GMDSS - Overview

Cujbă Bogdan – TM32

CONTENT

• Introduction to GMDSS.
• GMDSS systems and equipment.
• GMDSS communication examples.
• Video example of communication.
• Bibliography.
Introduction to GMDSS – history.
• In 1974, as a necessity for the regulation of the maritime
industry regarding safety on
large, the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) convention is adopted.

• Until 1992, in accordance with Chapter IV of the SOLAS

Convention,
passengers of any size and cargo ships of a gross tonnage
equal to or greater
1600 tdw, they were required to be on constant standby at
500 KHz (radiotelegraphy
Morse).
Introduction to GMDSS – history.
Introduction to GMDSS – about.
• GMDSS is a system that tends to automate communications in
the maritime industry
and in distress situations uses radio communications, both
terrestrial and satellite, to
transmits distress alerts, but also to ensure specific
communications such as ship to shore, shore
to ship and / or ship to ship.
• As with the old rescue and safety system used in maritime
navigation,
GMDSS targets passenger ships, regardless of their size,
and merchant ships with a
gross tonnage equal to or greater than 300 tdw.
Introduction to GMDSS – about.
Introduction to GMDSS – components.

GMDSS is based on the two radio

services:
• MOBILE MARITIME SERVICE - SMM
(MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE - MMS);
• MOBILE MARITIME SERVICE BY
SATELLITE - SMMS (MARITIME
MOBILE- SATELLITE SERVICE - MMSS).
Introduction to GMDSS – components.
Introduction to GMDSS – concept.
GMDSS is designed so that in the event of an
incident at sea, wherever you are
produces, shore authorities specializing in
search and rescue operations (Search and
Rescue) as well as ships in the immediate
vicinity of the incident, can be quickly alerted
and
coordinated search and rescue operations
begin with minimal delay.
Introduction to GMDSS – concept.
Introduction to GMDSS – concept.

Basically GMDSS ensures the interoperability of

several subsystems while allowing
and making connections for public
correspondence. Conceptual change
2. 3
The major advantage of the new system is that the
final recipient of a distress alert is a station
ashore (a coastal radio station or a ground station,
part of a satellite system)
through which the distress alert will be directed to
an RCC - Rescue Coordination Center
or to an MRCC - Maritime Rescue Coordination
Center.
GMDSS systems and equipment.
• VHF RADIO STATIONS
• MH, HF RADIO STATIONS
• DSC SYSTEMS
GMDSS systems and equipment
VHF RADIO STATIONS.

VHF radio stations are represented by all transmission / reception systems

including interconnected antennas and equipment / terminals for communications in
VHF band, Maritime Mobile Service (SMM).
According to the SOLAS Convention, Chapter 4: Radiocommmunications, VHF radio
stations
must be able to transmit and receive in order to ensure maritime security and in
distress situations, on the frequency 156.525 MHz (channel 70 VHF DSC). VHF radio
stations must
to ensure the possibility of transmitting the distress alert on channel 70, to ensure the
reception and transmission
in radiotelephony (RT) on the frequencies 156.300 MHz (channel 06 VHF RT); 156.650
MHz (channel
13 VHF RT); 156,800 MHz (16 VHF RT channel) and all other VHF channels, SMM from
156-174 MHz band, as defined in the ITU Radio Regulations (RR),
Appendix 18 (WRC-07): Table of transmitting frequencies in the VHF maritime mobile
band
GMDSS systems and equipment
VHF portable radio station.
GMDSS systems and equipment
VHF RADIO STATIONS.

Portable VHF radiotelephone, SART-Search and Rescue Radar

Transponder) and EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) are
equipment
intended for lifeboats or rafts. Used in communications at the scene of the
naval incident
(on scene distress communications), the VHF portable radiotelephone must
provide radiotelephone communications on 16 VHF channel (distress,
safety and calling channel),
so that it can communicate with coastal stations, other VHF ship stations,
including
the portable ones. Usually, portable radiotelephones ensure the
establishment of communications on the
at least one more VHF channel (06, 12, 13, etc.).
GMDSS systems and equipment
MH, HF RADIO STATIONS

MF / HF radio stations are represented by all transmission / reception

systems
including interconnected antennas and equipment / terminals for
communications in
phonics, telex, DSC in the Maritime Mobile Service (SMM), medium and
high frequency bands.
According to the SOLAS Convention, chapter 4: Radiocommunications,
MF / HF radio stations
must be able to transmit and receive in order to ensure maritime security
and in
hazardous situations on all frequencies for maritime safety and danger in
the bands covered
between 1605 kHz and 4000 kHz and between 4000 kHz and 27500 kHz,
using DSC, telephony and telex.
GMDSS systems and equipment
MH, HF RADIO STATIONS
GMDSS systems and equipment
MH, HF RADIO STATIONS.

