable than the old methods and because of the
use of technologically advanced equipment, specialist knowledge is not
required to operate it. You do not need to know how a TV recorder produces
a copy of a television programme but it is imperative that you are able to
program it to record a specific item or the technology is wasted. In the same
way, you only need an understanding of the GMDSS, along with basic
knowledge of how to operate the equipment relating to each system without
sending false alerts.
Comparatively few years ago, the only means of calling for assistance at
sea was by terrestrial VHF or MF radio. Small craft only had the option of VHF
radio until the 1979 Fastnet disaster prompted the production of smaller long
range communications equipment. In communications prior to 1999, satellites
were only used for the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).
Now the INMARSAT satellites enable near global communications whilst at
sea. Digital Selective Calling (DSC), the latest introduction to the GMDSS, has
provided a reliable means of terrestrial alerting. Today even the smallest craft
can choose to participate in the GMDSS and benefit from improved
communications and enhanced search and rescue facilities.

11

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 12

INMARSAT

9781408187821_txt_app_.indd 12
COSPAS
Land Earth Station

SARSAT
GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Coast Station
Maritime Rescue
Co-ordination Centre

Local User Terminal

Fig 1 The general concept of GMDSS. There are now several ways of alerting a Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre to the fact
that a vessel needs assistance.

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 Introduction to the Systems 13

One major change has been the equipment requirements for compulsorily
fitted vessels. The old regulations were designed around the size of the ship,
with 300 GRT and 1600 GRT being the two main categories. In the GMDSS,
trading areas determine the equipment requirements, not the size of the vessel.
Sea areas one to four are used to define these trading areas (see Figure 2 for
sea areas in north-west Europe).

Sea areas
A1 is an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast
station operating DSC equipment. Approximately 30–40 mile range.

A2 is an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one MF coast

station operating DSC equipment, excluding A1 areas. Approximately 150 mile
range.

A3 is an area within the coverage of at least one INMARSAT geostationary

satellite (between 76° north and south), excluding A1 and A2 areas.

A4 covers the Polar Regions and excludes A1, A2 and A3 areas.

A1

A2

A3

Fig 2 The sea areas A1 and A2 and A3 in north-west Europe.

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 14 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Equipment requirements for compulsorily fitted

vessels
Area A1
Vessels trading exclusively in an A1 area are required to carry a VHF
transceiver with channels 16, 13, 06 and those suitable for public
correspondence. In addition, they need DSC equipment that is capable of
transmitting and watch keeping on channel 70.

Area A2
Vessels trading in A2 areas are required to carry the A1 equipment plus an MF
transceiver with 2182 kHz and public correspondence frequencies for telephone
or telex. In addition, DSC equipment is required that is capable of transmitting
and watch keeping on 2187.5 kHz.

Area A3
Vessels trading in A3 areas are required to carry the A1 and A2 equipment plus
one of the following options:

The INMARSAT option

Equipment is required that provides telex alerting, watch keeping and public
correspondence by telex or telephone. INMARSAT C meets all of these
requirements. Ships are now able to choose to trade deep sea without carrying
HF radio equipment.

The HF option
This option requires the installation of an HF transceiver providing
radiotelephony and radiotelex. In addition, an HF DSC controller is required
with scanning watch keeping on 4207.5, 6312, 8414.5, 12577 and 16804.5 kHz.

Area A4
Vessels trading in A4 areas are required to carry the equipment for areas A1,
A2 and the A3 HF option.

All sea areas

In addition to the above, all vessels are required to carry a Navtex receiver for
the reception of Maritime Safety Information (MSI). If trading is primarily in
an area outside the coverage of Navtex, MSI should be obtained through the
INMARSAT SafetyNET service, which is available through INMARSAT C. All
vessels should carry a satellite Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
(EPIRB) in a float free mounting, transmitting on 406 MHz. Two Search and
Rescue Transponders (SARTs) are required, along with three handheld VHF
radios if over 500 GRT and two if between 300 and 500 GRT.

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 Introduction to the Systems 15

Voluntarily fitted vessels

The fitting of GMDSS equipment to leisure craft is optional. However, all craft,
regardless of size, are advised to carry a VHF radio. Handheld or transportable
VHF radios are sufficient for very small craft staying within five nautical miles
of land. They are also useful as an additional piece of safety equipment. Fixed
VHF radios are advisable for larger vessels venturing further afield. The
transmitter power output is greater and the aerial is higher, enabling
communications at a greater range. A VHF DSC controller is a useful piece of
equipment to carry and may even become essential if coast stations cease to
keep a listening watch on channel 16. An EPIRB, SART, MF radio and MF DSC
controller are advisable on board a vessel that may travel up to 150 nautical
miles from a safe haven. INMARSAT systems may be considered by larger craft
on longer passages as an alternative to HF radio. Navtex is a convenient way
to receive weather and navigational information without listening to the
various transmissions that are available from other sources.

Questions
1 To which vessels do the GMDSS regulations apply?
2 Define GMDSS sea area A1.
3 Define GMDSS sea area A2.
4 Define GMDSS sea area A3.
5 Define GMDSS sea area A4.

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 16 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

ANSWERS
1 The regulations apply to vessels over 300 GRT and passenger vessels on
international voyages.
2 Sea area A1 is an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF
coast station operating DSC equipment. Approximately 30–40 mile range.
3 Sea area A2 is an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one MF
coast station operating DSC equipment, excluding A1 areas. Approximately
150 mile range.
4 Sea area A3 is an area within the coverage of at least one INMARSAT
geostationary satellite, excluding A1 and A2 areas.
5 Sea area A4 covers the Polar Regions and excludes A1, A2 and A3 areas.

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 chapter 2

Training Courses and

Examinations
The General Operator Certificate Course (GOC)
The GMDSS General Operator Certificate (GOC) is the most advanced of the
courses covered within this text. In the UK, most course providers will offer
either a straight seven-day course prior to the examination, or seven weekdays
with the weekend free for private study. Any course will be intensive, with
private study required in the evenings. Candidates will be at an advantage if
they do some pre-course learning and have keyboard familiarity. A course is
compulsory for access to the exam.

The GOC examination

The examination structure is constantly being reviewed and revised. The
following information is a guide to the UK examination at the time of writing.
It should also be noted that other administrations have different examination
structures. There is a facility to upgrade an existing LRC operator’s certificate
to a GOC. The GOC examination consists of three sections:

1 The General Knowledge paper

The paper comprises three SOLAS questions based on distress, urgency and
safety. There are also 15 multi-choice questions about the radio regulations in
general. There are 25 minutes in which to complete the paper. There are 15
marks available for each SOLAS answer and one for each multi-choice.
Examiners strictly adhere to the marking scheme and the pass mark is 75%.
This is one of the major stumbling blocks in the GOC examination and
examination technique certainly plays a part.

2 The Radiotelephony examination

During the radiotelephony (RT) examination a simulation of RT working is
conducted. Each candidate is required to respond to transmissions in the
appropriate manner. At the same time, all candidates are required to keep radio
logs. The examination lasts approximately 30 minutes for a group of eight
candidates. The pass mark is 75%, with correct recording of positions in the
log book being mandatory. With sufficient practice during the course, this
examination should be fairly straightforward.

17

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 18 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

3 Operational Performance test

This is the practical test, which will be made as realistic as possible. The
candidate will be joining a ship and be given a scenario. During the passage,
the candidate will be asked to use the MF, HF and VHF transceivers, MF, HF
and VHF DSC controllers, Navtex, INMARSAT Fleet F77 or INMARSAT B and
INMARSAT C equipment. Knowl­edge of batteries, EPIRBs and SARTs, along
with keyboard skills and the ability to use publications, are also tested. Each
candidate is tested individually for up to 90 minutes. The pass mark is 70%,
with no ‘grey box’ tick on the examiner’s report. The examiner will award a
‘grey box’ tick and fail the candidate if, for instance, the candi­date cannot
switch on the piece of equipment or perform safety critical operations.

The Long Range Certificate Course (LRC)

The Long Range Certificate (LRC) replaces the old Restricted Certificate of
Competence in Radiotelephony, often known as the SSB certificate. The LRC
certificate is specific to the UK and has been tailored to meet the needs of the
leisure market and commercial craft less than 300 GRT. In addition to the LRC,
there is an optional satellite module. The LRC course typically lasts four days.
Many course providers will offer a longer course.

The LRC examination

The examination consists of four sections:

1 The SOLAS paper

This may be written or conducted orally. There are 12 questions about distress,
urgency and safety. The duration of the paper is left to the examiner’s
discretion. The pass mark is 75%.

2 The Regulations paper

This may be written or conducted orally. The paper contains 10 multi-choice
questions about the radio regulations in general. The duration of the paper is
again left to the discretion of the examiner. The pass mark is 60%.

3 The Radiotelephony examination

This takes exactly the same format as the GOC examination above.

4 Operational Performance test

This is the practical test using the MF, HF and VHF transceivers, MF, HF and
VHF DSC controllers and Navtex. Knowledge of EPIRBs, SARTs, batteries and
antennae is also tested, along with the ability to use publications. The test is
carried out on an individual basis and may last up to 45 minutes. The pass
mark is 70%, with no ‘grey box’ tick.

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 training courses and examinations 19

Satellite module
The satellite module consists of two sections that may be taken at the same
time as the LRC examination, at no extra charge.

1 The SOLAS paper

Five questions based on distress, urgency and safety. The pass mark is 60%.

2 The Operational Performance test

This is a 15-minute practical test on the INMARSAT C transceiver. The pass
mark is 71%, with no ‘grey box’ tick.

The Restricted Operator Certificate Course (ROC)

The Restricted Operator Certificate was introduced in 1998. It provides a
GMDSS qualification for commercial operators trading exclusively in A1 areas.
Many course providers will offer a two- or three-day course prior to the
examination.

The ROC examination

This examination consists of three sections:

1 The SOLAS paper

This may be written or conducted orally. There are nine questions on distress,
urgency and safety. The duration of the paper is left to the examiner’s
discretion. The pass mark is 75%.

2 The Regulations and Operational Performance test

This covers the practical use of the equipment and oral questions on the
regulations in general. Practical use of the VHF transceiver, VHF DSC
controller, EPIRBs, SARTs and Navtex equipment will be tested. Knowledge of
batteries and antennae is also tested, along with the ability to use publications.
Each candidate is tested individually for up to 45 minutes. The pass mark is
75%, with no ‘grey box’ tick.

3 The Radiotelephony examination

This takes exactly the same format as the GOC examination above.

STCW
All officers who need to comply with the STCW code must have their ROC or
GOC GMDSS certificate endorsed by the MCA. After obtaining the STCW
endorsement, they must revalidate every 5 years. This is done by providing the
relevant forms and proving at least 1 year of sea service in the last 5.

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 chapter 3

Modes of Emission
and Propagation
There is no requirement to know radio communications theory in detail, either
for the examinations or for practical use of the equipment. What follows is
therefore a very simple explanation.

Modes of emission
When the Press To Talk (PTT) switch on the microphone is operated, a carrier is
generated. Figure 3 shows the carrier on a frequency spectrum diagram. The
vertical axis indicates power or level.

Power

Fig 3 A carrier on a
Frequency
frequency spectrum.

If someone speaks into the microphone when the PTT is held in, voice
modulation is superimposed onto each side of the carrier. This produces an upper
and lower sideband, which are mirror images of each other and contain identical
information. The transmitter power will be shared between the carrier and the
sidebands. For example, a fully modulated 400 watt transmitter would radiate a
carrier of 267 watts and 66.5 watts in each of the sidebands. The mode
represented in Figure 4 is known as A3E, double sideband with full carrier.

267W

66.5W 66.5W

Fig 4 A3E, double sideband

2179 2182 2185 kHz
with full carrier.

20

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 modes of emission and propagation 21

The human ear can detect audio frequencies from approximately 20 to 25,000
Hz. However, only speech signals between approximately 300 Hz and 3000 Hz (3
kHz) are used in a maritime transmitter. Speech frequencies up to 3 kHz will
produce intelligible communications but they will lack personality. As a result,
the bandwidth of the modulated carrier is 6 kHz, 3 kHz for each sideband. If we
take 2182 kHz as an example, a transmission will use frequencies from 2179 kHz
to 2185 kHz, with 2182 kHz being the assigned frequency to which we refer.
We actually only need the upper sideband for maritime communications, so a
filter is used from 2179 to 2181.9 kHz to remove the lower sideband. Remember
that with the 400 watt transmitter, 267 watts are used to produce the carrier. The
remaining 133 watts are now available for use by the upper sideband. The
practical result of this is that either the drain on the ship’s batteries can be
reduced without significant loss of range, or the range of communications can be
increased without increasing the power output of the transmitter (see Figure 5).

267W

133W

Fig 5 H3E, single sideband

with full carrier. 2179 2182 2185 kHz

This mode is known as H3E, single sideband with full carrier, sometimes
labelled AM, and was always used by ships transmitting on 2182 kHz. This is
the only mode that is compatible with A3E. Some survival craft radio
equipment used A3E but it became obsolete with the full implementation of
GMDSS. H3E is, therefore, no longer used on 2182 kHz.
The ideal situation would be to suppress the carrier completely, making all
of the transmitter power available to the upper sideband; 66.5 watts would
now produce the same effective radiated power as the original 400 watt
transmission using A3E. The carrier must be generated in the transmitter in
order to place the audio frequencies in the correct part of the radio frequency
spectrum. Once this has been achieved, the carrier is removed by circuitry prior
to transmission. The mode represented in Figure 6 is known as J3E, single
sideband with suppressed carrier, sometimes labelled USB, now the most
frequently used mode in maritime communications.

400W

Fig 6 J3E, single sideband 2179 2182 2185 kHz

with suppressed carrier.

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 22 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

A receiver cannot detect radio frequency without a full carrier. Much of the
expense of a communications receiver is in the circuitry that is necessary to
reinsert the carrier. The reinsertion must be in exactly the same place as if the
original transmitter had produced it. In some situations, especially with old
equipment, a pilot may be needed in order to act as a guide for carrier reinsertion.
This pilot is achieved by sending a small amount of carrier. The mode is known as
R3E, single sideband with reduced carrier. This mode, represented in Figure 7,
would only be selected if the receiving station requested it. However, most
modern equipment is capable of receiving J3E without any real difficulty.

Fig 7 R3E, single sideband

with reduced carrier. 2179 2182 2185 kHz

If the inserted carrier frequency is either too high or too low, the pitch of the
received voice signal will be wrong (see Figure 8). The receiving station can
modify the frequency of the carrier by use of the clarifier or fine tune control.

If the carrier is placed here, the low notes will be If the carrier is placed here, the high notes will
lost and the voice will sound like Donald Duck. be lost and the voice will sound like Goofy.

Fig 8 The clarifier or fine tune control in the receiving station is used to modify the frequency
in order to clarify speech.

The last modes that you need to know about are those used for radiotelex. F1B
is used for radiotelex and DSC on MF and HF. It uses Frequency Shift Keying
(FSK), with two carriers separated by just 170 Hz. J2B uses two audio tones to
send telex over radio.

To help you remember

A3E All of the carrier and All of the information.
H3E Was used on 2182 kHz, which was where we called for Help. Uses the
wHole carrier and single sideband.
J3E Just the single sideband, no carrier. Used Just about all the time.
R3E Reduced carrier, single sideband.

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 modes of emission and propagation 23

Propagation of the radio wave

In free space, electromagnetic waves have both electric and magnetic fields
that are always at right angles to each other and the direction of travel. The
continual build-up and collapse of these fields is represented in Figure 9 by a
sine wave. When the frequency of such electromagnetic waves is suitable for
communications by radio, it is referred to as a radio wave. Radio waves travel
outwards through the air at a constant speed of approximately 186,000 miles
per second, which is the speed of light, in the form of an expanding sphere
from an omnidirectional antenna. The wavelength is the distance between
two points of repetition, usually measured in metres. The wavelength of
156.8 MHz (VHF channel 16), for example, is 1.91 metres and that of 2182
kHz is 137.5 metres.

Field
strength

Wavelength

Time or distance

Fig 9 A sine wave.

The frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point in a given
amount of time, usually measured in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz). The
wavelength of channel 16 (VHF, Very High Frequency) is smaller than that of
2182 kHz (MF, Medium Frequency). If speed is constant, more 1.91 metre units
will pass a given point in a given time than 137.5 metre units in the same
time, therefore we can deduce that the frequency must be higher.
Some students find the relationship between kHz, MHz and GHz confusing.

To help you remember

1 kHz = 1,000 Hz
1 MHz = 1,000 kHz = 1,000,000 Hz
1 GHz = 1,000 MHz = 1,000,000 kHz = 1,000,000,000 Hz
2182 kHz can also be referred to as being 2.182 MHz, in the 2 MHz band.

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 24 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

The ionosphere
The existence of ionised layers in the atmosphere was not realised until the
1920s, when radio communications over long distances were achieved using
HF (High Frequency) propagation. These layers are now collectively called the
ionosphere. As X‑rays and ultraviolet radiation from the sun enter the upper
atmosphere, they strip electrons from atoms and molecules present in these
layers. The electrons are negatively charged and the remaining atoms become
positively charged due to the loss of the electrons. These positively charged
atoms are known as ions, hence the naming of the ionosphere. Due to the
electromagnetic nature of radio waves, this charged layer can affect their
propagation. The effect takes the form of refraction, meaning that radio waves
entering the ionosphere will have their paths bent. If enough bending occurs,
the wave will be refracted back to earth.
The distance covered between the transmitter and the point of possible
reception of the returning wave in a single hop is known as the Skip Distance. The
geographical area where the transmission cannot be received is called the Dead
Zone. The higher the frequency of the radio wave, the more ions are required to
refract it and return it to earth. As frequency increases, the amount of bending
decreases and frequencies greater than approximately 30 MHz will penetrate the
ionosphere relatively unaffected and escape into space (see Figure 10).
Three separate layers are recognisable within the ionosphere. The D layer
occurs below 55 miles, the E layer between 55 and 100 miles and the F layer,
and above
30 MHz

z
MH
25

F2 z
MH
16
F1
Hz
8M
E

D Dead zone
2 MHz

Fig 10 Propagation by day.

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 modes of emission and propagation 25

which is subdivided into F1 and F2, above this altitude. These layers are not
constant but fluctuate with, for example, time of day or season and are
extremely variable during the 11-year sun spot cycle. When the sun’s radiation
is strong, HF propagation is better because there are more ions present in the
ionosphere. Some stations produce propagation prediction charts that take
these anomalies into consideration.
Since ionisation is primarily caused by incoming solar radiation, the
number of free electrons and ions increases with altitude and decreases in all
layers at night. Refraction at a higher level within the ionosphere will produce
greater skip distances and also greater dead zones. The maritime community is
allocated parts of the spectrum in the 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 22 and 26 MHz bands.
Each band will be affected differently by the ionosphere.
The F2 layer contains the highest ion density and refracts high HF radio
waves. The F1 layer is less ionised and refracts radio waves in the mid HF
range. The use of these layers will enable communications over approximately
2500 to 2000 miles respectively with one hop. At night the two layers combine
to form a single F layer.
Within the E layer the ion density is lower still and is responsible for
refracting lower HF frequencies, enabling communications over approximately
1500 miles with one hop.
The D layer is of special interest. The air itself is denser but contains the
lowest level of ionisation. Frequencies below 3 MHz, which include MF radio
waves, are weakened or disappear in this layer during the day due to the
activity between the molecules of the air and the electrons. The D layer is most
active around mid-day. However, at night, when there are fewer electrons,
these waves can pass through unaffected, to be refracted in the layers above.

Types of radio waves

Each radio transmission propagates in three distinct modes, one of which will
always be dominant depending on the frequency involved. The three modes are a
ground wave, a sky wave and a direct wave. Ground waves follow the curvature
of the earth and because of their proximity to the ground they lose their energy
to it, producing a usable range of approximately 150 to 200 miles. Slightly
greater ranges may be achieved using an efficient long wire antenna. Long-
distance communications are achieved by the use of sky waves that are refracted
by the ionosphere and returned to earth. Several skips are possible, which will
enable communications over many thousands of miles. Direct waves are used for
communications over short distances, directly from one aerial to another.

