Ian Waugh - A Mariner\'s Guide to Marine Communications

Chapter 7

MARINE MF/HF SSB RADIO

YOUR MARINE SSB RADIO offers medium range (up to around 200 miles)

and long range {worldwide} communications between ships - and from

ship-to-shore/shore-to-ship. Facilities are provided for Distress, Urgency,

Safety and Other {routine} calls. This chapter explains the marine MF I

HF SSB Radio network; the MF IHF SSB Installation; SSB Radio

operation and controls; MF IHF DSC operation and controls; SSB

antennas and MF IHF radio wave propagation and routine maintenance

and checks.

The Marine MF IHF SSB Radio Network

------..--

,/

~. ~

..... -" ........

I DSC aJertin

ship/s,¥>re; shore/ ship; Ship/ ship

I

followed by

(voice/teJex messages

Figure Z 7 (aJ MFIHF Distress and Safety Services

Administrations may provide MF DSC alerting facilities to cover coastal waters

(up to around 150 miles from the coast) and/or HF DSC alerting facilities to

cover the larger ocean areas where they have SAR responsibility. The DSC

service will be supported by a voice service and, in some areas, NBDP (Telex-

Over-Radio) services.

Stations may also broadcast Maritime Safety Information (MSI) using voice

and/or NBDP.

Messages to Ship Reporting Systems may be accepted.

MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 135