Decision criteria and decisions in establishing medium and high

level radio communications
distance in the maritime field depend on these considerations
and depend on the service of
communications used, by the priority category of the message
to be transmitted in
the context of compliance with those specified in the ITU Radio
Regulations (RR) and in
IMO resolutions / recommendations on frequency availability
and protection,
ensuring radio vigilance, proper use of frequencies, avoidance of
interference, etc
GMDSS systems and equipment
DSC SYSTEMS.

The DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC) system is

part of the category
GMDSS terrestrial communications systems.
DSC is a synchronous system that uses encoded
characters, using a ten-digit code
bits with error detection (see Table 1 - Ten-bit
error- detecting code, Recommendation
ITU-R. M 493-11).
128 characters are used.
GMDSS systems and equipment
DSC SYSTEMS.

In detail, the technical structure of the Call sequence (DSC)

sequence) contains:
Dot pattern
Phasing sequence
Format specifier
Address
Category
Self identification
Message 1; Message 2; Message 3; Message4 * ···
End of sequence (EOS)
Error - check character (ECC)

Note *: Message 4 only exists for the distress call sequence.

GMDSS systems and equipment
DSC SYSTEMS.
GMDSS systems and equipment
- DSC controllers only available for ship stations.

Ship stations may be equipped with DSC equipment available only to DSC stations
ship, from the categories described below:
- Class A DSC controllers, which include all facilities in accordance with IMO requirements
GMDSS for equipping ships, intended for MF / HF radio installations and / or installations
VHF radio;
- class B DSC controllers, equipment that ensures the minimum facilities for
installations on ships in accordance with the minimum rules required by the IMO GMDSS
for MF and VHF installations, but which do not require the version of equipped DSC controllers
with all class A facilities;
- DSC class D controllers, equipment that ensures the minimum facilities for
DSC VHF radio installations - for distress, urgency, safety and routine calling, but no
entirely under the auspices of IMO GMDSS rules for MF / HF installations;
- class E DSC controllers, equipment that ensures the minimum facilities for
MF and / or HF DSC radio installations - for distress, urgency, safety and routine
calling, but not entirely under the auspices of IMO GMDSS rules for installations
MF / HF.
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.

Making a distress call The distress call Mayday may be

used only if the boat is threatened by grave and
imminent danger – for example, sinking or on fire – and
immediate assistance is required. This distress call has
absolute priority over all other transmissions and may
be transmitted only on the authority of the skipper or
the person responsible for the safety of your vessel. A
Mayday call on one of the distress frequencies will
attract the attention of land stations and other vessels in
your area. Stay calm, explain the problem and give
position and distress information clearly.
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.

Distress or urgency When transmitting a distress or

urgency message, stay on VHF channel 16 or 27.88mHz
and do not change unless directed to by the local marine
radio station – the rescuing vessel will communicate with
you on that channel.
• Specify the nature of assistance you need.
• Follow directions of rescuers.
• Follow any instructions Sea Rescue or the rescuing vessel
give you.
• Notify Sea Rescue if the situation changes or the danger
has passed.
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.

Silence periods To increase the chances

of a weak distress transmission being
received, threeminute periods of radio
silence are observed on the hour and
half hour on distress channels. With the
exception of distress traffic, all
transmissions must cease during silence
periods.
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.

• Mayday procedure “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”

• “This is [vessel name and/or call sign if you have
one]” (spoken three times)
• “Mayday [vessel name and/or call sign if you have
one]”
• “My position is ... [Details of the ship’s position]”
“My vessel is ... [Nature of distress and assistance
required is identified]”
• “I have ... [Other information including number of
persons on board]”
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.

• This call can be repeated as often as

necessary until answered. If no
answer is received on distress
frequencies, repeat the call on any
frequency which might attract
attention.
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.

• Pan Pan urgency call The urgency call

should be used when the distress call
cannot be justified but there is an
urgent message to transmit
concerning the safety of the vessel or
the safety of a person (for example,
mechanical breakdown, medical
emergency or a man overboard).
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.

• Pan Pan procedure “Pan Pan, Pan Pan, Pan Pan”

• “Hello all stations, Hello all stations, Hello all stations”
• “This is [vessel name and/or call sign if you have one]”
(spoken three times)
• “My position is ... [Details of the vessel’s position]”
• “I require... [Details of assistance required and other
information]”

Urgency calls can be made on a distress frequency or

any other frequency which may attract attention
GMDSS systems and equipment –
GMDSS communication examples.
Video example of communication.
Video example of communication.
Bibliography.

• GMDSS-GOC - theory and

applications of Codruța Pricop
• YouTube.com
• Google.com
• Transport.wa.gov.au