Ground wave
The ground wave range becomes shorter as frequency becomes higher. MF uses
primarily the ground wave and the range is mainly dependent on transmitter
power output. During the day, approximately one kilometre of range for every
watt of radiated power can be expected. However, during the night, as we have

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 26 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

and above
16 MHz
M Hz
12

F Hz
2M

Dead zone
E
2 MHz

Fig 11 Propagation at night.

seen, the sky wave can be used. 2182 kHz transmissions can therefore increase
from around 150 miles during the day using the ground wave to about 1000
miles at night using the sky wave (see Figure 11).

Sky wave
The HF ground wave range is limited to a few miles, so the sky wave is used to
enable world-wide communications. Range is dependent on the propagation path
rather than transmitter power output. The higher the frequency that can be used,
the greater the range as the attenuation (weakening) of the radio wave is less and
the skip distance is greater. To work out an appropriate frequency for use, make
an estimate, using a propagation prediction chart if available. This will take the
path length between the two stations into consideration, along with the daylight/
night-time conditions. When using HF, the daylight frequency will be
approximately twice the night-time frequency. For example, from the Indian
Ocean to the UK, 22 MHz might be used for an all daylight path and 8 MHz for
an all night-time path. If the path is a mixture of daytime and night-time, the
frequency will be constrained by the night-time path and 12 MHz might be
appropriate. At certain times, long distance east to west communications can be
limited to a very short window, maybe only a few hours each day. Listen to your
estimated frequency; if there is no working, wait for a traffic list or listen to the
telex frequency of the coast station, where a continuous transmission of their
callsign in Morse will be heard. If reception is good, this band is suitable for

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 modes of emission and propagation 27

radiotelephony communications; if
not, try another. The ability to To help you remember
work out propagation paths will As frequency increases, distance
improve with practice and is a skill increases.
worth achieving. Instead of calling
a European coast radio station on Frequencies come Down in the Dark.
VHF requesting an expensive link Frequencies above 12 MHz are
call to America, an operator could generally not usable at night.
work out the path, call America
direct on HF and only pay for a
local link call.

Direct wave
VHF is said to use a direct wave, producing a line of sight transmission. The
ground wave produced by a VHF wave is not usable and the sky wave is not
refracted by the ionosphere and returned to earth. At full power, the range of
VHF communications is determined only by the height of the two aerials
involved. For example, up to 60 nautical miles could be achieved between a
ship and a coast station, but only in the region of 15 nautical miles between
two yachts and much less between two small fishing boats (see Figure 12).
Greater ranges can be achieved between ships and search and rescue aircraft
because of their altitude.

Fig 12 VHF propagation is by direct wave that enables communications within line of sight. In
this example the yacht could not communicate with the small fishing vessel.

Space wave
Ultra High Frequency (UHF) uses a direct wave. When used for INMARSAT
communications, 1.5/1.6 GHz, it is sometimes referred to as a space wave. This
wave is hardly affected by the ionosphere; however, heavy snow or rainfall can
adversely affect it.

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 28 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Practical uses within radio frequency bands

Low Frequency 198 kHz Radio 4 – ‘long wave’
LF 30 to 300 kHz
Medium Frequency Medium range maritime communications.
MF 300 kHz to 3 MHz Navtex.
High Frequency World-wide maritime communications.
HF 3 to 30 MHz
Very High Frequency Short range maritime communications.
VHF 30 to 300 MHz (Marine VHF is 156–174 MHz.)
Ultra High Frequency EPIRBs and INMARSAT communications.
UHF 300 MHz to 3 GHz GPS position fixing system.
Super High Frequency Radar and SARTs.
SHF 3 to 30 GHz

As the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases. Low frequency wave-

lengths can be in excess of one kilometre, whereas the super high frequency
wavelength is only a few centimetres.

To help you remember

Picture the radio wave entering the ionosphere and colliding with the free
electrons and ions. The smaller the wavelength, the smaller the chance of
collision. VHF and UHF radio waves can, therefore, escape the ionosphere
and be used for satellite communications.

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 modes of emission and propagation 29

Questions
1 What do you understand by the mode A3E?
2 What do you understand by the mode H3E?
3 When was H3E used?
4 What do you understand by the mode J3E?
5 What do you understand by the mode R3E?
6 When would R3E be used?
7 What function does the clarifier or fine tune control have?
8 What is a dead zone?
9 Which layers exist in the ionosphere during the day?
10 Which layers can be used in the ionosphere during the night?
11 Which mode of propagation do you associate with MF transmissions?
12 Which mode of propagation do you associate with HF transmissions?
13 Which mode of propagation do you associate with VHF transmissions?
14 Which mode of propagation do you associate with UHF transmissions?

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 30 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

ANSWERS
1 A3E has a full carrier and double sideband.
2 H3E has a full carrier and single sideband.
3 H3E was used on 2182 kHz.
4 J3E has a single sideband with suppressed carrier.
5 R3E has a single sideband with reduced carrier.
6 R3E would only be used if the receiving station requested it.
7 The clarifier or fine tune is used to clarify the received voice by slightly
altering the frequency of the carrier reinsertion.
8 A dead zone is the geographical area between the transmitter and returning
sky wave where the transmission cannot be received by any station.
9 During the day D, E, F1 and F2 layers exist in the ionosphere.
10 During the night the D layer becomes very weak; however, the E layer and the
combined F layers can be used.
11 MF is associated with ground wave propagation. However, at night, sky wave
propagation may also be used.
12 HF is associated with sky wave propagation.
13 VHF uses direct wave propagation.
14 UHF uses direct wave propagation that is often called a space wave.

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 chapter 4

GENERAL REGULATIONS AND

PROCEDURES
The Radio Regulations are agreed at meetings of the World Administrative
Radio Council (WARC), which is part of the International Telecommunications
Union (ITU), which is itself part of the United Nations (UN). Each country has
an administrative body in place to police the regulations by controlling the
licensing and operation of ship radio installations. In the United Kingdom, the
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), part of the Department of Transport,
is responsible for marine radio matters. The Association of Marine Electronic
and Radio Colleges (AMERC) carries out examinations and certification of
operators for the ROC, LRC and GOC on behalf of the MCA. The Office of
Communications (Ofcom) issues Ship Radio Licences and Maritime Mobile
Service Identity (MMSI) numbers. Appropriate authorities can inspect
operators’ certificates and the radio installation at any time, either at home or
abroad. Poor radio equipment found during such inspections may be
confiscated. Breach of the radio regulations may result in the authority to
operate being suspended or revoked.
The Master, or person responsible for the vessel, has absolute authority over
the radio installation. Operators use the radio equipment under the authority of
the Master. However, the operators are still responsible for the correct use of the
equipment. Unlicensed persons may use the radio installation under the
supervision of a licensed operator. It should be noted that Section 11 of the 1884
Post Office Protection Act applies. This Act forbids the reception of
communications, other than those for which the station is licensed. If such
communications are unwittingly received, they must not be revealed in any way.

Identification of stations
Every transmission must include the station’s identification. Ships at sea and
coast stations on land are usually referred to by name. Coast Radio Stations
(CRS) are named after the geographical location of the antenna followed by the
word ‘radio’. For example, Malaga Radio has its antenna situated at Malaga.
Coastguard stations are named after the area that they control. For example,
Solent Coastguard controls the Solent area.
In addition, if a station operates licensed communications equipment, it will
be allocated an international callsign, which is an alphanumeric identifier that
is unique to it, similar to the registration number of a car. The first letter

31

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 32 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

identifies the country of registration. The UK allocations are G, M or 2,

therefore MLXE8 would belong to a UK vessel. If a vessel changes hands but
stays with the same flag, it will keep its callsign, in the same way that a car
would keep its registration number.
Survival craft stations may use the callsign of the parent ship, followed
by an extra two digits, which should not be 0 or 1 if immediately following
a letter.
The GMDSS has introduced a new type of identification known as the
Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI), which is a nine-digit identity with
no letters. The Maritime Identification Digits (MID) are three digits within the
MMSI that identify the country of registration. The UK allocation is 232, 233,
234 and 235. A ship’s MMSI is made up of the three-digit MID followed by its
own six-digit identity. The coast station MMSI is made up of 00, then the MID,
followed by the coast station’s four-digit identity. An MMSI used by a group of
ships is made up of 0, then the MID, followed by the five-digit group identity.
If a ship has a group MMSI, it will also have an individual MMSI.

Example of MMSI numbers

Ship MMSI 123 123456
Coast station MMSI 00 123 1234
Group MMSI 0 123 12345

Finally, we have the INMARSAT mobile identification numbers. Students

should remember the total number of digits and the leading digit for each
system.
In practice, the leading digit would usually be followed by the MID and
then the ship’s identity.

Example of INMARSAT mobile numbers

INMARSAT B nine digits commencing three 323572645
INMARSAT C nine digits commencing four 423264763
INMARSAT Fleet F77 nine digits commencing seven 764092849

Radio watch
Since 1st February 1999 there has been no requirement to keep a listening
watch on 2182 kHz. All ships now maintain a continuous watch by DSC
instead. However, ships will continue to maintain a listening watch on VHF
channel 16.

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 general regulations and procedures 33

Ships may have many different communication systems, each having its own identification.

DSC watch keeping

• Ships in sea area A1 should monitor channel 70.
• Ships in sea area A2 should monitor channel 70, plus 2187.5 kHz.
• Ships in sea areas A3 and A4 should monitor channel 70, 2187.5 kHz,
8414.5 kHz plus at least one other HF distress, urgency and safety
frequency.

Ships in sea area A3 that have taken the INMARSAT option are not required to
monitor the HF DSC frequencies. Owners of leisure craft who do not wish to
join in the GMDSS should continue to keep watch on channel 16 and 2182 kHz
for the time being. Some countries, including the UK, have stated that they
intend to keep a listening watch for the foreseeable future. Other countries
have decided to discontinue the listening watch on 2182 kHz. There is no
doubt that all shore stations will discontinue it at some time in the future, at
which time leisure craft owners may feel it to be prudent to install GMDSS
equipment on board.

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 34 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Test transmissions
The operators responsible for testing the radio equipment are listed in Section
B of the ship’s GMDSS log book. Tests of radio transmitters must last less than
10 seconds, must include the identity of the station, should avoid channel 16
and 2182 kHz, and use low power or an artificial antenna (dummy load) if
possible. A test call is a system test that does not require a response from any
other station. If there is doubt regarding the ability of the transceiver to
function correctly, another station should be involved. Do this by requesting a
radio check, which is asking for advice about the strength and quality of the
signal. The following tests are important during examinations and in practice:

Every day, the system self test should be carried out on the DSC controller. This
does not require signals to be radiated, it just checks the internal circuitry of
the unit. Battery voltage should be tested and the battery charged if required.
Printers should be checked to ensure an adequate supply of paper.

Each week, the external test should be carried out on the DSC controller. This
is a special test call to a coast station on MF or HF, taking the safety priority.
There is not usually any operator involvement, as a computer system will
recognise the test call format and automatically send back a DSC
acknowledgement. There is no automatic test call facility for VHF DSC. This
equipment should be tested, if necessary, by sending a routine alert to another
station. Reserve sources of energy should be checked.

Every month, the EPIRB and SARTs should be tested, along with a more
thorough check on the ship’s antennae and batteries (see Chapters 10 and 11
for more details). Survival craft VHF radios should be tested on board using a
working channel and the reserve primary battery should be in date with an
unbroken seal.
When the tests have been carried out, an entry should be made in the
GMDSS log book and the operator who carried out the tests should sign
against it. When making such entries, always use UTC for time keeping.

Documents
Students should be aware of the documents that are listed below. Pay
particular attention to the ALRS, as candidates will be expected to extract
information from these during the practical examination. One mistake many
students make is in not remembering that if, for example, the coast station
receives on 2009 kHz, calling stations must transmit on that frequency in order
for the coast station to be able to receive them. Any entry in bold type is the
preferred channel or frequency. Quite often there are very small figures next to
an entry (remember to take your spectacles), which refer to notes that should
always be read before choosing a channel or frequency. The hours of watch
keeping are also listed. H24 means a 24-hour watch.

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 general regulations and procedures 35

Admiralty List of Radio Signals (ALRS) and Admiralty DIGITAL Radio

Signals (ADRS)
ALRS Volume 1 comes in 2 parts and lists the working arrangements of
maritime radio stations.
ALRS Volume 2 provides information regarding radio navigational aids,
including time signals.
ALRS Volume 3 comes in 2 parts and contains details of radio weather services
and navigational warnings.
ALRS Volume 4 lists meteorological observation stations.
ALRS Volume 5 is the GMDSS volume and will be of interest to all students.
ALRS Volume 6 comes in 7 parts and provides information regarding port
operations, pilot services, Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and reporting systems.

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Publications

Details of ships can be obtained from the ITU List of Ship Stations and
Maritime Mobile Service Identity Assignments. Coast Station information is
found in the List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations. Both are
available in CD-ROM format.

International Code of Signals

The International Code of Signals could be used when communicating
with an operator who speaks a different language. For example, during
communications regarding a medical emergency, ‘Mike Golf India’ would
indicate that ‘the patient is suffering from non-corrosive poisoning (no
staining and burning of mouth and lips)’.

Transmissions in UK harbours
Each country has its own regulations for the use of radio equipment in its waters.
Details can be found in the back of ALRS Volume 1. UK regulations permit
communications with the nearest coast station, which restricts communications to
the use of VHF. Broadcast messages may be received and any port operations or
private channels for which the vessel is licensed may be used.

Simplex and duplex

Simplex is a method of communicating in which either reception or
transmission is pos­sible at any one time. A PTT (Press To Talk) switch is used
to transmit and when it is released the receiver will operate. Duplex working
allows transmission and reception simultaneously, as with the telephone
system, but in the case of MF/HF, it must have two separate antennae or, in the
case of VHF, it must have a duplex filter system.

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 36 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

A simplex channel is one that uses a single frequency for alternate

reception and transmission. When listening to a simplex channel with a VHF
radio, you will hear both sides of any communications, providing that both
stations are in range.
A duplex channel is one that uses two frequencies, one to transmit and
another to receive. Duplex channels are used to communicate from ship to shore.
For example, when channel 80 is used, the ship will transmit on 157.025 MHz
and in order to hear the transmission, the shore station must receive on that
frequency. The shore station transmits its reply on 161.625 MHz and the ship
must receive on that frequency. The shore station transceiver is, therefore,
programmed with the opposite transmit and receive frequencies to the ship
transceiver. When listening to a duplex channel with a VHF radio, only the shore
transmissions will be heard and the receiver will be silent during transmissions
from other ships. Using the duplex system without being able to transmit and
receive simultaneously, as with a yachtsman’s VHF radio, is termed semi-duplex.

The use of channels and frequencies in the

maritime band
There are special channels and frequencies set aside for distress, urgency and
safety. All others are termed working channels and frequencies. We will look
primarily at the uses of the VHF channels because this is probably the area that
is most familiar to readers.

Channel 16 is for radiotelephony communications relating to distress and

urgency. Mariners have to monitor channel 16 and it is, therefore, also used as
a routine calling channel. This situation will remain for the foreseeable future.

Channel 70 is for distress, urgency, safety and routine alerting by DSC.

Under no circumstances should this channel be used for radiotelephony
communications.

Channel 67 is for small craft safety, the UK Coastguard’s working channel.

Although named ‘small craft safety’, the UK Coastguard also deals with the
safety of large ships.

Channel 13 is for bridge to bridge safety of navigation by radiotelephony.

The remainder of the 55 channels are allocated for Intership, Public Corres-
pondence and Port Operation uses.

Intership channels
Intership channels must be simplex to enable ships to communicate with
each other. Channel 06 is the primar y intership channel and 08 the
secondary preference. Channels 72 and 77 are used solely for ship to ship

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 general regulations and procedures 37

communications, making them safe channels to use with no risk of inter-

ference to coast stations. If you know that the station with which you wish to
communicate is close, try low power first. If you get no response, wait the
required time of two minutes and try again on high power.
There will be dedicated intership frequencies in the MF and HF bands.
These frequencies will be issued with the ship radio licence.

Public correspondence channels

Public correspondence channels must be duplex in order to link mariners at
sea into the telephone network on land. Most coast radio stations should be
called on VHF using full power on their working channels, some of which are
computer controlled. However, stations calling on MF can often call on 2182
kHz. Details of working arrangements of coast radio stations can be found in
ALRS Volume 1, which should always be consulted prior to calling.

Port operation channels

Port operation channels can be either simplex or duplex. Port operations
concerning large craft are usually conducted on simplex channels. UK marinas
often operate on channel 80, which is a duplex channel. Remember that when
other vessels are transmitting on a duplex channel, receivers on board listening
vessels will be silent and only the response from the marina will be heard.
Because marinas often work the same channel, small craft should call them on
low power when they are at close range. If high power is selected, several
marinas could hear the call. Southampton VTS operates on channel 12. It is a
simplex channel, which is important since all ships should hear transmissions
from both ship and shore. Port operation stations deal with the safety of
vessels and persons in and out of port and should be called direct on their
working channels, details of which can be found in ALRS/ADRS Volume 6.

Channels 15 and 17
Channels 15 and 17 should only be available at low power due to their close
proximity to channel 16 and may be used for on board communications. It is
important to use correct procedure for all transmissions: the vessel’s name and
‘control’ for the Master and the vessel’s name and one of the phonetics for
each of the substations. For example:

SARPEDON CONTROL
THIS IS
SARPEDON ALPHA
OVER

It is important that this procedure is not abbreviated. It was once common

practice to transmit, for example, ‘Fo’c’sle this is bridge, drop anchors’. Since
the vessel is not identified, a potentially dangerous situation could occur if the
wrong vessel’s anchors were released.

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 38 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Transceiver functions
A transceiver is a piece of equipment that is capable of both transmitting and
receiving. A VHF radio will be in receiving mode unless it is transmitting. To
activate the transmitter and disable the receiver, the PTT switch on the
microphone must be held in.

Volume
The volume control on a VHF transceiver is sometimes called the Audio
Frequency (AF) gain control on an MF/HF transceiver. They control the level of
sound that comes from the speaker but they have no effect on transmissions.

Power output
The transmitter power output will be either 1 or 25 watts on a VHF transceiver.
Greater power will give a better signal level at range. Capture effect means that
the strongest signal will be received by a VHF transceiver, to the exclusion of
all other signals. Always use the minimum power necessary to effect
communication unless in distress, when high power should always be selected.

Squelch
A VHF marine transceiver generates a high level of noise in its receiver
circuits. The squelch control is a function of the receiver that suppresses this
noise. Adjusting the squelch control as far as possible into the noise will make
the receiver as sensitive as possible. There is a school of thought that says this
should be done when a distress call is sent so that it is possible to receive
responses from the edge of the station’s range. However, for routine work an
operator would not choose to listen to the noise continually. The control
should, therefore, be adjusted back until the noise just stops, for optimum
reception. Adjusting the control well past the noise threshold will result in the
loss of weak signals. Some radios will have an automatic squelch control.

Dual watch
Dual watch enables the unit to monitor two channels at the same time –
usually, channel 16, which takes priority, plus one other of the operator’s
choice. Again, this is a function of the receiver and the dual watch should
always be deselected before transmission. If the dual watch is left on and the
PTT switch is depressed, some radios will transmit on channel 16 and some
will transmit on the chosen channel.

Channel 16
The channel 16 button, which is often red or blue, may be used in distress
situations. This will turn the dual watch or scan function off and should,
ideally, give high power for distress working. However, beware, if the low
power is selected and the channel 16 button activated, many older radios will
stay in low power.

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 general regulations and procedures 39

Scan and dimmer controls

The scan control will scan all available channels. The dimmer control is used to
reduce the brightness of the display, or turn the light on and off.

MF/HF transceivers
The remaining functions are associated with the MF/HF transceiver.
The Radio Frequency (RF) gain control, sometimes called the sensitivity
control, is used to adjust the amplification (strength) of incoming Radio
Frequency signals.
The Automatic Gain Control (AGC) automatically increases weak RF signals
and reduces strong RF signals, compensates for fading and produces a steady
AF output from the speaker.
The clarifier or fine tune is used to clarify the reception of speech that is
distorted. This can be due to a transmission being slightly off frequency, or by
inaccurate carrier reinsertion by the receiver. See page 22.
The mode control allows the mode of emission or type of modulation to be
selected.

Maximum permitted transmitter power

Always use the minimum power necessary for routine communications, in
order to give priority to vessels in distress. In times of distress, all stations
involved should always select high power. The maximum permitted transmitter
powers on ships using marine radio frequencies are:
25 watts for VHF
400 watts for MF
1500 watts (1.5 kilowatts) for HF

The phonetic alphabet

Candidates will need to know the phonetic alphabet for all of the
examinations. International callsigns are always spoken using the phonetic
alphabet. When spelling words, always speak the procedural words ‘I spell’
before commencing.
Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot
Golf Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima
Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo
Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey X-Ray
Yankee Zulu

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 40 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Control of communications
When routine communications are
in progress between ship and To help you remember
shore, the shore station is in con-
trol, regardless of who made the If you are in the bath and the phone
initial call. In the case of routine rings, it is up to you whether you
ship to ship communications, it is answer it or stay where you are! You are
the called ship that controls. in control, and the same is true at sea.

Making a routine call

The first thing to do is listen, to ensure that your transmissions will not
interfere with communications that are already in progress. If calling on
Channel 16 or on 2182 kHz, the call should last less than one minute and no
routine messages should be passed. The call is made observing the following
regulations:

NAME OF THE CALLED STATION not more than three times

THIS IS
NAME OF THE CALLING STATION not more than three times
Ending with the word ‘OVER’

Once contact has been made, the identifications are only transmitted once. The
end of working between stations is indicated by the word ‘Out’.

Example of a ship to ship call on a busy channel 16

ARGENT ARGENT ARGENT

THIS IS
SARPEDON SARPEDON SARPEDON
CHANNEL 77
OVER

SARPEDON THIS IS ARGENT

Reply:
CHANNEL 77
(Argent is in control and can agree or
select another channel)
OUT

On VHF, when conditions are good, the call may be amended to:

NAME OF THE CALLED STATION once

THIS IS
NAME OF THE CALLING STATION twice
OVER

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 general regulations and procedures 41

Example of a port operations call on a VHF working channel

SOUTHAMPTON VTS
THIS IS
ORIANA ORIANA
OVER

If there is no response to an initial routine call, the operator should wait two
minutes and try again. If there is no response to the second call, wait another
two minutes. Further attempts should be made at not less than three-minute
intervals.

Difficulty with communications

If you receive a call and are not certain the call is intended for you, do nothing
until the call has been repeated and understood. However, if you receive a call
that is definitely intended for you, but you are uncertain of the identity of the
calling station, you can reply immediately in the following manner:

STATION CALLING HOPPY

THIS IS HOPPY
GO AHEAD
OVER

Questions
1 Under whose authority is the on board communications equipment used?
2 Who is responsible for the correct use of the radio installation?
3 How would you recognise:
a) A coast station’s MMSI number?
b) A group MMSI number?
4 How would you recognise:
a) An INMARSAT Fleet F77 mobile number?
b) An INMARSAT B mobile number?
c) An INMARSAT C mobile number?
5 What is the maximum duration of a test call?
6 What are the daily tests associated with the radio equipment?
7 What are the weekly tests associated with the radio equipment?
8 What are the monthly tests associated with the radio equipment?

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 42 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Questions
9 What information is contained within the ALRS Volume 1?
10 What information is contained within the ALRS Volume 6?
11 What is the difference between simplex and duplex working?
12 May you use VHF channel 70 for radiotelephony transmissions?
13 What is the function of the squelch control?
14 What is a more common name for the AF gain control?
15 What is the function of the RF gain control?
16 What is the function of the AGC?
17 What is the maximum permitted power output of:
a) A VHF transmitter?
b) An MF transmitter?
c) An HF transmitter?
18 Which station controls during routine ship to ship communications?
19 State the procedure for routine calling on VHF when conditions are good.
20 What is the procedure that you should follow if you hear a call but are
uncertain the call is for you?
21 What is the procedure that you should follow if you hear a call that is
intended for you, but are unsure of the identification of the calling station?

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 general regulations and procedures 43

ANSWERS
1 The communications equipment is used under the authority of the Master.
2 The licensed operator is responsible for the correct use of the radio
installation.
3 a) A coast station’s MMSI would be nine digits commencing 00.
b) A group MMSI would be nine digits commencing 0.
4 a) An INMARSAT Fleet F77 mobile number would be nine digits
commencing with a seven.
b) An INMARSAT B mobile number would be nine digits commencing with a
three.
c) An INMARSAT C mobile number would be nine digits commencing with a
four.
5 The maximum duration of a test call is 10 seconds.
6  Every day the internal system self test should be carried out on the DSC
controller. Battery voltage should be tested and the battery charged if
required. Printers should be checked to ensure an adequate supply of paper.
7 Every week the MF/HF external test should be carried out on the DSC
controller. There is no automatic test call facility for VHF DSC. Reserve
sources of energy should be checked.
8 Every month the EPIRB and
SARTs should be tested, along
with a more thorough check on
the ship’s batteries and
antennae. Survival craft VHF
radios should be tested on
board, using a working channel,
and the reserve primary battery
should be in date with an
unbroken seal.

Survival craft VHF radio with reserve

battery in sealed packet.

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 44 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

ANSWERS
9 ALRS Volume 1 contains details of the working arrangements of maritime
radio stations.
10 ALRS Volume 6 contains information regarding port operations.
11 Simplex working uses a single frequency and requires the PTT to be pressed
in order to transmit and released in order to receive. Duplex working uses
two frequencies, one to transmit and the other to receive. Full duplex working
permits simultaneous transmission and reception.
12 It is very important not to use channel 70 for radiotelephony because it is the
DSC channel.
13 The squelch control is used to reduce background noise to an acceptable
level.
14 The AF gain control alters the strength of the audio frequency and is more
commonly referred to as the volume control.
15 The RF gain control alters the amplification (strength) of the incoming radio
frequency signals.
16 The automatic gain control automatically increases weak RF signals and
reduces strong RF signals, compensates for fading and produces a steady AF
output from the speaker.
17 The maximum transmitter power output is
a) 25 watts for VHF
b) 400 watts for MF
c) 1500 watts for HF.
18 In ship to ship communications, the called vessel controls.
19 On VHF when conditions are good the call should be:
Name of called station once, this is, name of calling station twice, over.
20 If you hear a call but are uncertain that the call is for you, you should do
nothing until the call has been repeated and understood.
21 If you hear a call which is intended for you but are unsure of the identification
of the calling station, you should reply immediately:
Station calling ship name, this is ship name, go ahead, over.

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 chapter 5

DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING

In the early 1980s, the original concept of the GMDSS was built around
satellite com­muni­­cations and did not include Digital Selective Calling (DSC).
However, DSC now plays a large part and has helped to make the GMDSS as a
whole far superior to expectations.
The DSC announcement replicates the ‘call’ in the old voice procedures. It is
simply a way of attracting attention without the need for a physical listening
watch to be kept. It is a similar concept to a paging device. The digital signal is
very stable and range is slightly increased. This is because it is less affected by
certain types of noise, the bandwidth is narrow and there is no squelch control
within the VHF DSC receiver. Once a station has been contacted using DSC,
radiotelephony communications follow in exactly the same way as they would
have done in the past.
The DSC controller is programmed with the ship’s MMSI and needs an input
of the ship’s position. If the ship has a position fixing system installed, it must
be interfaced with the DSC, to keep it constantly updated. If the GPS fails, the
position may be entered manually, in which case it should be updated at least
every four hours, along with the time that the position was valid. The DSC unit
now knows who it is and where it is, enabling a distress alert to be sent very
quickly if necessary.
The VHF DSC controller is a separate installation from the MF/HF DSC
controller. These controllers do exactly as their name suggests, they control
the transceivers. The VHF DSC controller has an independent dedicated
receiver that will monitor channel 70 continuously but will only be able to
transmit through the VHF transceiver (see Figure 13). Units are now being
manufactured as a combined DSC/transceiver, but it should not be forgotten
that there are still two distinct functions to the equipment.

GPS Printer

Ch 70

Fig 13 VHF DSC, now VHF DSC VHF

manufactured as a transceiver
combined unit.

45

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 46 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

VHF DSC combined unit.

MF/HF DSC combined unit.

The MF/HF DSC controller has a scanning receiver that can monitor more
than one distress frequency. There is a dedicated DSC distress, urgency and
safety frequency in each of the 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16 MHz bands. Some models
of equipment will scan all six frequencies, others will monitor 2187.5 kHz and
8414.5 kHz plus at least one other HF frequency. It may be possible to monitor
one or more additional frequencies, depending on the equipment design – an
example could be the MF DSC routine alerting frequency 2177 kHz. The DSC
controller will only be able to transmit through the MF/HF transceiver (see
Figure 14), which are now combined.

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 digital selective calling 47

Scanning
receiver
Printer 16804.5 kHz
12577.0 kHz
8414.5 kHz
6312.0 kHz
GPS 4207.5 kHz
2187.5 kHz

MF/HF
DSC MF/HF
transceiver

Fig 14 MF/HF DSC, now manufactured as a combined unit.

Distress alert
A distress alert will include a minimum of the ship’s MMSI number, the position
and the time it was valid. Information regarding subsequent communications
will also be included. This will be the appropriate radiotelephony or telex
frequency that will be in the same band as the original alert. For example, a
DSC distress alert received on 2187.5 kHz will either nominate 2182 kHz for
radiotelephony communications or 2174.5 kHz for telex working. Most DSC
controllers will automatically tune the trans­ceiver to the nominated working
channel or frequency once the alert has been received.
These frequencies should be displayed on the bulkhead near the radio
installation for practical purposes. However, for the LRC and GOC
examinations it is imperative to remember at least those listed in bold.

Distress, urgency and safety frequencies used for DSC, radiotelephony

and radiotelex. All MF and HF frequencies are in kHz

VHF MF HF HF HF HF HF
DSC Ch 70 2187.5 4207.5 6312 8414.5 12577 16804.5
RT Ch 16 2182 4125 6215 8291 12290 16420
Telex 2174.5 4177.5 6268 8376.5 12520 16695

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 48 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Two ways of alerting exist – a single-frequency attempt and a multi-

frequency attempt. The single-frequency attempt will send an alert on the
chosen channel or frequency and wait four minutes for a DSC acknowledge-
ment from a coast station. If no acknowledgement is received, another alert
is sent and so on, up to a maximum of five times. If the multi-frequency
attempt is selected, alerts will be sent automatically on the MF and each of
the HF distress frequencies in turn, re-tuning the aerial each time, without
waiting for an acknowledgement. Some DSC controllers will send the alert on
2 MHz first, because this will alert the closest stations, followed by 8 MHz,
which is the best all-round first choice for HF. Alerts will then be sent on 4,
6, 12 and 16 MHz in turn. Other DSC controllers will send the alerts in
sequential order. Again, it is dependent on the equipment design. In either
case, if no acknowledgements are received within four minutes, the cycle
will begin again.
The multi-frequency attempt is not the best option to take in most
circumstances because one or more stations could receive the alert on each of
the frequencies. Each station would then listen to the appropriate
radiotelephony or telex frequency in the same band in which they received the
alert. The vessel in distress would only work on one frequency, either that on
which there is a coast station or the one with the nearest ships. Every other
station listening on a different HF frequency would, therefore, hear nothing.
After five minutes they would be required to relay the information to a coast
station and, before long, half the world would be involved. However, if there
are only a few minutes avail­able before the ship’s batteries are under water,
this is by far the best option to take.

Undesignated or designated distress alerts

An undesignated distress alert is the quickest type of alert that can be sent. It
trans­mits the minimum amount of information, identity and position, in a
matter of seconds. If more time is available, a designated distress alert can be
sent giving the nature of the distress selected from a pre-programmed list of
designators. These will include:

• FIRE OR EXPLOSION
• FLOODING
• COLLISION
• GROUNDING
• LISTING
• SINKING
• DISABLED AND ADRIFT
• ABANDONING SHIP
• PIRACY OR ATTACK
• MAN OVERBOARD

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 digital selective calling 49

A GMDSS installation for an offshore leisure craft.

Distress push-buttons have now been introduced to help combat the high
number of false alerts that have been generated within the GMDSS. They have
spring-loaded covers that require one hand to lift them and a second hand to
press and hold the distress button for at least 5 seconds. Two button systems
also exist. All distress buttons should have protective covers.

Receipt and acknowledgement of DSC alerts

Once a DSC distress alert has been sent by a vessel, the unit will usually sound
an alarm to warn the crew that a distress alert has been sent but not
acknowledged. In an ideal world, the next thing to happen would be the
receipt of a DSC acknowledgement from a coast station. The DSC
acknowledgement does two things. First, it causes the DSC controller to sound
an alarm, telling the vessel in distress that someone is listening on the
appropriate radiotelephony frequency for the distress call and message.
Second, it prevents the DSC controller from repeating the alert.

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 50 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook
.

When a ship station receives a DSC transmission an alarm will also sound
on this unit. The alarm is different for a distress alert and urgency call than it
is for a routine call, enabling crew members to tell the difference without
having to read the displayed information. Accepting the alert silences this
alarm and clears the information to the log, from where it can be retrieved at a
later time.

MF or VHF procedure
If a vessel receives a distress alert on MF or VHF, the procedure is to:

• COMMENCE LOG KEEPING AND INFORM THE MASTER

• SET WATCH ON THE APPROPRIATE RADIOTELEPHONY OR TELEX
FREQUENCY IN THE SAME BAND
• WAIT A SHORT WHILE FOR A COAST STATION TO ACKNOWLEDGE, IF ONE IS
IN RANGE
• ACKNOWLEDGE BY RADIOTELEPHONY
• IF NO RESPONSE OR NO WORKING HEARD, THE ALERT REPEATS AND FIVE
MINUTES HAVE PASSED ACKNOWLEDGE BY DSC
• RELAY THE INFORMATION ASHORE BY ANY MEANS

It is not the responsibility of a vessel to acknowledge by DSC because this

would prevent the DSC controller on the vessel in distress from sending more
alerts. The requirement is to involve a coast station in the rescue whenever
possible. This is why the first response of a ship should be to acknowledge by
radiotelephony. If you were in an area covered by a coast station, you would
delay this action for a short time to allow the coast station to answer first,
exactly as you did in the past with radio­telephony communications. If you
were in area A3 and received the alert on channel 70, you would acknowledge
immediately. If you were in area A3 and received the alert on 2187.5 kHz, you
would acknowledge immediately if the vessel was close, but if not, delay a
short time to allow closer vessels to acknowledge first. If the vessel in distress
does not respond to your radiotelephony acknowledgement and the alert
repeats, you know that there is no shore involvement and there is little option
other than to acknowledge by DSC as a last resort.
If you take this action, you must also take it upon yourself to relay the
information ashore by whatever means you have available. To avoid
congestion of channel 70 in an A1 area, it is not advisable to acknowledge by
DSC, unless the alert repeats every four minutes. The class D controller does
not have the facility to acknowledge by DSC because it is designed for use in
A1 areas with good coast station coverage.

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 digital selective calling 51

HF procedure
If a vessel receives a distress alert on HF, the procedure is:

• COMMENCE LOG KEEPING AND INFORM THE MASTER

• DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE
• SET WATCH ON APPROPRIATE RADIOTELEPHONY OR TELEX FREQUENCY IN
THE SAME BAND
• IF NOTHING IS HEARD IN FIVE MINUTES, RELAY ASHORE

The vessel in distress could be half way round the world and you cannot offer
any physical assistance. Therefore, you must not acknowledge receipt of an HF
DSC alert.
The flow chart in Figure 15 (on page 52) describes the actions a station
should take on receiving a DSC distress alert.

Distress alert relay

Upon receiving a DSC distress alert relay from another ship, follow the same
procedure as for the acknowledgement of a distress alert. However, if the relay
is from a coast station on HF and addressed to all ships within a geographic
area, the ship should acknowledge by radiotelephony on the appropriate
frequency in the same band. This is because it is a distress alert relay on HF
and the vessel in distress is probably in close proximity.

Urgency call
Vessels receiving a DSC urgency call should:

• COMMENCE LOG KEEPING AND INFORM THE MASTER

• SET WATCH ON THE APPROPRIATE CHANNEL OR FREQUENCY
• IF A MESSAGE IS HEARD, RESPOND BY RADIOTELEPHONY IF APPROPRIATE.
OTHERWISE, LISTEN FOR FIVE MINUTES
• IF NO MESSAGE OR WORKING IS HEARD, CONTACT AN MRCC OR CS.
• CONTINUE ROUTINE WORKING

Safety call
Vessels receiving a DSC safety call should not acknowledge receipt but listen to
the channel or frequency indicated for the safety message. Again, this is what
happened in the past with radiotelephony communications. You would not
have acknowledged a call from Niton Radio inviting all ships to listen to the
navigational warnings.

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 52 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

DSC DISTRESS ALERT

Received on VHF or MF Received on HF

Set watch on appropriate voice Do not acknowledge.

channel or frequency Set watch on appropriate voice
frequency. If nothing heard in five
minutes, then relay ashore
Coast station in area?

Yes No

Vessel in distress in area?

Wait for a short time to allow
a coast station to acknowledge No
by DSC Yes

Wait a short time

for a closer ship
Vessel transmits distress to acknowledge
message by RT by RT

Coast station Acknowledge If none, then

acknowledges by RT by RT acknowledge
by RT

On-scene Does vessel respond?

communications begin
Yes No

Offer assistance Vessel responds with

distress message DSC distress alert
if appropriate
repeats and five
minutes have
Acknowledge by RT passed
offer assistance
If not, maintain
radio silence
Relay ashore Acknowledge
by any means by DSC

Fig 15 Actions to be taken on receiving a DSC distress alert.

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 digital selective calling 53

Routine call
If a vessel receives an individual routine call from another vessel or coast station,
a DSC acknowledgement should be transmitted indicating whether the vessel is
able to communicate as requested. The receipt of an individual routine DSC call is
the only time a DSC acknowledgement is always sent. If a coast station is unable
to accept the ship’s traffic immediately it is the responsibility of the ship to make
contact later. In ship to ship communications the called ship would make contact
at a later time if it was not able to accept traffic immediately.

DSC priorities or call categories

The distress button is only used for ‘own ship’ distress situations. All priority
alerts and calls may, however, be generated via the call button.
The options on a Class A controller are:

• DISTRESS
• DISTRESS RELAY
• ALL SHIPS URGENCY (VHF only, on new equipment)
• ALL SHIPS SAFETY (VHF only, on new equipment)
• INDIVIDUAL
• GROUP
• GEOGRAPHIC AREA (For urgency and safety on new MF/HF equipment)
• TELEPHONE

The options on a Class D controller are:

• DISTRESS
• ALL SHIPS URGENCY
• ALL SHIPS SAFETY
• INDIVIDUAL with intership working channel options 06, 08, 72 and 77.

With a Class D controller, the channel 70 receiver is not required to operate

when the transmitter is in use. Only one antenna is required. Any alerts that
occur whilst the transmitter is in use will not, therefore, be recorded. If an alert
is received, then the DSC controller will automatically switch the transceiver to
the working channel identified within the incoming transmission.
It is important to remember the specific DSC priorities. For instance, if you
were asked which call category you would use on behalf of another vessel in
distress, the answer would be ‘distress relay’. Answering ‘Mayday relay’ would
be incorrect because that signal is relevant to radiotelephony communications,
not DSC.
Any category of DSC announcement that is received by the controller will
automatically be stored in the unit’s log. The capacity of the log will differ
from unit to unit.

