Chapter
RADIO WATCHKEEPING, THE RADIO LOG
and THE VOYAGE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
AlL 'SOLAS-CONVENTION' VESSEl.S, depending on their GMDSS Sea Area
of operation, are required to maintain a radio watch which will ensure
that they receive 'Maritime Safety Information' (including weather and
navigation warnings, and 'SAR' messages) from-shore, typically using:
NAVTEX - when within coverage of a NAVTEX coast station.
The Inmarsat SafetyNET service when outside ofNA VTEX coverage
(except where they have exemption, and use HF NBDP instead):
Vessels must also be able to:- Receive DSC Distress, Urgency and Safety Alerts from other vessels,
in all four GMDSS Sea Areas (AI, A2, A3 and A4).
Receive DSC Distress, Urgency and Safety Alerts from VHF-DSC/
MF-DSC coast stations when within Alar A2 areas.
Receive Distress (Relay) Messages, from shore, over the Inmarsat
EGC (SafetyNET) service when in A3 areas; OR receive DSC Distress
Relay Alerts from HF DSC Coast Stations covering their area when
in A3 waters, if they use HF DSC (rather than Inmarsat EGC) for A3
area coverage.
Receive DSC Distress Relay Alerts from HF-DSC Coast Stations when
in Sea Area A4.
Receive voice Distress Calls and Messages from non-GMDSS vessels,
on VHF Ch16, without first being alerted by DSC on Ch70 (until 1
Feb. 2005).
Receive bridge-ta-bridge voice calls concerning the safe movement of
vessels, on VHF Ch 13, without first being alerted by DSC on Ch70.Receiving MSI by NAVTEX, SafetyNET and VHF/MF/HF Radio
was covered in Chapter 2.Radio Log - what to include
When at sea, your day-ta-day entries in the GMDSS Radio Log
should show:
Stations/satellites being monitored for the reception of Maritime Safety
Information (MSI).
Channelslfrequencies being monitored for, and a summary of
communications relating to, Distress (Mayday), Urgency (Pan Pan)
and Safety (Securite) traffic.24 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE