PRELIM E NOTES

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Bridge to bridge communications - means safety communications between ships from the position from which the ships are
normally navigated.
Digital selective calling (DSC) - a standard for sending pre-defined digital messages from ship to ship, ship to shore and shore to
ship.
Emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) – automated identification and locator device for Search and Rescue
operations.
Locating means the finding of ships, aircraft, units or persons in distress
MES — A Mobile Earth Station in the Inmarsat system, which includes mobile, land, ship and airborne
Inmarsat terminals. On a ship it is more commonly referred to as a Ship Earth Station (SES).
NAVTEX - an international automated service for delivery of navigational and meteorological warnings, forecasts and urgent
maritime safety information to ships.
NBDP — Narrow Band Direct PrintingINMARSAT – a global mobile satellite communication system providing two-way data and
messaging.
ARQ — Automatic Retransmission Request. A NBDP (telex) technique for detecting and correcting transmitted errors, requiring
an automatic transmitted response from the receiving station.
GHz — Gigahertz (1 000 000 000 hertz). A measurement unit of radio frequency, oscillation and vibration equaling 1 000 000 000
cycles per second.
Land Earth Station (LES) — An earth station in the maritime mobile—satellite service located at a fixed place and providing
communications to and from mobile stations (formerly CES, Coast Earth Station).
MF — Medium Frequency (300 to 3 000 kHz).
MRCC — Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre
MSI - Maritime Safety Information. Navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety-
related messages.
SAR — Search and Rescue
VHF — Very High Frequency. (30 to 300 MHz)
NAVAREA means a geographical sea area established for the purpose of coordinating the broadcast of navigational warnings
UTC means Coordinated Universal Time which is equivalent to GMT (or ZULU) as the international time standard. It is a high-
precision atomic time standard.
Coast Station — a land station in the maritime mobile service providing terrestrial communications to and from ships at sea
Coast Radio Station - They are a maritime radio stations situated on shore which monitors radio distress frequencies, coordinate
the radio traffic and relays ship-to-ship and ship-to-land communications.
Digital Selective Calling - Broadcasting and receiving DSC Alerts is one of the major facilities on a VHF radio that is possible by
VHF DSC controller. DSC alerts are used to “switch people on” to follow on with voice communication.
Hydrostatic Release Unit - It is a device that will automatically release the EPIRB once a depth of approximately 4-5 m is reached.
Expiry is after 2 years.
Local User Terminal (LUT) — A ground receiving station which receives data from COSPAS and SARSAT satellites, calculates the
position of the beacon and forwards the resultant information to rescue authorities. Earth based ground stations, receive and
process Distress alerts from 406 MHz EPIRBs relaying Distress information, comprising casualty ID, Position and UTC time, to
MCC.
Mission Control Centres - Their main purpose and function is to relay EPIRB Distress alert information to the appropriate MRCC
who coordinates the deployment of SAR units in the SAR region in which the casualty is located. MCCs are a core component of
the international satellite system for search and rescue - Cospas-Sarsat.
RCC — Rescue Coordination Centre - means a unit responsible for promoting efficient organization of search and rescue services
and for coordinating the conduct of search and rescue operations within a search and rescue region.
COSPAS–SARSAT — Cosmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynich Sudov–Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking. A satellite–
aided search and rescue system. Designed to locate emergency radio beacons transmitting on the frequencies of 406.025,
406.028 and 406.037 MHz, with 121.5 MHz for homing.

The NAVTEX station sends this message on a designated frequency and we receive it on board if we are in range of that NAVTEX
station:

NAVTEX uses frequency 518 KHz for transmitting messages in English.

NAVTEX uses another frequency 490 kHz for transmitting messages in local language.
Search & Rescue Transponder (SART) system - is a portable radar transponder intended for deployment from a life raft. It will
transmit a homing signal which shows up on the radar displays of ships and aircraft involved in a search and rescue mission as a
series of 12 dots, indicating the required course setting to the casualty.

1972 – IMO commence a study of maritime satellite communication

1974 SOLAS Convention – prescribed shipboard radiocommunication
Passenger ship all size and cargo ship of 1600 tons gross tonnage – required
Morse telegraphy system on 500 kHz and a morse qualified radio officer
2. Cargo ship of 300 tons gross tonnage and over – required radiotelephony
system on 2182 kHz and156.8 MHz
1979 – adopted the International convention on maritime search and rescue
(SAR)