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 54 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Small craft GMDSS class D VHF DSC.

Classes of DSC controller

Each class of controller will have different functions. The class A controller is
the most sophisticated as it will enable geographic area calls and automatic
telephone calls without the intervention of an operator. The class A controller
is the type that will most often be installed on compulsorily fitted vessels. The
VHF class D controller has been produced for the leisure market. Alerting for
own ship distress is possible, in addition to urgency, safety and routine calling
to an individual station or a group of stations.

Cancelling false alerts

If a DSC distress alert is sent in error, it is important to cancel it. The rescue
authorities could waste much valuable time and lives could unnecessarily be
put at risk if an operator fails to do this. Let the alert finish and stop it from
repeating by switching the unit off or pressing the cancel button. Tune the
transceiver to the channel or frequency advised in the alert – this may already
have been done automatically by the controller. Make a transmission to all
stations cancelling the false alert and include your MMSI number. If an
operator has been careless enough to send a multi-frequency distress alert in
error, he or she is going to be busy as transmissions will have to be made in
each band.

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 digital selective calling 55

An example of a transmission made to cancel a false alert:

ALL STATIONS x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1
CANCEL MY DISTRESS ALERT (OF TIME IN UTC)
OUT

Avoiding false alerts

It is far better, for all concerned, to avoid sending false alerts. Ensure that all
crew members likely to use the equipment on board have been instructed in its
correct use. With modern equipment it is difficult to send an alert in error
because of the spring-loaded cover on the distress button and the requirement
to hold the button in for five seconds. The older types of equipment were not
as well designed and it was easier to send a distress alert in error. Our world
has become very automated and many of us have developed a habit of random
button pushing in preference to reading the instruction manual. This must not
be permitted. If the unit has any complicated functions, display the
instructions on the bulkhead if necessary. One of the people nominated in the
GMDSS log book should carry out the daily and weekly tests and ensure that
false alerts are not generated during the testing procedure. If the ship changes
hands, ensure that the registration of the MMSI is updated and, if necessary,
that the unit is reprogrammed.

Questions
1 What is the minimum amount of information that can be included in a DSC
distress alert?
2 What is a distress alert called that includes the minimum amount of
information?
3 If the nature of the distress is included, what is this type of alert?
4 If you are in an A3 area and receive a DSC distress alert on 2187.5 kHz, what
is the procedure that you should follow?
5 If you are in an A1 area and receive a DSC distress alert on channel 70, what
is the procedure that you should follow?
6 If you are in an A3 area and receive a DSC distress alert on channel 70,
what is the procedure that you should follow?

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 56 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Questions
7 If you receive a DSC distress alert on 8414.5 kHz, what is the procedure that
you should follow?
8 If you receive a DSC distress alert relay from a coast station on HF, directed
to all ships in a geographic area, what is the procedure that you should
follow?
9 If you receive a DSC urgency call addressed to all ships or a geographic area,
what is the procedure that you should follow?
10 Which DSC priority or call category would you select if you had:
a) A distress situation on board your own vessel?
b) A medical emergency on board and needed assistance from nearby ships?
c) A medical emergency on board and needed advice from a doctor?
d) To obtain assistance on behalf of a vessel that was in distress?
e) Sighted a floating container that was a hazard to navigation?
11 What action would you take if you sent a DSC distress alert in error?

MF/HF DSC combined unit.

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 digital selective calling 57

ANSWERS
1 The minimum amount of information that can be included in a DSC distress
alert is the vessel’s MMSI, the position and the time that the position was
valid.
2 A DSC distress alert that includes the minimum amount of information is
called undesignated.
3 If the nature of the distress is included, the alert is designated.
4 If you are in an A3 area and receive a DSC distress alert on 2187.5 kHz, you
should commence log keeping and inform the Master. Set watch on 2182 kHz
(or 2174.5 kHz for telex working). Acknowledge by radiotelephony. If there is
no response to your radiotelephony acknowledgement, no working is heard,
the alert repeats and five minutes have passed, acknowledge by DSC and
relay the information ashore by any means.
5 If you are in an A1 area and receive a DSC distress alert on channel 70, you
should commence log keeping and inform the Master. Set watch on channel
16. Wait a short time for a coast station to acknowledge. If they do not,
acknowledge by radiotelephony. If there is no response to your
radiotelephony acknowledgement and no working is heard, relay the
information ashore by any means. To avoid congestion of channel 70 in an A1
area, it is not advisable to acknowledge by DSC, unless the alert repeats every
four minutes.
6 If you are in an A3 area and receive a DSC distress alert on channel 70, you
should commence log keeping and inform the Master. Set watch on channel
16. Acknowledge by radiotelephony immediately. If there is no response to
your radiotelephony acknowledgement, no working is heard, the alert repeats
and five minutes have passed, acknowledge by DSC and relay the information
ashore by any means.

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 58 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

ANSWERS
7 If you receive a DSC distress alert on 8414.5 kHz, you should not
acknowledge. You should commence log keeping and inform the Master. Set
watch on 8291 kHz or the appropriate telex frequency. Listen for five minutes
and if no working is heard, relay the information ashore by any means.
8 If you receive a distress alert relay from a coast station on HF addressed to all
ships within a geographic area, you should acknowledge by radiotelephony
on the appropriate frequency in the same band.
9 If you receive a DSC urgency call, you should set watch on the appropriate
channel or frequency. If a message is heard, respond by radiotelephony if
appropriate, otherwise listen for five minutes and if no message or working is
heard, contact an MRCC or CS and continue routine working.
10 a) Distress alert would be selected for distress situations on board your own
vessel.
b) All ships urgency by VHF or geographic area urgency by MF would be
selected to obtain assistance from nearby vessels.
c) Individual urgency would be selected to obtain medical advice from a
doctor.
d) Distress relay would be selected to obtain assistance on behalf of another
vessel that was in distress.
e) All ships safety by VHF or geographic area safety by MF would be selected
if you had sighted a floating container.
11 If a DSC distress alert is sent in error, it is important to cancel it. Let the alert
finish and stop it from repeating by switching the unit off or pressing the
cancel button. Tune the transceiver to the radiotelephony channel or
frequency advised in the alert. Make a broadcast to all stations cancelling the
false alert and include your MMSI.

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 chapter 6

DSC AND RADIOTELEPHONY

PROCEDURES
We have seen in Chapter 5 that DSC is a digital alerting and calling system
that operates on VHF, MF and HF. The system provides for distress alerting,
urgency, safety and routine calling, the equivalent to Mayday, Pan Pan,
Sécurité and routine calling by radiotelephony. It is important to be clear in
your mind which system you are using, especially with combined units.

Distress
Distress has priority over all other communications. A distress alert should
only be sent on the authority of the Master or the Skipper of the vessel when
there is grave and imminent danger requiring immediate assistance. A vessel
receiving a distress alert should immediately cease all transmissions likely to
interfere with distress working and listen. Any vessel receiving a distress signal
from another vessel is duty bound to act upon it. This action may be to render
assistance or, if another station is handling the situation, to simply keep quiet.
The definition of distress has changed with the new regulations to include
serious and imminent danger to life. Students should learn that the use of a
distress alert indicates that A MOBILE UNIT (SHIP, AIRCRAFT OR OTHER
VEHICLE) OR A PERSON IS THREATENED BY GRAVE AND IMMINENT
DANGER AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.
The first action of a vessel in distress is to send a DSC distress alert on an
appropriate channel or frequency. In area A1, channel 70 would be used and in
area A2, 2187.5 kHz. In areas A3 and A4, 2187.5 kHz would be used to alert
nearby shipping and an appropriate HF frequency would be used to alert a
coast station if the HF equipment option has been taken; 8414.5 kHz would be
a good first choice if there was not enough time to work out propagation
paths.
If you have a fast-moving situation, the regulations do allow the
transmission of a distress call and message immediately following a distress
alert, in order to attract attention from as many ships as possible. However, it
is more common to wait for a DSC acknowledgement from a coast station and
monitor the appropriate radiotelephony frequency for an acknowledgement
from a ship. If the DSC controller is not being updated with position
information from GPS, work out a position for the distress message that will
shortly follow.

59

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 60 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

On receipt of one or more acknowledgements, the vessel in distress trans-

mits its distress call and message by radiotelephony. The distress call should be
spoken to attract the attention of those craft not yet fitted with DSC equipment.

Distress Call
The distress call is a broadcast, which means that it is not addressed to any
station:

MAYDAY x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1

Distress Message
Without waiting for a response, continue with the distress message:

M MAYDAY
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND MMSI
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE DISTRESS
A ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
N NUMBER ON BOARD
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OVER

The mnemonic MIPNANOO can be used for distress messages and should be
learnt by all students. It may also be used for urgency and safety messages in a
slightly modified format:

M The distress signal is the single word MAYDAY from the French
m’aidez, meaning ‘help me’, and should prefix all transmissions
during distress working in order to keep the radio silence in force.

I The vessel’s identifications are listed here. Name, callsign and MMSI
must be included.

P The position comes next and is the most important piece of

information in the message. It may differ from the DSC position if GPS
is not interfaced and the position has been entered manually, and is
therefore old. The DSC controller can only display a latitude and
longitude. If there is a charted object in sight, use it as a reference in
the radiotelephony message because a range and bearing is far more
tangible than a latitude and longitude. The bearing must always be

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 dsc and radiotelephony procedures 61

from the object of reference out to sea. If using a hand bearing

compass to gain a bearing, the reciprocal is calculated by adding 180
to a figure less than 180 or subtracting 180 from a figure greater than
180. For example, the reciprocal bearing of 270°, or due West, is 090°
or due East. When speaking these bearings, always use three figures
and speak the numbers individually. For example, 5° would be spoken
as zero zero five degrees. This way, there is no ambiguity.

N The nature of the distress should be as brief as possible. ‘Sinking’ is

fine, there is no need to transmit the unfortunate circumstances that
lead to the situation. Remember that hopefully someone is trying to
write your message in his or her log book.

A The type of assistance required will usually just be spoken as ‘require

immediate assistance’. However, if there is something specific that will
help, by all means include it here.

N The number of persons on board is needed to plan the resources that

are to be used for the rescue. There is little point in sending a RIB to
save 200 crew. In cold waters, where casualties may be suffering from
hypothermia, it is wise to advise the numbers in advance.

O Any other information that may assist the rescue should be included.
Perhaps the visibility is poor or perhaps there are some distinguishing
features that might help identify the vessel.

O The word ‘over’ indicates the end of your message and invites a reply.

A coast station will hopefully acknowledge the distress message in the

following manner:

MAYDAY
IDENTIFICATION OF VESSEL IN DISTRESS x 3
THIS IS
COAST STATION x 3
RECEIVED MAYDAY
OVER

If no coast station has heard the transmission, ships may acknowledge in the
same manner, after which the rescue will start to be co-ordinated. Callsigns are
always spoken three times when working distress. The procedural words
‘Received Mayday’ must be in that order, so think ‘I have received your
Mayday’ and you will be correct.
If the above distress procedure is followed and no response is heard, check
the equipment to ensure that all of the controls are properly set. For example,
if using VHF, ensure that dual watch has been turned off, that the squelch is

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 62 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

correctly set, that high power has been selected and that the PTT switch that
was depressed for transmission is released for reception. Try again, and if there
is no response try another frequency or channel and then any other means that
are available to you.
On-scene communications

Shetland

Pentland

Stornoway
ABERDEEN

Oban

Malin Head Tyne Tees

Belfast
Humber

Holyhead Liverpool
DUBLIN

YARMOUTH

SWANSEA Thames
Valentia
Milford Haven DOVER OSTEND
Portland GRIZ NEZ
Solent
Brixham
FALMOUTH
MRCC JOBOURG
MRSC

CORSEN

Fig 16 Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres and Maritime Rescue Sub-centres.

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 dsc and radiotelephony procedures 63

On-scene communications are those between the vessel in distress and other
stations assisting in the rescue. On a local scale there are numerous Coastguard
stations around the UK that deal with situations daily (see Figure 16). On a
wider scale, Mari­time Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCC) have been put in
place specifically to co-ordi­nate Search And Rescue (SAR) operations. Coast
stations (terrestrial), land earth stations (INMARSAT) and local user terminals
(COSPAS/SARSAT EPIRB) will all report back via various routes to the MRCC.
Simplex radiotelephony is the pre­ferred method of communi­cation, on channel
16 (156.8 MHz) and 2182 kHz. In addition, 3023 kHz and the primary VHF
intership channel 06 may also be used for aeronautical SAR. Until informed
other­wise, all stations not taking part in the rescue should assist by main­
taining radio silence on the frequency handling distress working.

Procedural words relating to distress working

If at any time during distress working the controlling station wishes to impose
radio silence on an interfering station, the procedural words ‘seelonce mayday’
would be used. The controlling station can be a coast station, the vessel in
distress, a relay vessel or an on-scene co-ordinator. The words may be included
as part of the following transmission:

MAYDAY
ALL STATIONS x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
SEELONCE MAYDAY
OUT

The end of distress working is indicated by the words ‘seelonce feenee’, the
silence has finished and normal working may commence. The procedural
words may be included as part of the following transmission:

MAYDAY
ALL STATIONS x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
TIME (IN UTC) OF HANDING IN MESSAGE
NAME CALLSIGN MMSI OF THE VESSEL IN DISTRESS
SEELONCE FEENEE
OUT

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 64 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Distress relay
When a station learns that another vessel is in distress it may transmit a
distress relay alert on its behalf, if:

• Having received a distress alert, it is not acknowledged by a coast station or

another vessel within five minutes.
• The vessel in distress cannot transmit the distress alert itself.
• The master of a vessel not itself in distress, or an MRCC, considers that
further assistance is required.

It is imperative to make it clear that it is not your vessel that is in distress

but that you are the relay vessel. This option is selected from the list of
priorities in the DSC controller. In the first instance, a DSC distress relay alert
should preferably be addressed to a coast station. The coast station will then
appoint somebody as on-scene co-ordinator, if it cannot perform the role
itself. The co-ordinator would then send the DSC distress relay alert to all
ships in the area.
If a DSC distress alert is received from a ship, a DSC distress alert relay
should not be sent to all ships, unless it is clear that nobody else received it.
Next the distress relay call and message will be transmitted. The call must
be addressed either to an individual coast station or to all stations. This would
match the DSC alert that was sent previously.

Mayday relay call

MAYDAY RELAY x 3
COAST STATION x 3 OR ALL STATIONS x 3
THIS IS
NAME of relay station x 3
CALLSIGN of relay station x 1
MMSI of relay station x 1

Mayday relay message

Without waiting for a response, continue with the mayday relay message:

M MAYDAY
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND MMSI of the vessel in distress,
if unknown use UNIDENTIFIED (TYPE OF VESSEL)
P POSITION – of the vessel in distress
N NATURE OF THE DISTRESS
A ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
N NUMBER ON BOARD – if known
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OVER

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 dsc and radiotelephony procedures 65

Urgency
Urgency takes priority over all communications other than distress. An urgency
call should only be sent on the authority of the Master or the Skipper of the
vessel. Students should know that the urgency signal indicates that A VERY
URGENT MESSAGE CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF A MOBILE UNIT OR A
PERSON is to follow. The urgency signal is PAN PAN from the French une panne,
which means a breakdown. The signal may prefix urgent situations, including a
breakdown, the report of a vessel that is overdue, or a medical problem.
The first action is to send a DSC urgency call on an appropriate channel or
frequency. Frequencies used for urgency are the same as those used for distress.
The DSC urgency call may be addressed to all ships on VHF, a geographic area
on MF or HF, a group of ships or an individual station. Wait for a DSC acknowl-
edgement from a coast station. Ships do not have the facility to acknowledge by
DSC. Next, GMDSS regulations require the vessel to transmit the urgency call
and message by radiotelephony. The call should be spoken to attract the atten-
tion of those craft not yet fitted with DSC equipment. The call must be addressed
to either an individual station or to all stations, since it is not a broadcast.

Urgency call
PAN PAN x 3
ALL STATIONS x 3 OR INDIVIDUAL STATION x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1

Urgency message
Without waiting for a response, continue with the urgency message:

P PAN PAN
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND MMSI
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE URGENCY
A ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
(Require urgent assistance is used if nothing specific is required)
N NUMBER ON BOARD (May or may not be relevant)
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OVER

Safety
Safety takes priority over all communications other than distress and urgency.
The safety signal is SÉCURITÉ from the French la sécurité, meaning ‘the safety’.
Its use indicates that THE CALLING STATION HAS AN IMPORTANT
NAVIGATIONAL OR METEOROLOGICAL WARNING TO TRANSMIT.

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 66 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

The first action is to send a DSC safety call on an appropriate channel or

frequency. The frequencies are the same as those used for distress and urgency.
The DSC safety call may be addressed to all ships on VHF, a geographic area
on MF or HF, a group of ships or an individual ship and should include the
channel or frequency for the radiotelephony message. A DSC announcement is
not required prior to a timetabled broadcast. The radiotelephony safety call will
be transmitted on channel 16 or 2182 kHz to attract the attention of those craft
not yet fitted with DSC equipment. Remember that the call should be addressed
to either an individual station or, more often, to all stations and include the
channel or frequency for the message.

Safety call
SÉCURITÉ x 3
ALL STATIONS x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1
LISTEN CHANNEL 06 FOR MY NAVIGATION WARNING
OUT

Safety message will follow on the working channel or

frequency, where the call will also be repeated.
SÉCURITÉ x 3
ALL STATIONS x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1

Without waiting for a response, continue with the safety message:

S SÉCURITÉ
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND MMSI
NAVIGATION WARNING AT 1400 UTC
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE SAFETY MESSAGE
A ADVICE
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OUT

Routine procedures
VHF channel 70 is used for distress, urgency, safety and routine transmissions by
DSC. Separate announcing frequencies are used for public correspondence in the
MF and HF bands – details can be found in ALRS Volume 1. The international

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 dsc and radiotelephony procedures 67

MF DSC frequency for public correspondence may be used between ships and
coast stations of different nationality: the ship transmits to the coast station on
2189.5 kHz; the coast station transmits to the ship on 2177 kHz. The frequency
2177 kHz is also used for DSC routine alerting between ships.
This arrangement can be confusing. However, if 2177 kHz is monitored, the
station will receive routine calls from other ships as well as calls from coast
stations. If no acknowledgement is received in five minutes, the call may be
repeated. Further attempts should be transmitted at 15-minute intervals.
Details of calling arrangements for coast radio stations will be found in ALRS
Volume 1. Ports and marinas have always been called direct on working channels
and little is expected to change. If large ports decide to monitor for DSC alerts,
details will be found in ALRS/ADRS Volume 6. UK Coastguard stations have been
allocated MMSI numbers and have area A1 DSC equipment. Details can be found
in ALRS Volume 5, or Volume 1. Some UK Coastguard stations will also be
monitoring 2187.5 kHz. Skippers of small craft are not required to carry ALRS
and will find all relevant information in one of the nautical almanacs.

Contacting a vessel whose MMSI is unknown

If you are about to be run down by a ship, a DSC distress alert could be used.
However, the likelihood of the ship identifying itself from this alert is
uncertain. If the ship is further off and you think that a risk of collision exists,
a DSC urgency call could be used. If you know the name of the ship, a
radiotelephony call on channel 16 or 13 could help you make contact.
However, it is never advisable to use radio communications for collision
avoidance due to the notoriously poor success rate. It is far better to take early
action to avoid these situations.
The main difficulty may come when you wish to contact another vessel for
routine communications but you do not know the MMSI number and you do
not carry the means to look it up. Routine calling by radiotelephony may be
conducted on channel 16 and 2182 kHz until advised otherwise.

GMDSS console for a large ship.

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 68 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Most modern equipment will not permit radiotelephony communications on

the dedicated DSC channel or frequencies. However, many transceivers in use
were manufactured before the implementation of GMDSS standards. It is
important to ensure that radiotelephony is never transmitted on the dedicated
DSC channel or frequencies. The DSC receivers will not recognise radiotelephony
transmissions and this action could interfere with a digital distress alert.

