ITU-R Sg.8 Seminar

The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

(GMDSS)

Eirik Bliksrud

Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority

The (Future) Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

Planned in the -70s/-80s to replace morse:

Automatic, not manual

New technology: digital modulation

satellite systems

Fulfil 9 functional requirements wherever it is

Alert shore and ships

Communicate

Be located

Receive safety information

Sea areasA1: VHF - Line of sight

A2: MF - Ground wave

A3: Inmarsat – GSO

A4: HF - Reflections

Radiosystems in the GMDSS

VHF, MF and HF: DSC, voice, data

Inmarsat: Voice, data, nav.info

NAVTEX: Nav. Information

COSPAS-SARSAT: EPIRBs

Digital Selective Calling (DSC)

Call individual or groups of stations

Distress, safety, routine calls

Contains identity, position and other info

100/1200 b/s Time diversity

WRC-07

Agenda 1.14: Review of the GMDSS

Listening watch on ch. 16Digitalisation of VHF (Appendix 18)

Digitalisation of HFNew data systems: HF internet

New systems in GMDSS?New satellite systems ?IMT-2000 ?

CoveragePriorityPouting to RCCGlobally implementedOn-scene communications

GMDSSNot so fancyNot so modern

Serves well, saves livesSimple, robust systems/equipmentTrue global compatibilityStill not fully implemented

Changes are slow to implement