Implementation of GMDSS 1992-1999

All ship constructed after 1 February 1992 to be fitted with a radar transponder and two-way VHF radio-telephone apparatus
for survival craft
August 1, 1993 , all ships to be fitted with a NAVTEX receiver and a
satellite EPIRB
- February 1, 1995 , all ship constructed before 1 February 1992 to be fitted with a radar transponder and two-way VHF radio
telephony for survival craft
- February 1, 1995 , all ships to be fitted with at least one radar capable of operating in the 9GHz band
- February 1, 1999 – fully implementation of GMDSS appropriate requirements
Full implementation of GMDSS regulations was effected on 1 Feb 1999, applying to all cargo ships 300 Gross tons & above & to
all Passenger Ships, Regardless of size on International Voyages.
- Before GMDSS was implemented, a radio watch was kept on the Distress Frequencies by a dedicated Officer using Headphones
or Loudspeakers.
- In the GMDSS, the DSC - Digital Selective Calling Equipment keeps Watch automatically.
Before GMDSS, a vessel in Distress relied primarily on another vessel for assistance.
The GMDSS emphasizes the ability to alert SAR - Search & Rescue , authorities ashore as well as shipping in the to achieve a
coordinated response to Distress situations.
- GMDSS involves Terrestrial as well as Satellite Communications System.
DSC is a terrestrial system available in the MF / HF / VHF frequency bands. Characteristics of the Earth / Sea / like Terrain /
Surface, Weather Conditions, day-night times affect the Propagation of these signals. Shore stations used in terrestrial
communications are called CRS - Coast Radio Stations.
search and rescue ashore, as well as shipping in the immediate vicinity of the ship in distress, will be rapidly alerted to a distress
incident so that they can assist in a coordinated SAR operation with the minimum delay.
- provides for urgency and safety communication and the promulgation of Maritime safety information (MSI) – navigation and
meteorological warnings and forecast and other safety information to ship

Sea Area A1 Sea

An area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available.
VHF Receiver/Transmitter with DSC Ch 70, and R/T Ch 6, 13, 16 — the
VHF DSC Watch Receiver and the DSC Ch 70 may be separate or
combined.
- Satellite EPIRB – on 406 MHz band (Cospas-Sarsat)
Search and Rescue Transponder (SART)- 2 minimum for ships over 500
Gross Tons
- Navtex Receiver
Portable VHF Receiver/Transmitters – 3 minimum for ships over 500
Gross Tons Area

Sea Area A2
An area, excluding sea area A1 , within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one MF coast station in which continuous DSC
alerting is available.
- VHF Receiver/Transmitter with DSC Ch 70, and R/T Ch 6, 13, 16 — the VHF DSC Watch Receiver and the DSC Ch 70 may be
separate or combined.
- MF Transmitter and Receiver with DSC on 2187.5 khZ, and R/T 2182 kHz
- Satellite EPIRB – on 406 MHz band (Cospas-Sarsat)
- Search and Rescue Transponder (SART)- 2 minimum for ships over 500 Gross Tons
- Navtex Receiver
- Portable VHF Receiver/Transmitters – 3 minimum for ships over 500 Gross Tons Area

Sea Area A4 : means an area Outside sea areas Al , A2 and A3.

Ships travelling these Polar Regions must carry a DSC-equipped HF radiotelephone/telex, in addition to equipment required for
areas A1 and A2.
-
VHF Receiver/Transmitter with DSC Ch 70, and R/T Ch 6, 13, 16 — the VHF DSC Watch Receiver and the DSC Ch 70 may be
separate or combined.
- MF Transmitter and Receiver with DSC on 2187.5 khZ, and R/T 2182 kHz
- HF Receiver/Transmitter with DSC on 8414.5 kHz together with one of 4207.5 kHz, 6312 kHz, 12577 kHz, 16804.5 kHz and
specified R/T, RadioTelex, and MSI frequencies.
-
Every passenger ship should have a VHF transceiver working on the aeronautical frequencies 121.5 MHz and 123.1MHz, located
on the navigation bridge.
- Satellite EPIRB – on 406 MHz band (Cospas-Sarsat)
- Search and Rescue Transponder (SART)- 2 minimum for ships over 500 Gross Tons
- Navtex Receiver
- Portable VHF Receiver/Transmitters – 3 minimum for ships over 500 Gross Tons Area

Regulation 13, Chapter 4 of SOLAS sets the following requirements for GMDSS batteries:
- batteries must be recharged to the required minimum in less than 10 hours;
- the capacity of the batteries must be checked atleast less than 12 months;
- the batteries should provide power to operate GMDSS for 1 hour if GMDSS is getting the power from emergency generators,
and
- for 6 hours if GMDSS is not getting the power from emergency generators.
- to ensure that the reserve source of energy shall provide the following:
the highest degree of service;
a reasonable lifetime
reasonable safety;
that battery temperatures remain within the manufacturer's specifications whether under charge or idle that when fully
charged, the batteries will provide at least the minimum required hours of operation under all weather conditions