To help you remember

DSC ALERT DSC CALL GEOGRAPHIC ALL SHIPS INDIVIDUAL
AREA STATION
DISTRESS VHF
DISTRESS MF/HF
DISTRESS RELAY VHF
DISTRESS RELAY MF
DISTRESS RELAY HF
URGENCY VHF
URGENCY MF
URGENCY HF
SAFETY VHF
SAFETY MF
SAFETY HF

Questions
1 Put the following transmissions into their correct order of priority and
explain why.
a) A cyclone warning
b) S hip movements
c) To report sighting of red flares
d) A request for medical advice
2 What does the use of the distress priority indicate?
3 If you send a DSC distress alert on channel 70 in an A1 area and receive no
DSC acknowledgement, what should you do?
4 Give an example of a distress call on 2182 kHz and state when it would be used.
5 You are in an A1 area. Your vessel’s name is Midnight Blue, callsign MRWA3,
MMSI 232123456. You have struck a submerged object and are sinking.
St Catherine’s Light bears 350° from you and you are six miles off.
You have six people on board and an EPIRB. State the full GMDSS

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 dsc and radiotelephony procedures 69

procedure that you should follow, including the radiotelephony transmission

that you should make and the channels that you should use.
6 If a coast station received the above distress transmission, how should they
acknowledge it by radiotelephony?
7 Name the channel that can be used for international aeronautical SAR.
8 If a controlling station wishes to impose radio silence on an interfering
station during distress working, which procedural words would be used?
9 What is meant by the words seelonce feenee?
10 A light aircraft has ditched just off your port bow. You are in position 51° 44´N
007° 23´W within area A2 and sea conditions are rough. Your vessel’s name is
White Tiger, callsign GRWQ9, MMSI 232456789. State the procedure that you
should follow, including the radiotelephony transmission that you should make
and the frequencies that you should use to relay this ashore.
11 What does the use of the urgency signal indicate?
12 You are in an A1 area, your vessel’s name is Warrior, callsign MJDS4, MMSI
233123457, and you are a 1500 GRT ship. You have lost your propeller and
require a tow. You are in a position where Nab Tower bears 340° and you are
five miles off. State the full GMDSS procedure that you should follow,
including the radiotelephony transmission that you should make and the
channels that you should use.
13 What does the use of the safety signal indicate?
14 You are in an A3 area, it is 1800 UTC, your vessel’s name is Sarpedon,
callsign MGME8, MMSI 234234556. You have sighted a floating metal
container that is a hazard to navigation in position 47° 34´N 013° 54´W.
Shipping in close proximity needs to be warned to keep a lookout. State the
full GMDSS procedure that you should follow, including the radiotelephony
transmission that you should make and the channels you should use.
15 Which radiotelephony signal would you associate with the following DSC
call categories?
a) Distress
b) Distress relay
c) Urgency
d) Safety
16 Which VHF channel would be used to send a routine DSC call?
17 There is an international DSC frequency for public correspondence that may
be used between a ship and a coast station of different nationality. On which
frequency would the ship call the coast station and on which frequency would
the coast station reply?
18 What is the MF DSC frequency for routine ship to ship calls?

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 70 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

answers
1 The correct order of priority would be:
c) To report sighting of red flares – Distress relay
d) A request for medical advice – Urgency
a) A cyclone warning – Safety
b) Ship movements – Port operations
2 The use of the distress priority indicates that a mobile unit (ship, aircraft or
other vehicle) or a person is threatened by grave and imminent danger and
requires immediate assistance.
3 If you send a DSC distress alert on channel 70 in an A1 area and receive no
DSC acknowledgement after a short while, you should broadcast your
distress call and message on channel 16.
4 A distress call on 2182 kHz would be used to prefix a distress message. The
call is: Mayday x 3, this is, name x 3, callsign x 1, MMSI x 1.
5 Send a DSC distress alert on channel 70, followed by a radiotelephony call
and message on channel 16:
Mayday x 3
This is
Midnight Blue x 3
MRWA3 x 1
232123456 x 1

Mayday
Midnight Blue, MRWA3, MMSI 232123456
170° from St Catherine’s Light, six miles
Sinking
Require immediate assistance
Six persons on board
EPIRB activated
Over

6 The above distress transmission would be acknowledged by radiotelephony

on channel 16 in the following way:
Mayday
Midnight Blue x 3
This is
Coast station x 3
Received mayday
Over

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 dsc and radiotelephony procedures 71

7 The channel that can be used for international aeronautical SAR is VHF
channel 06.
8 If a controlling station wishes to impose radio silence on an interfering
station during distress working, seelonce mayday would be used.
9 Seelonce feenee is used to indicate that distress working has finished and
normal working may resume.
10 Send a DSC distress relay alert to a shore station on 2187.5 kHz, followed by
the call and message on 2182 kHz.
Mayday Relay x 3
Coast Station x 3
This is
White Tiger x 3
GRWQ9 x 1
232456789 x 1

Mayday
Unidentified light aircraft
51° 44´N 007° 23´W
Ditched in sea
Requires immediate assistance
Sea conditions are rough
Over

11 The urgency signal indicates that a very urgent message is to follow

concerning the safety of a mobile unit or a person.
12 Send a DSC all ships urgency call on channel 70, followed by an urgency call
and message by radiotelephony on channel 16.
Pan Pan x 3
All Stations x 3
This is
Warrior x 3
MJDS4 x 1
233123457 x 1

Pan Pan
Warrior, MJDS4, 233123457
Nab Tower bears 160°, five miles
Propeller lost
Require a tow
We are a 1500 GRT ship
Over

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 72 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

answers
13 Use of the safety signal indicates that the calling station has an important
navigational or meteorological warning to transmit.
14 Send a DSC all ships safety call on channel 70, indicating channel 06 for the
message, followed by the radiotelephony call on channel 16. The call and
message would follow on a working channel.
Sécurité x 3
All Stations x 3
This is
Sarpedon x 3
MGME8 x 1
234234556 x 1
Listen channel 06 for my navigation warning
Out

On channel 06
Sécurité x 3
All Stations x 3
This is
Sarpedon x 3
MGME8 x 1
234234556 x 1

Sécurité
Sarpedon, MGME8, 234234556
Navigation warning at 1800 UTC
47° 34´N 013° 54´W
Floating metal container sighted, danger to navigation
Vessels advised to keep a lookout
Out

15 The radiotelephony signals associated with the following DSC call categories are:
a) Distress – Mayday
b) Distress relay – Mayday relay
c) Urgency – Pan Pan
d) Safety – Sécurité
16 VHF channel 70 would be used to send a routine DSC call.
17 The ship would send a routine DSC call to the coast station on 2189.5 kHz.
The coast station would reply on 2177 kHz.
18 The MF DSC frequency for routine ship to ship calls is 2177 kHz.

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 chapter 7

the RADIOTELEPHONY
examination
This chapter is primarily for the ROC, LRC and GOC candidates. However, the
radiotelephony procedures that are included are relevant to anyone involved in
maritime communications.
Procedures and log-keeping ability are tested during the radiotelephony
examination. Marks will be lost for incorrect procedure. For example, the use of
incorrect phonetics, acknowledging a distress message with ‘Mayday Received’
instead of ‘Received Mayday’ or forgetting to prefix every transmission during
distress working with the signal ‘Mayday’.
The radio log is a legal document that must be completed correctly. Each
time daily, weekly and monthly tests are logged, the operator who conducted
the tests must sign his or her name against the entry. When an operator goes
on and off radio watch an entry should also be made to that effect with a
signature against it. If a mistake is made, simply put a single line through the
entry and initial it. Do not leave any blank lines and remember to use UTC for
time keeping.
At the start of the examination you will be given a sheet of paper showing
details of your vessel and informing you which sea area you are in and
whether or not to expect coast station involvement. These details will include
the vessel’s name, position, callsign and MMSI. The additional information is
for use when reporting your vessel’s position and ETA (see Figure 17 below
and Figure 18, page 74). Blank log pages will also be provided.
The easiest way of explaining this exercise is to run a scenario. This
example is of distress working. Only two ships will be used as this is enough to
demonstrate the procedures. However, in practice, a group of eight students

Name of ship SARPEDON Callsign MGME8

Position 19° 51´N 040° 04´W MMSI 232181956

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
You are 10 miles from the incident bearing 180° speed 20 knots
ETA 30 minutes

Fig 17 Exercise details for the vessel Sarpedon.

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 74 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Name of ship ARGENT Callsign MPLA6

Position 20° 06´N 040° 09´W MMSI 233257683

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
You are 6 miles from the incident bearing 315° speed 8 knots
ETA 45 minutes

Fig 18 Exercise details for the vessel Argent.

would normally be examined together. The specimen log at the end of the
chapter, Figure 20, is from the vessel Sarpedon.
When you are told to start, enter details of your vessel at the top of the
page. Then enter the date and the time that you would have carried out your
daily tests. Log the entry numbered 1 in the sample log – this will include the
ship’s position, time it was valid and details of the daily checks – and sign
your name against it.
Next, the examiner will give you details of a DSC alert which has been
received on your bridge (see Figure 19).

DSC DISTRESS ALERT RECEIVED ON 2187.5 kHz

212445089
20° 01´N 040° 01´W
1030 UTC
SINKING
J3E

Fig 19 Details of the received DSC distress alert.

Log the DSC distress alert as in entry number 2, taking care to copy down the
vessel’s position accurately. If either of the distress positions is wrong, you
automatically fail this examination. The alert gives a position and time.
Remember that this is the time that the position was valid and not necessarily
the time that you received the alert. Use the clock for that information eg 1100
UTC. If the GPS has failed, the position could have been entered manually and
be old, as in this example.
Until the DSC distress alert was received, your DSC controller was keeping
watch for you on the distress frequencies while you went about your normal
business. You should now sign yourself on watch on 2182 kHz. This is the
entry numbered 3 in the sample log.

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 the radiotelephony examination 75

Entry number 4 in this example is the distress call and message. The call is
logged by an entry in the ‘to’ and ‘from’ columns; the message is logged in full
in the ‘summary of communications’ column.
The transmission from the vessel in distress would be as follows:

MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY

THIS IS
MARTHA, MARTHA, MARTHA,
CALLSIGN DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
MMSI TWO ONE TWO FOUR FOUR FIVE
ZERO EIGHT NINE

MAYDAY
MARTHA (often spelt phonetically)
CALLSIGN DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
MMSI TWO ONE TWO FOUR FOUR FIVE
ZERO EIGHT NINE
IN POSITION TWO ZERO DEGREES ZERO
TWO MINUTES NORTH ZERO FOUR ZERO
DEGREES ZERO FIVE MINUTES WEST
I SAY AGAIN MY POSITION
TWO ZERO DEGREES ZERO TWO
MINUTES NORTH ZERO FOUR ZERO
DEGREES ZERO FIVE MINUTES WEST
SINKING
REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE
ONE FIVE PERSONS ON BOARD
THREE ZERO ZERO METRES VISIBILITY
OVER

Each vessel in turn will then acknowledge the distress message by radio-
telephony, following the appropriate procedure. Each transmission should start
with the signal ‘Mayday’ and callsigns are repeated three times. After each
acknowledgement in this example, the vessel in distress indicates that the
transmission has been received. To make log keeping easier, log both
transmissions on the same line. This is entry number 5. R Mayday may be used
as an abbreviation for ‘received mayday’ and SB as an abbreviation for ‘stand
by’, indicating the response from the vessel in distress:

MAYDAY
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
THIS IS
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT

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 76 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT

MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
VESSEL’S NAME SARPEDON, I SPELL, SIERRA ALPHA ROMEO PAPA
ECHO DELTA OSCAR NOVEMBER
RECEIVED MAYDAY
OVER

The vessel in distress replies:

MAYDAY
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
THIS IS
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
RECEIVED
STAND BY

MAYDAY
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
THIS IS
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
VESSEL’S NAME ARGENT, I SPELL ALPHA ROMEO GOLF ECHO
NOVEMBER TANGO
RECEIVED MAYDAY
OVER

The vessel in distress replies:

MAYDAY
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
THIS IS
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
RECEIVED
STAND BY

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 the radiotelephony examination 77

On completion of all acknowledgements in this example, the vessel in distress

will call each vessel in turn requesting its position and ETA. This may be
logged as ‘Pos?’ These entries may also be logged on one line. This is entry
number 6. However, you will see that the callsigns have now changed columns
as the vessel in distress initiated the communications. When responding,
individual figures should be used and the information should be repeated using
the procedural words ‘I say again’. Do not forget to log your own entry.

MAYDAY
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
THIS IS
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
REPORT YOUR POSITION AND ETA
OVER

MAYDAY
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
THIS IS
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MY POSITION ONE ZERO MILES BEARING ONE EIGHT ZERO
DEGREES FROM YOU
SPEED TWO ZERO KNOTS
ETA THREE ZERO MINUTES
I SAY AGAIN
MY POSITION ONE ZERO MILES BEARING ONE EIGHT ZERO
DEGREES FROM YOU
SPEED TWO ZERO KNOTS
ETA THREE ZERO MINUTES
OVER

The vessel in distress replies, and may ask you to stand by or proceed:

MAYDAY
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
MIKE GOLF MIKE ECHO EIGHT
THIS IS

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 78 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA

DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
ALL RECEIVED STAND BY

MAYDAY
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
THIS IS
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
REPORT YOUR POSITION AND ETA
OVER

MAYDAY
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
THIS IS
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MY POSITION SIX MILES BEARING THREE ONE
FIVE DEGREES FROM YOU
SPEED EIGHT KNOTS
ETA FOUR FIVE MINUTES
I SAY AGAIN
MY POSITION SIX MILES BEARING THREE ONE
FIVE DEGREES FROM YOU
SPEED EIGHT KNOTS
ETA FOUR FIVE MINUTES
OVER

The vessel in distress replies:

MAYDAY
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
MIKE PAPA LIMA ALPHA SIX
THIS IS
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
ALL RECEIVED STAND BY

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 the radiotelephony examination 79

Once all students have responded, the vessel in distress will no longer require
assistance. This will be indicated in the usual way with the transmission of
seelonce feenee, which should be logged as in entry number 7. CQ may be used
as an abbreviation for ‘all stations’:

MAYDAY
ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
ALL STATIONS
THIS IS
MARTHA MARTHA MARTHA
CALLSIGN DELTA HOTEL ALPHA LIMA
MMSI TWO ONE TWO FOUR FOUR FIVE
ZERO EIGHT NINE
TIME ONE ONE ONE ZERO UTC
THE VESSEL MARTHA
SEELONCE FEENEE
OUT

The last entry, which is number 8 in this example, is to sign yourself off watch.
If it were appropriate, you would also put your batteries on charge at this
point.
This is just one example of a radiotelephony scenario in order to demonstrate
log keeping in detail. The radio regulations only require ships’ names and
callsigns to be said once with each transmission. However, during the
examination, as an aid to log-keeping, ships’ names may be spelt and call signs
said three times. Students may also be required to provide the position
information without being prompted to do so by the examiner. However, these
transmissions have been included in the example because it provides a more
realistic concept of how the communications would happen in practice. It is also
possible that exercises may revolve around distress relay situations.

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 80 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Fig 20 Sarpedon’s specimen log

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 chapter 8

the inmarsat systems

The ROC course does not cover any of the INMARSAT systems. The LRC course
covers the theory of Fleet F77, SAT B and SAT C systems but only practical use
of SAT C using telex communications. The GOC course covers the theory of
Fleet F77, SAT B and SAT C systems. It also covers the practical use of Fleet
F77 using telephone or the SAT B using telephone and telex, as well as SAT C
using telex communications.
INMARSAT is a partnership involving over 80 countries. In 1999 it became a
Limited Company, owned by all existing signatories. The GMDSS space segment
consists of four INMARSAT 3 satellites in geostationary orbit 22,300 miles
(35,700 kilometres) above the equator. Backup satellites are also in orbit and
could be brought into use if necessary. Geostationary means that they remain
stationary relative to a geographical position on earth beneath them. However,
the satellites themselves are anything but stationary as they must orbit the earth
at a speed in excess of 6,500 miles (10,500 kilometres) an hour in order to
maintain their position. The four satellites are each said to have a footprint,
which refers to the position on earth from where the satellite is visible and can
therefore be used for communications (see Figure 21 on page 82). The limit of
each in a north and south direction is 81°, because of the altitude of the satellite
and the fact that the earth curves towards the poles. However, since 5° of
elevation are required for successful communications, the workable limits are
taken to be 76° north and south. There is a large overlap of footprints in an
east-west direction, so it is not unusual to have a choice of two or, in some
areas, three satellites.
The satellite footprints are referred to as ocean regions. They are: the
Pacific Ocean Region (POR), the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Atlantic Ocean
Region East (AORE) and the Atlantic Ocean Region West (AORW). The Satellite
Control Centre (SCC) in London controls and maintains the satellites, ensuring
amongst other things that they stay on station. Each terminal on board will
have a chart in the software that enables the antenna to find the satellite. If the
satellite has drifted off station, the antenna will not be able to find it. Every 4
weeks each satellite will have drifted by about 0.1°. The SCC will make a
station-keeping manoeuvre to realign it. This takes about an 11-second burn of
the rockets for the east-west adjustment. The north-south adjustment involves
the tilt of the satellite and this is carried out every 8 weeks.
Land Earth Stations (LES) perform a similar job to the coast radio stations
in terrestrial communications. They provide a link between a vessel, named a

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 XVII XVIII
XIX XX XXI
Canada Canada
Norway Russian Federation Russian Federation
82

9781408187821_txt_app_.indd 82
I
United XIII
Kingdom Russian
Federation
III
XII IV II XI
Spain
United States United States France Japan
IX
Pakistan
GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

XVI
Peru V VIII
Brazil India

XIV XV VI VII X XIV

New Zealand Chile Argentina South Africa Australia New Zealand

Fig 21 The INMARSAT 3 satellite coverage chart.

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 the inmarsat systems 83

Mobile Earth Station (MES), via a satellite to the telephone network and are
capable of handling thousands of calls at any one time. Within all ocean
regions, each of the INMARSAT systems B, C and Fleet F77 has a single
Network Co-ordination Station (NCS) and a network of LESs, some of which
will deal with more than one system. It is the job of the NCS to monitor traffic
and allocate free channels to both the MES and LES in order to facilitate
communications. The same four satellites are used for all of the INMARSAT
systems within the GMDSS.

INMARSAT B
INMARSAT B was brought on line in 1994 and will be retired on 31 December
2014. It uses digital technology to support two-way automatic direct dial
telephone, telex, fax, e-mail and data transmissions. Digital technology
provides high quality and high-speed transmissions with more efficient use of
the satellite’s resources, which results in enhanced communications and lower
charges. This technology can also be used to enable video conferencing.

INMARSAT C
INMARSAT C, introduced in 1991, was developed to provide low-cost digital
communi­cations. The system requires a lightweight electronic unit (EU), a PC
and a small omnidirectional antenna approximately 20 centimetres (8 inches) in
diameter. It meets the requirements for GMDSS and is often the first choice for
small leisure craft. It supports prepared telex, fax and data transmissions using a
store and forward technique. The system uses Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM),
meaning that small packets of information are sent from the SAT C terminal
when the satellite channel is free. Up to 22 ships can use the same channel
simultaneously but in rotation, with the system accepting a packet of
information from each ship in turn. This happens auto­matically with no action
being required by the user. The message is reconstituted at the LES and checked
Fig 21 The INMARSAT 3 satellite coverage chart.

for error before it is sent on to its destination, hence the term ‘store and forward’.
The technique puts a delay of several minutes into the system, so neither voice
communications nor live telex are possible. SAT C is particularly useful for
receiving Enhanced Group Calling (EGC) services. SafetyNET, used to broadcast
MSI, the satellite equivalent to Navtex, is one such service and is free of charge.
FleetNET is a subscription service that is used to send confidential information to
individual vessels or groups of vessels – for example, race participants could
receive specialist weather information.

