Regulations and Traffic Procedures

Ship’s Radio LicensesAll established mobile stations must have a radio license, normally issued by the national administration or another office/institute on behalf of the national administration. The conditions are laid down in the license document. The license, or a copy of it, must always be found on board the ship so that it can be inspected by any authorities that are entitled to do so.

Radio Surveys and Radio Safety Certificates All cargo and passenger ships obliged to be

fitted with radio stations in accordance with the SOLAS convention must have a Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate which is valid for a maximum of One year and must be renewed every year. Inspector/surveyors from appropriate shore-based authorities are entitled to inspect the ship station as often as they find necessary in order to ensure that it is in compliance with license conditions, and international conventions and agreements.

Operator CertificatesThe master, or person in charge of the ship, has the highest authority with regard to the operation of the radio station. On board ships fitted with GMDSS installations and sailing in Sea Area A2, A3, A4, there must be at least One person with a General Operator’s Certificate (GOC). Vessels sailing in Sea Area A1 – Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC).

Observance of SecrecyHe holder of the radio license is required to preserve the secrecy of telecommunications, as laid down in the relevant provisions of the convention. The station is not allowed to receive any other correspondence than it is intended to. Without special permission, it is prohibited to publish or take advantage of traffic designated to others.

Priority for Distress CallsDistress calls shall have absolute priority over all other transmissions. All stations hearing such calls shall immediately cease any transmission capable of interfering with the distress traffic and shall continue to listen to the frequency used for the emission of the distress call. This call shall not be addressed to a particular station and acknowledgement of receipt shall not be given before the distress message which follows it has been transmitted.

Unauthorized Transmissions

All stations are forbidden to carry out:a) Unnecessary transmissionsb) The transmission of superfluous signals and

correspondencec) The transmission of false or misleading

signalsd) The transmission of signals without

identification

Control and adjustment of radio transmitters

The testing of radio equipment should be kept at an absolute minimum. In order to avoid harmful interference, remember to take all possible precautions, such as:-Choice of frequency (distress frequencies should not be used unless absolutely necessary)-Test should be carried out using reduced power/artificial antenna-Duration of test signals should be less than 10 seconds-Test transmissions should include callsign/other identification of the transmitting station.

Service documents, publications and posters

a) The ship’s Radio Licenseb) The radio operator’s certificatesc) The GMDSS Radio Logbookd) The List of Call Signs and Station’s

Numerical Identities used by the Maritime Mobile and Maritime Mobile service (ITU)

e) The List of Coast Stations (ITU)f) The List of Ship Stations (ITU)g) The List of Radiodetermination and Special

Service Stations (ITU)h) The manual for Use by the Maritime Mobile

and Mobile-Satellite Services (ITU).

In addition international/national regulations require than the following documentation/publications be carried on board:

a) Radio Safety Certificateb) Antenna Sketchc) List of Spare Parts

Radio LogThe Radio Log as required by the SOLAS

convention, must be kept together with the radio and must be written in accordance with the details required by the Radio Regulations and Guidelines.

All Traffic concerning distress, urgency and safety correspondence with foreign coast and ship stations is of vital importance.

VHF Telephony Very High Frequency F3E and G3E

emission class 30 Mhz to 300 Mhz Used for short dist

◦ Approx. 20 to 50 N.M. Ch 1-28 and ch 60-88

separated each by 25 kHz

Used for:-Public Correspondence-Harbor and Pilot Service-Intership Communications-Safety Service

VHF

Public CorrespondenceRadio telephone calls and cables between ships and the public telecommunications network via a coast station.

Primary Channel 12

Radio communications between a ship station and harbour-or pilot stations.

Assigned channels 6 8 10 etc…

Traffic between ship stations.

Communications concerning distress, urgency or safety traffic.

The international distress and safety calling channel

Channel 16 Or 156.8 Mhz

Channel 16 can also be used by: Coast and ship stations for calling and

replying to calls Coast stations for announcement of traffic

lists and important maritime messages Coast and ship stations for selective calling

Working Channel shall be used whenever possible.

A ship is calling a coast station with a working channel of VHF ch. 81.

The call shall consist of:- The name of the called station (1 to 3

times)- THIS IS- The name of the calling station (1 to 3

times)- Channel number

Example:STOCKHOLM RADIO STOCKHOLM RADIO STOCKHOLM RADIOTHIS IS PIONEER PIONEER CALLSIGN ELPU9CHANNEL 81TRAFFIC ON HANDOVER

Example: MV Pioneer contacts Finesterre Radio

MV Pioneer:FINESTERRE RADIO FINESTERRE RADIO FINESTERRE RADIOTHIS IS PIONEER PIONEER CALLSIGN ELPU9CHANNEL 16TELEPHONE CALLOVER

Finesterre Radio’s reply:

PIONEERTHIS ISFINISTERRE RADIOROGERCHANGE TO CHANNEL 22OVER

Pioneer’s reply:

FINISTERRE RADIO THIS ISPIONEERROGER GOING UP

Calls can be transmitted three(3) times with intervals of Two(2) minutes.

Unanswered series of calls must be stopped and not be repeated until after an interval of three(3) minutes

Keep listening watch on channel 16

Traffic Lists Coast stations normally transmit their calls

in the form of traffic lists of stations they have traffic for.

Example:ALL SHIPS ALL SHIPS ALL SHIPSTHIS ISROGALAND RADIO ROGALAND RADIO ROGALAND RADIOLISTEN FOR MY TRAFFIC LIST ON VHF CH. 18OUT

Medium Frequency H3E and J3E emission class 1605 Khz to 4000khz Used for medium range

◦ Approx. 150 N.M.

MF radiotelephony (coast telephony)

MF

Ships calling coast stations should make the call on an available WORKING CHANNEL.

Region 1 – 2045 kHz and 2048 kHz Region 2 and 3 – 2635kHz and 2638kHz

Example:PORT SAID PORT SAID PORT SAIDTHIS ISPIONEER PIONEER CALLSIGN ELPU9ON 2182 kHzMY WORKING FREQUENCY IS 2045 kHzTELEPHONE CALLOVER

General Calling Procedures

HF Telephony High Frequency J3E emission class 4000 kHz to 27000 kHz Used for Long Range communication Duplex frequencies are used for Ships

calling a coast station.

For distress and safety operation, simplex frequencies are used. For commercial operation at MF and HF, Duplex (paired frequencies) are used.

TX: 4092kHz

RX: 4092 kHz

RX: 4384 kHz

TX: 4384 kHz

Example: Pioneer:

VALPARAISO RADIO VALPARAISO RADIO VALPARAISO RADIOTHIS IS PIONEER PIONEER PIONEER CALLSIGN ELPU9CHANNEL 821TRAFFIC ON HANDOVER

Valparaiso Radio:PIONEER PIONEERTHIS IS VALPARAISO RADIO VALPARAISO RADIO VALPARAISO RADIOROGER READ YOU FIVECHANGE TO HF CHANNEL 815STAND BY YOU ARE NUMBER TWO IN TRAFFICOVER

Pioneer:VALPARAISO RADIO THIS IS PIONEERROGERSTANDING BY ON HF CHANNEL 815