INMARSAT Fleet F77

Fleet F77, introduced in 2005, brings a new dimension to INMARSAT’s
portfolio. It features pre-emption and prioritisation, ensuring non-essential
communications will be terminated, so that more urgent traffic can be sent.

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 84 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Distress will pre-empt all other communications. Urgency will pre-empt

everything other than distress, and so on.
Fleet F77 also offers two data services for internet and e-mail: Mobile Packet
Data Service (MPDS) and mobile Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN).
The mobile ISDN uses a dedicated channel between your terminal and the
LES. You are charged for the total time this channel is allocated to you. It
supports Internet Protocol and File Transfer Protocol and is best used for large
files and video conferencing or when speed is important.
MPDS sends your data in packets over the network. You can share the
channel with other users, in a similar way to Sat C, as MPDS allows for
simultaneous connections. At times when you may be typing an e-mail or
reading a web page, the channel is free for others to use. You are not charged
for the time you are connected, but for amount of data you send and receive,
so you can always stay online.
ISDN and MPDS data sessions are regarded as routine and so will be
terminated if a higher priority telephone call is initiated. If a routine telephone
call is received during a data session and the call is accepted, the data session
will be terminated. If the call is rejected the data session will be allowed to
continue.

Operations
Before communications can commence, the associated antenna must have an
unobstructed view of a satellite. SAT B and Fleet F77 use a large steerable
antenna producing a pencil beam that must point at one of the satellites. On
most systems this can be achieved automatically. Once a signal has been
detected, the antenna will lock on to it and track the satellite, unless the ship’s
heading puts it into a blind arc. For example, if an alteration of course puts the
antenna behind a funnel, the line of sight to the satellite will be lost, which is
something to bear in mind during distress communications. To find the satellite
manually, the operator must know its azimuth and elevation. The azimuth is
the bearing to the satellite, through 360° around the horizon. The elevation is
the angle of the satellite, up to 90° above the horizon. Tables and charts are
published to enable operators to calculate the satellite’s azimuth and elevation
from a given position on earth. The antenna is driven by servo motors.
In practice there may be a choice of satellites, each offering a range of LESs
with differing services. Updated information on services can be obtained
through SAT C and from INMARSAT themselves. Heavy users of the system
can often negotiate discounted rates and service providers sometimes offer
incentives to use them. It is, therefore, worth investigating the options before
making a choice. To contact a ship from on shore, the maritime access code
+870 is the equivalent to the terrestrial country codes. The original INMARSAT
Ocean Region codes were discontinued on 31 December 2008. +870 followed
by the vessel’s INMARSAT identification number will now reach any
INMARSAT terminal anywhere in the world.

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 the inmarsat systems 85

SAT C operates slightly

differently, using a small omni-
directional antenna that is
functional virtually up to the
edge of the satellite footprint.
With this system the vessel
must log in to a satellite. The
satellite continually transmits
on the common signalling
channel, with which the
equipment will synchronise
during the log-in procedure.
Once this is done, the NCS in
control of SAT C services
through the chosen satellite
will automatically route any
messages to the vessel. To
ensure that messages are not
lost and the NCS time is not
wasted, it is important to log
out before switching the SAT C
terminal off. More details will
be found in Chapter 9. With
some terminals it is possible to
log in by scanning for the
strongest signal. This is not the Antenna for INMARSAT C.
best option as the NCS could
change as the signal strength varies and SafetyNET messages could be lost.
More importantly, you do not want the NCS to change in the middle of distress
working, as discussed in Chapter 9. It is always best to tune to a specific NCS
and make that the preferred ocean region. Your choice may be influenced by
the SafetyNET broadcasts you wish to receive – for example, the AORE satellite
transmits Navarea 1 infor­ma­tion (see Chapter 12 for more details).

Two-digit special service codes

Once connected to an LES, in routine priority, many of them offer several short
code services. The special service two-digit code will be followed by + (plus) if
working telex and # (hash) if using the telephone. For example, code 32 is
available with all systems and will connect to someone who can give medical
advice. Code 38 is used for medical assistance or medical evacuation and 39
for maritime assistance, again available through all systems. The system will
route you to a doctor or MRCC in the same country as the LES that you
selected. Calls using codes 32, 38 and 39 are free of charge and are only to be
used for urgency communications.

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 86 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Safety code 41 is used to report meteorological observations, 42 to report a

navigational hazard and 43 to report a ship’s position to AMVER.
Choosing urgent or safety priority will initiate pre-emption and priorisation
on Fleet F77. However, the connection can still be made if the terminal is left
in routine priority.

To help you remember

32 WHAT DO WE DO?
38 EVACUATE
39 THROW US A LINE
41 WHERE IS THE SUN?
42 I WILL SINK YOU!
43 WHERE ARE WE?

Distress priority connections on SAT B and Fleet F77

A distress priority connection ensures instant routing to an MRCC. The process
is totally automatic and does not involve a human operator. Operators are
made aware of the fact that a distress priority call has passed through their
station by the use of alarms. The LES will then provide an automatic priority
connection to its local MRCC. The NCS in each region will monitor the
progress of such a call and will intervene if any problems are detected. If the
call has been addressed to an LES that cannot be worked through the chosen
satellite, the NCS will accept the call on its behalf. Any call sent with distress
priority is therefore almost certain to succeed. The SAT B and Fleet F77
software is capable of selecting an LES on behalf of the operator, using a pre-
programmed default system.

Distress alerting on SAT C

Sat C equipment designed after 1997 will not allow alerts to be sent via the
keyboard alone but will require the lifting of a cover to enable the activation
of one or two dedicated distress buttons. Operators using SAT C terminals can
choose an LES and associated MRCC.

Avoiding false alerts

Do not allow distress priority to be selected unless the vessel has a distress
situation to report. If the terminal has any complicated functions, make sure
that they are displayed next to the unit for all to see. Ensure that all personnel

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 the inmarsat systems 87

who use the equipment are either thoroughly trained or closely supervised. The
manufacturer’s instructions should always be studied carefully before any
equipment is used.

Cancelling false alerts

If a false distress alert is sent from a Sat C terminal, it is important to notify
the MRCC using a distress priority message via the same satellite and LES. The
message should include the ship’s name, callsign, INMARSAT C identification
number, the fact that the alert should be cancelled as it was sent in error, and
the time in UTC that it was sent. It is imperative that any operator who
knowingly sends a false alert does not ignore the situation.

Security
In order to prevent the corruption of software used for distress, urgency or
safety communications, a dedicated computer is recommended.

Questions
1 Name the INMARSAT ocean regions.
2 Which system uses a store and forward technique?
3 Which system uses a small omnidirectional antenna?
4 What is meant by a satellite’s footprint?
5 Why is it important to log out before switching off a SAT C terminal?
6 Which two-digit code would you use to obtain medical advice over the
telephone?
7 What should you do if you send a distress alert in error on INMARSAT C?
8 Who is responsible for allocating channels for telephone calls?

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 88 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

answers
1 There are four INMARSAT ocean regions. They are the Pacific Ocean Region
(POR), the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Atlantic Ocean Region East
(AORE) and the Atlantic Ocean Region West (AORW).
2 SAT C uses a store and forward technique.
3 SAT C uses a small omnidirectional antenna.
4 Each satellite is said to have a footprint, which refers to the position on
earth from where the satellite is visible and can therefore be used for
communications.
5 It is important to log out before switching the SAT C terminal off to ensure
that messages are not lost and the NCS time is not wasted.
6 To obtain medical advice over the telephone, 32# would be used, once the
routine priority connection to the LES was established.
7 If a distress alert is sent in error, it is important to notify the MRCC using a
distress priority message via the same satellite and LES. The message should
include the ship’s name, callsign, INMARSAT identification number, the fact
that the alert should be cancelled, and the time in UTC that it was sent.
8 The NCS is responsible for allocating channels for telephone calls.

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 chapter 9

inmarsat procedures

Geostationary satellites have to be at a high altitude in order to provide a large

workable footprint. The fact that the signal has to travel in excess of 45,000
miles (72,000 kilometres) between a Mobile Earth Station (MES) and a Land
Earth Station (LES) introduces approximately one-quarter of a second time
delay into communications. Remember that in times of distress this system will
not alert nearby vessels to your situation because it is a point-to-point system.
This is similar to dialling 999 from home, where your neighbour does not
know that you are in trouble and cannot help you.

INMARSAT B and Fleet F77

Priority connections
Calling using INMARSAT B or Fleet F77 is achieved by a priority connection
through one of the satellites. The priorities are distress, urgency, safety and
routine, or P3, P2, P1 or P0 on older equipment. During the set-up procedure
of a SAT B or Fleet F77 terminal, a default LES in each ocean region must be
nominated for receipt of distress calls.

Distress priority connection by telephone

• LIFT THE TELEPHONE HANDSET
• PRESS AND HOLD THE DISTRESS PUSH-BUTTON FOR SIX SECONDS
• PRESS # TO INITIATE THE CALL

If the connection is not successful within 15 seconds, the procedure should be

repeated. This is a similar concept to picking up the telephone at home. If you
dialled a number and nothing happened within 15 seconds, you would hang up
and try again.

Distress priority connection by telex (SAT B only)

• PUT TELEX ON LINE
• PRESS AND HOLD THE DISTRESS PUSH-BUTTON FOR SIX SECONDS
• WAIT FOR AN AUTOMATIC CONNECTION TO AN MRCC

Once the connection has been made (the equivalent of the call in
radiotelephony procedures) the message should follow. If telephone mode has
been chosen, the message is spoken. If telex mode has been chosen, the message

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 90 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

can either be prepared in advance and sent once the connection has been made
or it can be typed live. In either case, always start with a blank line. The SAT B
terminal also has a pre-programmed telex distress message stored in its
memory. This is known as a Distress Message Generator (DMG) and may be
used instead of preparing the message yourself.

Distress message by telephone or telex

M MAYDAY
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND SAT NUMBER
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE DISTRESS
A ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
N NUMBER ON BOARD
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OVER

DISTRESS RELAY CONNECTION

There is no facility for a distress relay connection, therefore a distress priority
connection should be made. However, it is imperative to commence the
message with Mayday Relay. This will make it clear to the MRCC at the start
that you are not the vessel in distress.

Urgency priority connection

• SELECT TELEPHONE OR TELEX MODE
• SELECT THE APPROPRIATE LES IDENTIFICATION CODE
• SELECT ROUTINE PRIORITY (or urgent for Fleet F77 if pre-emption and
prioritisation is required)
• INITIATE THE CALL

Once you have the dial tone (telephone) or the GA+ (telex) from the LES, then
the relevant two-digit code may be used: 32 for medical advice, 38 for medical
assistance or medical evacuation and 39 for maritime assistance. Remember to
add a # for telephone or a + for telex.

Urgency message by telephone or telex

P PAN PAN
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND SAT NUMBER
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE URGENCY
A ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
N NUMBER ON BOARD (if relevant)
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OVER

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 inmarsat procedures 91

Fleet F77 distress button and

telephone handset.

Safety priority connection

• SELECT TELEPHONE OR TELEX MODE
• SELECT THE APPROPRIATE LES IDENTIFICATION CODE
• SELECT ROUTINE PRIORITY (or safety for Fleet F77 if pre-emption and
prioritisation is required)
• INITIATE THE CALL

Once you have the dial tone (telephone) or the GA+ (telex) from the LES, then
the relevant two-digit code may be used: 41 to report a meteorological
observation, 42 to report a navigational hazard or 43 to report your ship’s
position to AMVER. Remember to add a # for telephone or a + for telex.

Safety message by telephone or telex

S SÉCURITÉ
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND SAT NUMBER
NAVIGATION WARNING AT 2000 UTC
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE SAFETY MESSAGE
A ADVICE
O OUT

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Routine priority connection

• SELECT TELEPHONE OR TELEX MODE
• SELECT THE APPROPRIATE LES IDENTIFICATION CODE
• SELECT ROUTINE PRIORITY
• INITIATE THE CALL

Once you have the dial tone (telephone) or the GA+ (telex) from the LES, enter:

• 00 for automatic dialling

• COUNTRY CODE or MARITIME ACCESS CODE 870 if calling another vessel
• SUBSCRIBER’S TELEPHONE NUMBER or INMARSAT NUMBER

Remember to add a # for telephone or a + for telex.

When using telex you will receive the shore subscriber’s answerback. You
should then release your identification by pressing the ‘here is’ function key,
which is often the star key. Next, send the prepared message or type the
message live. The subscriber could come back to you before the link is broken.
When you have finished, exchange answerbacks using the ‘here is’ key
followed by the ‘who are you?’ key, which is often the ‘\’ key. If all is well, five
full stops will break the connection and, on some systems, give you the
duration of the call. However, as always, the manufacturer’s instruction
manual should be studied with care before the terminal is used.

INMARSAT C
Distress alerting
There are two ways of alerting by SAT C:

• UNDESIGNATED – PRESS ONE OR TWO DISTRESS BUTTONS (typically for

five seconds)

or

• DESIGNATED – SELECT DISTRESS ALERT FROM THE MENU, THEN PRESS

ONE OR TWO DISTRESS BUTTONS (typically for five seconds)

If no acknowledgement is received within five minutes following either

method, repeat the alert. Remember that this is a store and forward system,
which accounts for the longer response time. Distress alerts can be sent before
the terminal is logged in, and before the equipment is commissioned, so care
should always be taken not to send distress alerts in error.
The distress alert sent by pressing the button(s) on the electronic unit will
be an undesignated alert giving the ship’s identification and last entered
position.

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INMARSAT C distress buttons.

If the menu is accessed, more information can be given. Choosing from a

list of distress situations can designate the alert. The vessel’s position can be
updated if this has not been done automatically by GPS. The course and speed
can be included in the alert with information taken from the GPS input. Any
LES in the ocean region can be chosen and then the button(s) should be
pressed to transmit the alert, which will be routed via the LES to its nearest
MRCC. This is the best option, because the LES is selected.
It is important at this stage to ensure that the automatic scan facility is set
to scan only the ocean region to which the terminal was logged in when the
alert was sent. This is achieved by making it the preferred ocean region. If
another region is indicated as the preferred one and signal strength increases
on the common signalling channel from the NCS of that ocean region, the
equipment will retune and communications with the MRCC will be lost.
Whilst the operator is waiting for a response, the distress message should be
prepared along the same lines as before with the standard MIPNANOO. The
terminal must be logged in to an NCS to send the message.

Distress message
Start with a blank line.

M MAYDAY
I IDENTIFICATION – NAME, CALLSIGN AND SAT C NUMBER
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE DISTRESS
A ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
N NUMBER ON BOARD
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OVER (or NNNN because this is sent in store and forward mode)

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To transmit the distress message be sure to choose distress priority. This will
ensure that you are allocated a distress priority channel through the satellite
and will also override any destination information that may have been entered
in error. It is important to use the same LES that was used for the alert, so that
the message is received by the same MRCC. If an undesignated alert was sent,
you will have to wait for the acknowledgement to discover which LES was
allocated to you, before you can send the message.

Other priority messages

SAT C transmission priorities are either normal or distress.
Distress relay messages are sent in distress priority and commence ‘Mayday
Relay’, making it clear to the MRCC that you are not in distress. A distress alert
would not precede this message.
Urgency and safety messages have to be sent under normal priority. With
this system, the special service two-digit codes will ensure the required priority
connection.
To send a prepared routine message, select normal priority. The country
code, fax number, or telex number and answerback of the destination subscriber
are required. If this is a subscriber you contact frequently, the details may be
chosen from your destination directory. Select the LES and initiate the call. The
message will then be transferred to the electronic unit and sent.

Logging out
It is important to log out before switching off the IMMARSAT C terminal.
Logging out informs the NCS of the ocean region that the terminal is no longer
available to accept messages and callers will be informed of this fact. If the
operator does not log out, the LES will continue to try to send messages to the
vessel and eventually the messages could be lost. Repeated attempts could also
prove to be expensive to the subscriber who is trying to call.

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Questions
1 You are in position 31° 24´S 051° 31´W, your vessel’s name is Jade, call-
sign MENO4, INMARSAT Fleet F77 mobile number 764095687. You have
complete engine failure and need to call for assistance by telephone. State the
procedure that you should follow and the voice message that you should
send.
2 You are in position 01° 13´S 002° 11´E, your course is 090° at a speed of 5
knots. Your vessel’s name is Jupiter, callsign GPLO5, INMARSAT B mobile
number 323356789,. There are 40 persons on board. You have discovered a
fire and need to call for immediate assistance by telex. Two of the crew have
been badly burned. State the procedure that you should follow and the
message that you should send.
3 You are in position 29° 53´N 031° 32´W. Your vessel’s name is Saturn,
callsign MRAX9, INMARSAT C mobile number 423334567. You have struck a
submerged object and are sinking. There are 25 persons on board and the
sea state is rough. State the procedure that you should follow and the
message that you should send.

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answers
1 Select telephone mode
Select routine (or urgent) priority
Select LES identification code
Initiate the call according to the manufacturer’s instructions
On receiving a dial tone from the LES enter 39# for maritime assistance.

Once connected, speak:

Pan Pan
Jade MENO4 764095687
In position 31° 24´S 051° 31´W
Complete engine failure
Require maritime assistance
Over

2 Put telex on line

Press and hold the distress push-button for six seconds
Wait for an automatic connection to an MRCC
Once answerback is received, either select the message stored in the distress
message generator or type the following message, starting with a blank line:
Mayday
Jupiter GPLO5 323356789
In position 01° 13´S 002° 11´E
Course 090° speed 5 knots
Fire on board
Require immediate assistance
40 persons on board, two need urgent medical attention
Over

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3 Either press and hold the distress button(s) on the electronic unit, or
preferably select distress alert from the menu and then press and hold the
distress button(s). Then type and send the following message, with distress
priority, via the same LES, starting with a blank line:
Mayday
Saturn MRAX9, 423334567
In position 29° 53´N 031° 32´W
Sinking
Require immediate assistance
25 persons on board
Sea conditions are rough
Over (or NNNN)

Check that the ocean region that you have used is selected as your preferred
ocean region, to prevent change of NCS during distress working.

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 chapter 10

EPIRBs and SARTs

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Search And Rescue
Transponders (SARTs) provide locating and homing signals for use during
Search And Rescue (SAR) operations. The EPIRB usually provides a ‘ball park’
position for the search, with the SART providing the ‘fine tune’ facility for
location of the survivors. If at all possible, keep both with you if you need to
abandon your ship.

EPIRBs
GMDSS regulations require the vessel to carry at least two independent means
of transmitting a distress alert. The EPIRB provides a secondary method of
distress alerting. It relays position and identification information from a
casualty in distress to an MRCC. The EPIRB signal indicates that one or more
persons are in distress, that they may no longer be on board their vessel and
that they may not have receiving facilities.

COSPAS/SARSAT EPIRBs
COSPAS/SARSAT is an international humanitarian Search And Rescue (SAR)
system. EPIRBs are for use in all sea areas and communicate with designated
satellites between 406.025 and 406.037 MHz (usually referred to as 406 MHz).
121.5 MHz has not been detected by the satellites since 1st February 2009 but
is still often included in the EPIRB as a homing signal. There are more than
1 million beacons in use worldwide.
The Low altitude Earth Orbit (LEO) space segment, is operated jointly by
Russia and an American-Canadian-French consortium. The Russian payload is
COSPAS – COsmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynich Sudov, which translates
as Space System for the Search of Vessels in Distress. The American-Canadian-
French payload is SARSAT – Search And Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking.
There are 39 other participating nations in the programme that provide
electronics and ground support.
COSPAS started as an electronic package on the Russian NADEZHDA
navigation satellites. However the Russian navigation systems are now
supported by GLONASS, there have therefore been no operational COSPAS
payloads since September 2007. The Russian Federation plans to launch one
Meteor-type LEO satellite with an SAR payload in 2014 and another in 2015.

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 epirbs and sarts 99

A 406 MHz COSPAS/SARSAT EPIRB in a float-free mounting.

SARSAT is currently an instrument package on five of the NOAA weather

satellites. The EUMETSAT MetOp-A satellite has been carrying a SARSAT
payload since October 2006 and a second MetOp satellite is currently
undergoing tests.
COSPAS/SARSAT came on line in 1982 and is comprised of a number of
LEO satellites in displaced, near-polar orbits that are able to scan the entire

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 100 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

globe ever y 2-3 hours. The orbits are

set and the earth rotates beneath them.
The system is designed to have at least
four satellites in operation at all times,
although there are of ten more. Low
altitude orbits mean that the transmitter
power of a 406 MHz EPIRB needs to be
only five watts. The altitude is typically
530 miles (850 kilometres) and travelling
at 4 miles (7 km) per second they can
orbit the earth every 100 minutes. The
circular footprint is approximately 3730
miles (6000 k ilometres) in diameter
and the satellite crosses the sky in about
15 minutes.
Each satellite carries an SAR processor,
which receives and stores 406 MHz alerts.
The alert will be retransmitted either
immediately if a ground station is in view
or as soon as one comes into the footprint.
The satellites communicate with Local
User Terminals (LUTs) on earth, which pass
their information to an MRCC via a Mission
Control Centre (MCC). The average A SART should be positioned upright
notification time is 45 minutes, because and as high as possible. It should be at
there is not a continual coverage by the least one metre above sea level.
satellites. The delay will be greater at the
equator than at the poles. There may be a time delay before the next satellite
passes over the beacon and then another delay for it to be in a suitable position
to relay the information to an LUT. One pass is usually sufficient for the 406
MHz beacon with a stable signal, although if reception is poor it may require a
second pass.
Research into the use of geostationary satellites for receiving signals from
406 MHz GPS-encoding beacons started in 1987. The system has been named
the Geostationary Earth Orbit Search And Rescue (GEOSAR) system and
beacons are now available. There are currently six GEO satellites in use at an
altitude of 22370 miles (36000km). In addition there are two spares and one
undergoing tests. These beacons are much more efficient, notification time is
reduced to a few minutes and positioning is as accurate as GPS. If the GPS
fails or if the vessel trades above 70º, then the standard 406 MHz beacon will
continue to work.
Once an EPIRB is activated the beacon transmits a digitally encoded distress
alert, which includes the identification of the ship, often in the form of a 15
hexadecimal code. It is very important to ensure that the EPIRB is correctly
programmed and registered. The alert is received by a satellite and relayed to the

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 epirbs and sarts 101

nearest LUT. There are 65 LEOLUTs, which track the satellites using parabolic
antennae, and 22 GEOLUTs worldwide. The alert is processed to calculate the
position of the beacon, which is then routed to one of 30 MCCs via a network
connection. The MCC will decode the identification information contained within
the transmission. All of the information is then passed on to an MRCC.
The LEOLUT uses Doppler frequency analysis to calculate the position of
the EPIRB, using the motion of the satellite relative to the stationary beacon on
the earth’s surface. The location accuracy is said to be within 3 miles (5km);
however, most location calculations are significantly more accurate than this.
Final location is achieved by a low power 121.5 MHz homing signal that is
included in most 406 MHz beacons. 121.5 MHz is the international
aeronautical emergency frequency and whilst not mandatory, it is useful for
homing by the SAR aircraft. It is also possible that a passing aircraft will pick
up the signal.
In 2011 Russia’s GLONASS-K No 1 was launched, hosting the first Medium
altitude Earth Orbit Search And Rescue (MEOSAR) payload in an orbit 13670
miles (22,000km) above the earth. This joined ten experimental Distress
Alerting Satellite System (DASS) payloads on the USA’s GPS satellites. The
MEOSAR satellites are predicted to grow to around 70 in number over the next
few years. There are currently five MEOLUTs and five more are planned.
MEOSAR will supplement the current system, have full operational
compatibility with it, give near instantaneous global coverage and provide
highly accurate location information. If it is successful it is hopeful that it will
be global by 2017. The MEOSAR beacons will have a return-link, which will
allow acknowledgements to be sent back to the beacon. They will also allow
additional information to be included in the alert. Type approval for these
beacons is expected by the end of 2014, with availability to purchase the
following year.

Activation
EPIRBs can be either manually or automatically activated. If the automatic
system is chosen, a hydrostatic release is fitted, which will allow the EPIRB to
float free when immersed to a depth of approximately 4 metres. Regulations
require all compulsorily fitted vessels to install a float-free EPIRB. To help
reduce the false alarm rate, most new EPIRBs are being produced with a two-
stage activation process. The first action will arm it, for example by removing
it from its housing. The second action will activate it, for example by manually
switching it on or immersing it in sea water.

SARTs
The purpose of a Search And Rescue Transponder (SART) is to indicate the
position of persons or vessels in distress. It operates on 9 GHz, also known as
the X band or the three centimetre radar band. A transponder is a unit that

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 102 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Fig 22 The range of a SART transmission is line of sight, typically five nautical miles to a ship
with an antenna height of 15 metres and up to 40 nautical miles to an aircraft searching at
3,000 feet.

transmits in response to an incoming signal. A SART will transmit its signals

when interrogated by a radar producing a pulse with a wavelength of three
centimetres. The transmission is line of sight, so range is unlikely to be more
than 10 miles to a ship but it will be much greater, maybe 30 to 40 miles, to a
search and rescue aircraft (see Figure 22). Rough conditions will produce a
greater range on the crests of waves but loss of signal in the troughs. Flat calm
conditions are not ideal as radar pulses can be reflected from the surface of the
sea. The SART will sound an alarm and change its light characteristic when
interrogated by a vessel close at hand, which is sure to raise morale. When this
happens, call on VHF channel 16 and fire flares. The battery should allow for
96 hours in stand-by mode with eight hours of transmitting time. Do not
deploy a SART and a radar reflector simultaneously as the reflector may
obscure the SART. If the SART is interrogated, it sweeps through the radar
frequency band 12 times. When the SART frequency matches that of the
interrogating radar during each sweep, it will produce a target on the radar
screen.
Twelve dots approximately 0.64 of a nautical mile apart will be shown on
the screen (see Figure 23). The dot closest to the ship’s position indicates the
position of the SART. When the range to the SART closes to under one mile,
the dots will change into arcs (see Figure 24). At this point, the position of the

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 epirbs and sarts 103

casualty is accurate to within 150 metres.

As the range closes even further, concentric
circles will be seen (see Figure 25). When
searching for a SART, choose a radar range
between 6 and 12 nautical miles because
the 12 dots may extend to nearly 10 miles
beyond the position of the SART. If the
radar is on a short range and only one or
two dots are displayed, they could be
confused with other targets. Fig 23 Twelve dots will be shown on
the radar screen of a search vessel.

AIS-SART
From the 1st January 2010, the Automatic
Identification System – Search And
Rescue Transmitter (AIS-SART) joined the
GMDSS, as an alternative to the radar
SART.
The AIS-SART is programmed with a
nine-digit identification code. The first
three digits being 970, the following two
digits are a manufacturer code and the last Fig 24 When the range closes to under
four a serial number. This is not a unique one mile, the dots change into arcs.
ID and cannot identify the vessel. It has an
internal GPS to enable it to receive position
information and battery life is 96 hours.
Once activated, the AIS-SART transmits
eight messages, over a 14-second time
slot, every minute, on two different
channels. One channel operates on 161.975
MHz, the other on 162.025 MHz, and four
messages will be sent on each. It is only
necessary to receive one of these messages
to obtain an accurate location. However,
Fig 25 As the range closes further, the
sending multiple messages ensures that this
arcs change into concentric circles.
will happen.
Any equipment capable of receiving an
AIS signal can also detect an AIS-SART.
The identification appears, along with the time, position, range and bearing.
It is also displayed on electronic charts as a cross enclosed by a small circle.
The range is line of sight, so com­parable to the radar SART. However, there
is no AIS receiver, so unlike the radar SART it is unable to inform you that
your signal has been received by nearby vessels.

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 104 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

AIS-SART
ID: 970221234
UTC: 16 : 15 : 30
LAT: 50º 14.450’ N
LON: 010º 18.034’ W
RANGE: 3.48 nm 184º

Testing of EPIRBs and SARTs

EPIRBs and SARTs must be tested monthly in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions. Take care, as the SART is tested with a live
transmission. At this time, also inspect the units for signs of damage or
corrosion. Check lanyards, seals, telescopic poles and battery expiry dates of
the SARTs. EPIRBs, lanyards and sea water contacts should be checked and if it
is intended that the unit should float free, ensure that it could do so in an
emergency. The batteries and hydrostatic release should be changed if the
expiry date is close. Some units will need to be returned to the manufacturer at
this time. It has been reported that some 406 MHz EPIRBs pass their internal
test but do not transmit if required to do so. It is advisable to have EPIRBs
tested annually with a shielded tester that will receive and decode the 406 MHz
signal, check the identification and, if appropriate, provide an audible
indication that the 121.5 MHz homing signal is functioning.

Avoiding false alerts

During each safety drill, instruction should be given in the use of EPIRBs and
SARTs.
It is important to ensure that EPIRBs are properly registered and that
registrations are updated if the unit changes hands. Failure to do so can result
in heavy penalties. Falmouth Coastguard administers the UK EPIRB register.
The EPIRB should not be activated if assistance has been made available by
other means. If possible, an EPIRB should be retrieved and deactivated after
use. If it is to be scrapped, it should be made inoperable. If it is to be returned
for maintenance, it should be either disabled or wrapped in two layers of
aluminium foil. Every effort should be made to ensure that the EPIRB does not
transmit accidentally. Should this happen, it must be switched off immediately
and a coast station or MRCC informed.

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AIS-SART.

Questions
1 What is the purpose of an EPIRB?
2 What does the EPIRB signal indicate?
3 What is the primary frequency used by a COSPAS/SARSAT EPIRB and in
which sea areas may it be used?
4 Which frequency is used for the low power homing signal of an EPIRB?
5 What is the purpose of a SART?
6 On which frequency does a SART operate?
7 To which signal does the SART respond?
8 How would you recognise a SART transmission on a radar screen?
9 How would you know that you were closing on the casualty?
10 How often should the SART and EPIRB be tested?
11 What is involved in testing the EPIRB and the SART?
12 What should you do if your EPIRB is activated in error?

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answers
1 The purpose of an EPIRB is to provide a secondary means of distress alerting
as well as identification and position information regarding the casualty.
2 The EPIRB signal indicates that one or more persons are in distress, that they
may no longer be on board their vessel and that they may not have receiving
facilities.
3 The frequency used by a COSPAS/SARSAT EPIRB is 406 MHz and it may be
used in areas A1, A2, A3 and A4.
4 121.5 MHz is used for the low power homing signal of an EPIRB.
5 The purpose of a SART is to indicate the position of persons or vessels in
distress by means of a three centimetre radar.
6 A SART operates on 9 GHz, also known as the X band.
7 The SART responds to a signal from a three centimetre radar.
8 A SART transmission appears on a radar screen as 12 dots. The dot closest
to the ship’s position is the SART.
9 When you close to under one mile, the dots start to arc and eventually form
concentric circles as the SART’s position is approached.
10 The SART and EPIRB must be tested monthly.
11 Carry out the tests in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. At the
same time, inspect the units for signs of damage or corrosion. Check
lanyards, seals, telescopic poles and battery expiry dates of the SARTs.
EPIRBs, lanyards and sea water contacts should be checked and if it is
intended that the unit should float free, ensure that it could do so in an
emergency. The batteries and hydrostatic release should be changed if the
expiry date is close.
12 If your EPIRB is activated in error, it should be switched off immediately and
a coast station or MRCC notified.

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 chapter 11

ANTENNAE AND BATTERIES

Picture a stone being thrown into a pond on a very still day. Ripples will move
out from the position where the stone entered the water. Each wave will
increase in diameter and weaken as it moves away from the source. If a duck
was sitting on the pond, it would move up and down on each wave as it
passed. This is how two antennae react to each other. The transmitting antenna
produces oscillating electromagnetic energy at, for example, 150 watts, which
travels through free space, becoming weaker with distance. A receiving
antenna will receive the energy in perhaps microwatts, which it will then
amplify to an appropriate level to be heard at the loud speaker.

VHF antenna
The VHF transceiver is connected to a whip antenna, which can be full, half or
quarter the wavelength of channel 16. The thin wire whips that are produced for
the leisure market are optimised for 156.8 MHz. All other channels are received
as a bonus. You will therefore find that sometimes you can hear two vessels
making contact on channel 16. However, when you follow them to their
working channel you may only be able to hear one of the vessels. The further
away from 156.8 MHz the working channel is, the more likely this is to happen.
If you are ever concerned about the strength of your own transmissions, pick
the working channel whose frequency is nearest to channel 16.
The full whip antenna is a little less than two metres long, insulated at the
bottom and made of wire encapsulated in glassfibre. VHF antennae should be
situated as high as possible since the range of VHF communications is
determined by the height of the antennae. Since the radio wave is polarised
along the axis of the antennae, it is not recommended that it be raked back in
‘go faster’ fashion. In this orientation, a large proportion of the radiated power
will be horizontally polarised and therefore not received by vertical receiving
antennae. When using transportable radios try to hold them upright for the
same reason. This puts the antenna fairly close to the user’s eye. It is therefore
not recommended to use a transportable that transmits at more than six watts
in order to minimise the health risk.

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Whip antennae and radomes.

An antenna tuning unit (ATU).

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 antennae and batteries 109

MF and HF whip antenna

A whip antenna may be used for MF and HF communications. It will vary in
length depending on the size of the vessel and type of installation. However, it
is often between 7.5 and 9 metres (25 and 30 feet) long and constructed of
metal sections encased in glassfibre, which screw together and lock in place. A
wire aerial is not aesthetically pleasing. The whip antenna is therefore an
alternative and is used on most modern ships. For the antenna to function
efficiently, its length must proportionately match the wavelength of the
frequency to be used by the transmitter. An antenna tuning unit (ATU),
containing capacitors, adjustable coils and a central processing unit, is used to
tune the whip over a variable frequency range. This is activated by a tune
button on the transceiver. For optimum performance, the ATU should be
situated directly beneath the antenna and ideally above decks.

Wire aerial
Wire aerials provide excellent radiation properties on MF. They are usually
constructed of strong stranded bronze or copper wire with a ceramic or glass
insulator at each end. The insulators prevent the wire halyards from forming
part of the aerial. If the radio installation is amidships, a T installation is used
and if the installation is aft, an inverted L installation is used. Halyards, which
control the aerial, should be made from metal, making them fire proof.
Another important part of the construction is the weak link (see Figure 26).
This has approximately half the breaking strength of the aerial and provides a
controlled breaking point if the aerial comes under too much strain. The weak
link is always protected by a safety loop to ensure that the aerial does not fall
to the deck and also to maintain its usability.

Fig 26 A weak link is used to protect a wire aerial.

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 110 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

When the backstay aerial is used on a yacht, it is under a lot of strain and
glass insulators are not strong enough. Special non-conducting carbon fibre
insulators are used instead.
Antennae used for MF, HF and VHF communications are omnidirectional.

Antennae for INMARSAT B and Fleet F77

These systems both require a large parabolic steerable antenna, which produces
a pencil beam. The beam must be aimed to within 5° of the satellite’s position.
The satellite itself must be at least 5° above the horizon in order to effect
reliable communications. Once in auto-tracking mode, the antenna will track
the satellite in any sea conditions as long as the ship’s heading does not put it
into a blind arc. In order to function correctly at all times, the gyro stabilised
antenna must have a 360° view of the horizon. Placing of the antenna
therefore requires careful consideration. These systems consume large amounts
of power and need good control measures to keep them functioning correctly.
It should be remembered that in times of distress, when available power may
be reduced, the system will only function if the pencil beam is pointing at a
satellite, therefore emergency power supplies must be in place.
Both of these systems support speech, so a wide bandwidth is needed and
the 50 to 100 watt transmitter output is therefore spread fairly thinly. A dish or
parabolic reflector is a means of focusing or concentrating the signal from an
omnidirectional antenna into a narrow pencil beam. An example of an
omnidirectional light is a bare light bulb hanging from a light fitting. If the
same bulb was fitted into a large torch with a reflector, the resulting beam
would be focused, stronger and brighter. The same is true of the resulting radio
wave reaching the satellite – it appears to have come from a much more
powerful transmitting source. The bigger the dish, the narrower the resulting
beam and the stronger the signal.
SAT B antennae are approximately 125 centimetres (49 inches) in diameter,
135 centimetres (53 inches) high and weigh approximately 100 kilograms (220
pounds). Fleet F77 antennae are approximately 84 centimetres (33 inches) in
diameter, 88 centimetres (35 inches) high and weigh approximately 27
kilograms (60 pounds). Size and weight will vary from one design to another.

Antennae for INMARSAT C

This system does not support voice. It therefore uses a narrow bandwidth. The
transmitter power output is 50 watts, which gives a strong signal with this
bandwidth, so a small omnidirectional antenna can be used. The antenna can
be approximately 22 centimetres (8.5 inches) in diameter, 32 centimetres (12.5
inches) high and weigh approximately seven kilograms (15.5 pounds). Some
makes are as small as 15 x 13 centimetres (6 x 5 inches) and weigh less than
one kilogram (2.2 pounds).

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 antennae and batteries 111

Maintenance of antennae
All satellite communication antennae are covered and protected by a radome.
These need to be kept clean in order to allow radio waves to pass through.
Warm soapy water should be used to remove any salt deposits, dirt or soot. It
is important not to stand in front of the radome when it is being used, as there
is a danger to health. It is therefore imperative to turn off the respective
terminal during cleaning to ensure that it is not used. Special paints can now
be used on radomes that allow the passage of radio waves.
All terrestrial communication antennae have insulators, which should be
kept clean by washing regularly with warm soapy water. They should never be
painted. Inspect the insulators for signs of burns or damage, and check all
connections, earthing plates and straps.
It is very important that the communications equipment is not used to
transmit when maintenance is being carried out, as resulting radiation burns
can be horrific. Switch the antenna to ground, if you have this facility, to
discharge static.

Batteries
Lead acid batteries are the most common source of energy on board. They
consist of lead plates surrounded by sulphuric acid mixed with distilled water.
On discharge, the chemical reaction between the plates and the electrolyte
produces electricity. Great care must always be taken with them, to protect
both yourself and your vessel from acid burns and explosion. Hydrogen gas,
which is explosive, is produced during charging. If charging continues once
the battery is fully charged, the acid will heat up and severe gassing will occur.
Many chargers will detect when the battery is fully charged and switch off or
reduce to trickle charging, which is often one-tenth of the normal rate. In view
of the dangers of hydrogen gas, no machinery in the battery compartment
should be capable of producing a spark and the area should be well ventilated
at all times.
Marine installations are typically either 12 or 24 volts. The capacity of a
battery is usually measured in ampere hours. For example, a one ampere hour
battery could produce one amp for one hour, or half an amp for two hours, etc.
When batteries are connected in parallel, the total ampere hours is the sum of
all the individual batteries’ ampere hours.
Rechargeable batteries will always provide better service if they are allowed
to fully discharge before fully recharging. Spare batteries are advisable in order
to have fully charged batteries available at all times, as required by the radio
regulations. Batteries should not be left discharged for long periods of time
because there is then a danger that they will fail to recharge.

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 112 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Battery maintenance
Battery voltage should be tested daily with the battery on load and the charger
switched off. First measure the off load voltage. When the battery is put on
load, you should not see a drop of more than 10%. Weekly tests should be
carried out on reserve sources of energy, for example a motor generator.
Monthly tests should involve a thorough inspection of the battery
compartment to check the condition of the installation. Always wear goggles
and protective clothing when working with batteries. Terminals should be
checked for deposits, cleaned and greased. Remove the covers and ensure that
the electrolyte is covering the plates. If not, top up with distilled water.
During charging and discharging the specific gravity (relative density) of
the electrolyte will change. The density of the electrolyte increases with the
charge of the battery, due to lead ions leaving the plates and entering the
electrolyte. This is measured in terms of specific gravity and should be checked
every month using a hydrometer. The higher the specific gravity, the greater
the charge. A reading of approximately 1250 will indicate that the battery is
charged, 1150 will indicate that it is discharged. A cell should not be allowed
to discharge below 1180. Discharging below a specific gravity reading of 1160
will result in sulphating of the plates.
Maintenance-free batteries have acid within a gel. They cannot be opened
but have a small vent on top, which should be kept clear. This type of battery
is not suitable for use in areas that are susceptible to frost.

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 antennae and batteries 113

Questions
1 What type of antenna is required to operate a SAT B terminal?
2 What type of antenna is required to operate a SAT C terminal?
3 You are using your INMARSAT terminal and suddenly lose your
communications during an alteration of course. What might have caused
this?
4 Why should you keep your whip antenna upright?
5 State the two different ways of installing a wire antenna.
6 What is the purpose of a safety loop?
7 What function does an insulator have?
8 What maintenance should you carry out on your antennae to keep them in
peak condition?
9 State the safety precautions that you should observe when maintaining your
antennae.
10 What tests should you carry out on your battery installation and when?
11 What are the main dangers associated with a lead acid battery?
12 State the safety precautions that should be observed when dealing with lead
acid batteries.
13 Should you test the voltage of a battery when it is on load or off load?
14 What can you deduce from taking a specific gravity reading of the battery’s
electrolyte?

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 114 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

answers
1 A large steerable parabolic antenna is required to operate a SAT B terminal.
2 A small omnidirectional antenna is required to operate a SAT C terminal.
3 If you were using your INMARSAT terminal and suddenly lost
communications during an alteration of course, it is possible that your
antenna has been put into a blind arc.
4 You should keep your whip antenna upright in order to transmit a vertically
polarised signal.
5 If the radio installation is amidships, a T installation is used and if the
installation is aft, an inverted L installation is used.
6 The weak link is always protected by a safety loop to ensure that the aerial
does not fall to the deck and also to maintain its usability.
7 The insulators prevent the wire halyards or deck fittings from forming part of
the aerial.
8 Radomes need to be kept clean to allow radio waves to pass through them.
Warm soapy water should be used to remove any salt deposits, dirt or soot.
All terrestrial communication antennae have insulators, which should be kept
clean by washing regularly with warm soapy water. At the time of cleaning,
inspect the insulators for signs of burns or damage and check all connections,
earthing plates and straps.
9 It is important to ensure that the communications equipment is not capable
of being used to transmit when maintenance is being carried out. Switch the
antenna to ground if possible.
10 Battery voltage should be tested daily. Weekly tests should be carried out on
reserve sources of energy, for example a motor generator. Monthly tests would
involve a thorough inspection of the battery compartment to check the
condition of the installation. Terminals should be checked for deposits, cleaned
and greased. Remove the covers and ensure that the electrolyte is covering the
plates. If not, top up with distilled water. Take a specific gravity reading.
11 The main dangers associated with a lead acid battery are explosion of
hydrogen gas and acid burns from the electrolyte.
12 Always wear goggles and protective clothing when working with batteries. No
machinery in the battery compartment should be capable of producing a
spark and the area should be well ventilated at all times.
13 When testing the voltage, it should be measured off load, then when the
battery is put on load you should not see a drop of more than 10%.
14 A specific gravity reading of approximately 1250 would indicate that
the battery is charged, 1150 would indicate that it is discharged.

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 chapter 12

MARITIME SAFETY
INFORMATION
Navtex
A Navtex co-ordinator collates information from a national warning
co-ordinator, a SAR co-ordinator and a meteorological message co-ordinator
in order to prepare the Navtex service. Each of these co-ordinators, in turn, is
passed information by an array of relevant bodies such as coastguards,
buoyage authorities, electronic navaid providers and meteorological offices,
making the resulting transmission extremely valuable to mariners. This is a
fully automated service that is free of charge to owners of the relevant
hardware. A GMDSS Navtex receiver contains duplication of circuitry in order
to meet the IMO requirements.
The range of Navtex is usually within 300 to 400 nautical miles of the
transmitting station. Exact details of the range of each individual transmitter
may be found in ALRS Volume 5. Greater ranges are possible at night because
this is an MF transmission. The English language transmission is received on
518 kHz. Additional local language transmissions may be available on 490

A Navtex receiver.

115

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 116 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

kHz, which is the lowest frequency used in the GMDSS. Because all stations
use the same frequency, each one is allocated individual time slots for
transmission in order to avoid causing interference to other stations within
their range. The exception to this is the issue of gale warnings and SAR
information, which may be broadcast at any time. Because of high atmospheric
noise levels at 518 kHz, the frequency 4209.5 kHz is used to broadcast MSI in
tropical and sub-tropical regions. Once set up, Navtex will work world-wide in
any coastal waters offering a Navtex service without modification or
additional tuning.
The Navtex unit should be programmed to display or print only messages
from stations that are of interest to the user. Providing the Navtex is left
switched on, with logging active, repetitions of the same message in the
following 72 hours will not be printed. If the roll of thermal paper runs out in
the middle of a message, the information will be stored in memory on most
units providing the power is not switched off.
A complete list of Navtex stations and their single-letter designators can be
found in ALRS Volume 3 and 5 as well as in other publications.
For the purpose of Navtex, the world is divided into 16 Navareas that are
identified by Roman numerals:

I (1) United Kingdom IX (9) Pakistan

II (2) France X (10) Australia
III (3) Spain XI (11) Japan
IV (4) USA (east) XII (12) USA (west)
V (5) Brazil XIII (13) Russia
VI (6) Argentina XIV (14) New Zealand
VII (7) South Africa XV (15) Chile
VIII (8) India XVI (16) Peru

In addition, each Navarea is divided into A–Z coastal areas (see Figure 27).
Within each Navarea there is a selection of transmitting stations that can be
chosen. The transmitting stations are used when programming the Navtex
receiver. Where there are no Navtex facilities, coastal areas are used when
programming for EGC SafetyNET messages. A prime example of this is around
Australia.

Message types
Having programmed the stations, the next task is to decide on the types of
messages that are required. Each message type may be either selected or

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9781408187821_txt_app_.indd 117
I
United XIII
Kingdom Russian
Federation
III
II Spain
XII IV France
United States United States XI
IX Japan
Pakistan

XVI VIII
Peru India
V
Brazil

XV VI VII X
Chile Argentina South Africa Australia
XIV XIV
New Zealand New Zealand
maritime safety information
117

Fig 27 Worldwide Navareas for Navtex.

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 118 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

deselected. However, because of their importance, messages A, B and D cannot

be deselected and message L should not be deselected.

A Navigational warnings
B Meteorological warnings
C Ice reports
D Search and Rescue information
E Meteorological forecasts
F Pilot service messages
G AIS messages
H LORAN messages
I OMEGA messages (now discontinued)
J SATNAV messages
K Other electronic navaid messages
L Navigational warnings in addition to A
V Special services – trial allocation
W Special services – trial allocation
X Special services – trial allocation
Y Special services – trial allocation
Z No messages on hand

UK Navtex stations are using V to expand navigational warning information

that has been announced under A.
An example of a printout can be seen in Figure 28. The Navtex message
has a code, which in this example is EA55. The first letter of the code is the
station identification – in this case E is Niton Radio. The second letter is the
message type, with A being a navigational warning. The last two digits are the
serial number allocated by the station and will always be between 01 and 99.
WZ 1061 is a navigational warning code.

NAVTEX MESSAGE EA55

WZ 1061
ENGLAND SOUTH COAST, ISLE OF WIGHT
ST CATHERINE’S POINT LIGHT 50-35N 001-18W
FIXED RED SECTOR LIGHT UNRELIABLE.

Fig 28 An example of a Navtex navigational warning.

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 maritime safety information 119

There may be a test facility on the unit which candidates should be able to
operate. The resultant printout should show that all the characters have been
correctly printed and a pass is indicated against each individual test. This does
not test the condition of the antenna. If the equipment fails a test, there could
be advice in the operator’s manual but it is probable that the unit will have to
be returned for repair.
An alarm will sound for priority messages. If the Navtex uses paper it will
have a visible indication when it is about to run out. To reinsert a new roll, it
is advisable to cut the end into a V shape as the task can be awkward. Ensure
that the shiny side is uppermost, as this is thermal paper. Once in place, the
paper should be advanced by use of the paper feed control. Do not pull the
paper through as this can damage the printing head.

FEC
Forward Error Correction is a mode of telex working used by Navtex. This is
the broadcast mode, sending a transmission from one station to be received by
many. The whole message is sent twice. There are, therefore, only two chances
to acquire the correct character. If the character is corrupted the second time,
the unit will print a space, question mark or star, depending on the equipment
design. The second message is sent slightly behind, but mixed within, the first
message. Incoming information will be held in a small memory until it has
been received a second time and checked for error.

Enhanced Group Calling (EGC)

EGC enables information providers that are authorised by IMO to broadcast
MSI messages, via LESs and NCSs, to ships fitted with an EGC receiver.
SafetyNET is used to distribute meteorological, navigational and search and
rescue messages as well as INMARSAT system messages. SafetyNET is the
satellite equivalent of the terrestrial Navtex and is also a free service. To
receive scheduled navigational warnings for a particular area, the terminal
must be logged in to the correct ocean region NCS. When an area is covered by
more than one ocean region, only one may be nominated to broadcast the
information. Reception is automatic, but the terminal must be pro­grammed
with the vessel’s current position and the Navarea (not individual stations) and
message types that are required. Coastal areas are used around Australia.
The EGC receiver will monitor the NCS common signalling channel that
will be used to send EGC messages. Important unscheduled messages are
repeated six minutes after the first broadcast to increase the chance of
reception. If a station wishes to be able to receive EGC messages at all times,
an independent receiver is required.
EGC is most commonly associated with a SAT C terminal. Three types of
EGC receiver exist. Class zero is a stand alone receiver. Class two shares a
receiver with the communications terminal and will receive EGC messages

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 120 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

when communications are not in progress. Class three has two receivers,
allowing both of the above operations to take place simultaneously. If the EGC
receiver is shared by the SAT C terminal, switching to exclusive EGC mode
before a scheduled broadcast will ensure reception of the messages. It is
important to switch it back after reception to allow resumption of routine
communications.
SAT C terminals will allow the operator to request additional Navareas
other than the one that the vessel is in, providing they are covered by the same
ocean region. If messages are required for the North Sea, which is Navarea 1,
ALRS Volume 5 will advise that this information is available through the
Atlantic Ocean Region East satellite at 1730 UTC. For example, if AORW was
being used for routine communications, the operator would have to remember
to log in to AORE in order to receive the SafetyNET transmission at the
appropriate time. Unscheduled broadcasts of SAR information and severe
weather warnings will be broadcast on all satellites that serve the area
concerned. The advantage of this system over Navtex is that it can be used
anywhere within satellite coverage and not just within coastal range of a
Navtex transmitter.
The ship’s position is usually updated automatically by input from GPS or
another position fixing system. Many SAT C terminals are being manufactured
with an integral GPS. However, if this is not the case, the position should be
updated preferably every four hours, for safety reasons, but at least every 12
hours. After 12 hours, the EGC receiver will assume position information to be
lost and print all messages higher than routine for the whole of the ocean
region. Operators should print or clear the EGC log regularly to avoid filling
the memory.

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 maritime safety information 121

Questions
1 On which frequency is the English language Navtex broadcast?
2 What is the approximate range of a Navtex transmission?
3 Why is it important to program the Navtex receiver?
4 Which message types cannot be deselected?
5 What should be checked during your daily tests on the Navtex receiver?
6 What does EGC stand for?
7 What is an EGC SafetyNET message?
8 If your SAT C terminal is not interfaced with a position fixing system, how
often should you update the position information?

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 122 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

answers
1 The English language Navtex messages are broadcast on 518 kHz.
2 The approximate range of a Navtex transmission is 300 to 400 nautical miles,
although greater ranges are possible at times.
3 It is important to program the Navtex receiver in order to prevent the printing
of messages from stations outside of your area.
4 Message types A, B and D cannot be deselected. L should not be deselected.
A Navigational warnings
B Meteorological warnings
D Search and Rescue information
L Navigational warnings in addition to A
5 The Navtex receiver should be checked for an adequate supply of paper
during the daily tests.
6 EGC stands for Enhanced Group Calling.
7 An EGC SafetyNET message is the satellite equivalent of a Navtex message.
Messages concerning meteorology, navigation and SAR will be included.
8 If your SAT C terminal is not interfaced with a position fixing system, you
should update the position information at least every four hours for safety
reasons.

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 chapter 13

QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Frequencies and their uses

Ch 16 VHF, radiotelephony, distress, urgency, safety and calling.
Ch 06 VHF, radiotelephony, primary intership plus search and rescue.
Ch 08 VHF, radiotelephony, secondary intership.
Ch 13 VHF, radiotelephony, bridge to bridge safety of navigation.
Ch 15 VHF, radiotelephony, on board communications.
and 17
Ch 67 VHF, radiotelephony, UK small craft safety.
Ch 70 VHF, DSC, distress alerting, urgency, safety and routine calling.
490 kHz MF, Navtex, MSI, second language frequency.
518 kHz MF, Navtex, MSI in English.
2048 kHz MF, radiotelephony and intership working.
2174.5 kHz MF, telex, distress, urgency and safety.
2177 kHz MF, DSC, ship to ship and shore to ship routine calling.
2182 kHz MF, radiotelephony, distress, urgency, safety and calling.
2187.5 kHz MF, DSC, distress alerting, urgency and safety calling.
2189.5 kHz MF, DSC, international routine calling from ship to coast station.
3023 kHz MF, radiotelephony, aeronautical search and rescue.
8291 kHz HF, radiotelephony, distress, urgency and safety.
8414.5 kHz HF, DSC, distress alerting, urgency and safety calling.
121.5 MHz Homing signal from some EPIRBs.
406 MHz COSPAS/SARSAT EPIRB.
1.5/1.6 GHz INMARSAT
9 GHz SART.

123

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 124 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

Signals
The distress signal is a single MAYDAY
The urgency signal is a single PAN PAN
The safety signal is a single SÉCURITÉ

DSC priorities or call categories

DISTRESS
DISTRESS RELAY
URGENCY
SAFETY

Example of a distress call

MAYDAY x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1

Example of an urgency call

PAN PAN x 3
ALL STATIONS (or an individual station) x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1

Example of a safety call

SÉCURITÉ x 3
ALL STATIONS (or an individual station) x 3
THIS IS
NAME x 3
CALLSIGN x 1
MMSI x 1
CHANNEL (or frequency) FOR WORKING
OUT

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 quick reference guide 125

Example of a distress message

M MAYDAY
I IDENTIFICATION - NAME, CALLSIGN AND NUMBER
P POSITION
N NATURE OF THE DISTRESS
A ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
N NUMBER ON BOARD
O OTHER INFORMATION
O OVER

Procedural words used during distress working

By radiotelephony:
SEELONCE MAYDAY used by controlling stations to impose radio silence.
SEELONCE FEENEE used to end radio silence and resume normal working.

The phonetic alphabet

Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot
Golf Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima
Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo
Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey X-Ray
Yankee Zulu

INMARSAT codes
00 AUTOMATIC DIALLING
32 MEDICAL ADVICE
38 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OR MEDICAL EVACUATION
39 MARITIME ASSISTANCE
41 METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS
42 NAVIGATIONAL HAZARD REPORTS
43 AMVER SHIP POSITION REPORTS

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 Index
A3E 20 distress priority connection by:
acknowledgement of distress by: INMARSAT B 86, 89
DSC – HF 51 INMARSAT Fleet F77 86, 89
DSC – MF or VHF 50 distress alert relay 51
Radiotelephony 61 distress call 60, 124
Admiralty List of Radio Signals distress frequencies 47
(ALRS) 35 distress message by
AF gain control 38 INMARSAT B 89
AIS-SART 103 INMARSAT C 92
alphabet, phonetic 39, 125 INMARSAT Fleet F77 89
antenna 107 Radiotelephony 60, 124
ATU 109 Distress Message Generator (DMG) 90
Automatic Gain Control (AGC) 39 distress signal 60, 124
avoiding interference 40 documents 34
azimuth 84 doppler 101
dual watch 38
bandwidth 21, 110 duplex 35
batteries 111
blind arc 84 electromagnetic waves 23, 107
bridge to bridge communications 36 elevation 84
Emergency Position Indicating Radio
carrier 20 Beacon (EPIRB) 98
channel 70 36 Enhanced Group Calling (EGC) 119
channel uses 36 equipment requirements 14
clarifier 22, 39
common signalling channel 93 F1B 22
control of communications 40 false alerts 54, 55, 86, 104
COSPAS/SARSAT 98 FEC 119
float-free 99, 101
definitions: footprint 81
distress 59 frequency 21, 28
safety 65 frequency uses 28, 123
urgency 65
designated distress alert 48, 92 General Operator Certificate 17
difficulty with communications 41 geostationary 81, 100
Digital Selective Calling (DSC) 45 ground wave 25
direct wave 27
distress (definition) 59 H3E 21
distress alert by: High Frequency (HF) 24
DSC 47 homing 98, 101
INMARSAT C 92 hydrometer 112

126

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 index 127

identification of stations 31 omnidirectional antenna 23, 83, 110

INMARSAT B 83, 89 on board communications 37
INMARSAT C 83, 92 on scene communications 63
INMARSAT Fleet F77 83, 89
insulators 109 parabolic antenna 110
intership communications 36, 40 phonetic alphabet 39, 125
ionosphere 24 port operations 37
ITU publications 35 press to talk 20, 35
priorities:
J2B 22 DSC 53
J3E 21 INMARSAT 89
propagation 23, 24, 26, 27
Land Earth Station (LES) 81 public correspondence 37
licensing 31
line of sight 27 R3E 22
Local User Terminal (LUT) 100 radio check 34
Long Range Certificate 18 radio log 73
logging in 85, 120 radio wave 23
logging out 85, 94 range 25, 26, 45, 102
Restricted Operator Certificate 19
maintenance of: RF gain control 39
antennae 111 routine calling by:
batteries 112 DSC 66
maritime access code 84, 92 INMARSAT 92
Maritime Identification Digits (MID) Radiotelephony 40
32
Maritime Mobile Service Identity safety (definition) 65
(MMSI) 32 safety call 66, 123
Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre safety connection by INMARSAT 91
(MRCC) 11 safety message by:
Maritime Safety Information (MSI) INMARSAT 94
115 Radiotelephony 66
Mayday relay call 64 SafetyNET 83, 119
Mayday relay message 64 safety signal 65, 123
medical advice/assistance 85, 90 SART 101
Medium Frequency (MF) 23 sea areas 13
modes of emission 20, 39 seelonce feenee 63, 125
modulation 20 seelonce mayday 63, 125
semi-duplex 36
Navarea 116, 117 signals 124
Navtex 115 simplex 35
Network Co-ordination Station (NCS) single sideband 21
83, 85 sky wave 26
space wave 27
ocean regions 82 specific gravity 112

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 128 GMDSS: A User’s Handbook

squelch 38 urgency call 65, 124

STCW 19 urgency connection by INMARSAT 90
store and forward 83 urgency message by:
INMARSAT 90
tests; daily, weekly and monthly 34 Radiotelephony 65
test transmissions 34 urgency signal 65
time division multiplexing 83
transceiver 38 Very High Frequency (VHF) 23
transmitter power 38, 39 voltage 112
transportable VHF 107 volume control 38
tuning 109
two-digit INMARSAT codes 85, 125 watch keeping 33
wavelength 23
undesignated distress alert 48, 92 weak link 109
Universal Time, Co-ordinated (UTC) whip antenna 109
34 wire aerial 109
urgency (definition) 65 working channel/frequency 36

Exam candidates may find the AMERC online GMDSS quiz helpful:
www.amerc.ac.uk/quiz

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