1 The following guidance for the development of training materials for GMDSS operations
is offered to:
- promote the development and availability of training materials for operators on
ships not subject to SOLAS or other IMO Conventions using the GMDSS;
- encourage operators to use these materials to become familiar with the GMDSS,
proper operation of the relevant sub-systems and means to avoid inadvertent
activation of distress alerts; and
- encourage the use of existing materials developed for training operators aboard
GMDSS ships as well as computer-based training aids where available.
Manufacturers
2 In general, the manufacturer of radio equipment is best suited to develop effective
general operating instructions for its own equipment. These are usually contained in an
operating manual or technical manual packaged with the equipment. Professional
communicators using this equipment for the first time need only a few hints to attain skill
in using the new equipment; however, other users may need to study the manual carefully
and still may not attain skill until having practised with the equipment, or having been
shown how to operate the radio by another mariner who has experience with that
equipment.
Manufacturers should ensure that manuals prepared for GMDSS sub-system equipment
have sufficient information to permit non-professional communication users to be able to
operate the equipment effectively and to avoid inadvertent activation of distress alerts.
Sales and service facilities
3 Manufacturer's representatives should, as necessary, help to provide the user with basic instruction. One way is to have the customer view a video showing proper operation of
the equipment which should be developed by the manufacturer. Another is to have a
mock-up or actual installation available for the customer to use with supervision. Both of
these could give the potential GMDSS user sufficient familiarity and confidence with using
the equipment to avoid misuse.
Voluntary organizations
4 Sailing clubs, coastguard auxiliary and other maritime volunteer organizations in
co-operation with competent authorities should develop seminars on the GMDSS
sub-systems as part of regularly scheduled events. These should highlight the general
concepts of the GMDSS and the importance to maritime safety of proper operation. They
could also highlight examples of misuses and focus on do's and don'ts for ensuring their
safety while at sea.
Regulatory authorities
5 Authorities responsible for maritime safety, search and rescue and licensing of the
GMDSS radio sub-systems should strongly advocate the following measures in order to
preserve the integrity of the GMDSS and enhance its effectiveness in meeting the safety
needs of non-Convention ships:
- promote the development of short, affordable and easy to understand training
materials, including videos, posters, short manuals and information on detailed
GMDSS training materials;
- ensure, in-so-far-as-possible, that every operator of the GMDSS sub-systems has
adequate training and skills for the proper use of the equipment by advocating
suitable training, including competency testing, prior to use of the equipment;
- advocate that continuous watch be maintained on the GMDSS sub-systems while
underway; and
- advocate that two-way GMDSS sub-systems capable of transmitting an automatic
alert including position ensure that the position is current by using an integral or
connected electronic position-fixing equipment or manually updating the position at
frequent intervals.
Equipment applicable to non-SOLAS ships and pleasure craft on domestic coastal voyages
Satellite EPIRBs
6 A minimal description of what happens when this device is activated should be covered
as well as some common failures which have been noted, e.g., improper use of lanyards,
etc. Training should include proper installation for floating free (in cases where non-float
free units are installed, it must be pointed out that accessibility and ease of removal are
critical) and measures to avoid false alerts. It should also emphasize that the EPIRB is the
system of last resort and should only be activated when all other systems fail. Testing
procedures should be covered and finally, the importance of registering the beacon should
be emphasized. Two possible systems are approved for use in the GMDSS, the
COSPAS-SARSAT polar orbiting satellite system operating on 406 MHz and the
Inmarsat-E geostationary satellite system operating in L-band. The features of each system
should be covered even if a vessel only has one of the systems.
VHF-DSC
7 Correct calling procedures to nearby vessels, shore stations for public correspondence,
and to coast guard or other rescue authorities should be explained. Cautions should be
explained and correct procedures emphasized relating to acknowledgement of alerts from
other ships. The importance should also be emphasized of having the vessel's identification
registered with the responsible authorities and having its navigation equipment (if available)
interfaced to the DSC so that an accurate position is part of any distress or safety call.
Administrations should consider requiring a minimum DSC capability for all VHF radios as
part of their type approval and type acceptance requirements. As DSC shore installations
are sparse in most of the world, this system has not been widely implemented by
non-Convention ships.
However, this is one of the vital systems for ship-to-ship alerting. Therefore, since many
ships will either need to call another ship or be called to assist another ship, it is critical
that they be familiar with the use of this system. Topics to cover should be basic
operation of the VHF radio and how DSC acts as an automated watch. The importance of
maintaining the watch (keeping the radio on and tuned to channel 70) should be
emphasized.
NAVTEX
8 This system is designed to provide marine safety broadcasts and distress information
relevant to a limited area, generally less than 300 nm from the NAVTEX coast station.
Messages are numbered and repeated for several subsequent broadcast periods. Stations
maintain a co-ordinated broadcast schedule and broadcast priority information such as
distress information on an urgent basis. The receiver will ignore repetitions of broadcasts
which it has already copied. The receiver is also designed to sound an alarm upon receipt
of an urgent transmission. This is perhaps the most useful and affordable of all the
GMDSS sub-systems to non-SOLAS ships. Users must be taught how to avoid receiving
duplications of old messages, how to limit the area of concern and the importance of
keeping the receiver turned on. They must be familiar with basic information on how the
system works, its intended function and proper operation to take maximum advantage of
this system.
Equipment applicable to non-SOLAS ships and pleasure craft operating on deep sea
voyages
Inmarsat or other satellite ship earth station
9 Many non-SOLAS ships are voluntarily fitting terminals of Inmarsat-C and M systems.
In some areas alternative mobile-satellite systems are offering services to non-Convention
ships using the GMDSS frequencies although on a limited and restricted basis. Users of
these systems must know how best to use them for effective and efficient communication
including during distress incidents. As a minimum, users should know how GMDSS
services are provided to meet marine safety information dissemination requirements, distress
alerting and communication in the ship-to-shore and shore-to-ship directions. Many small
commercial vessels and, to a greater extent, pleasure yachts, are fitting satellite
communication equipment including Inmarsat-C and M systems. Users of this equipment
should understand the limitations of its use for distress and safety and be encouraged to
follow up any distress alert message with additional information, particularly information
concerning the severity of the situation, best known location, number of persons on board,
visual description and shore contact person. Vessels fitting Inmarsat-C with EGC can
receive SafetyNET broadcasts and limit the receipt of this type of information to relevant
sea areas of immediate concern.
Other Inmarsat systems: Inmarsat-A and B
10 Users of Inmarsat-A and B systems need only a minimum of training and practice to
become proficient as these two systems are nearly equivalent to the shore-side public
telephone systems.
After initial log on, the user simply dials a telephone number. In distress situations, a
priority mode is available which rings through directly to the rescue authority associated
with the coast earth station. When the call is answered a voice communication is
established. Topics to cover are the basic operation, distress alerting and communication
procedures and cautions against inadvertent activation of the priority mode to prevent false
alerts.
HF and MF DSC
11 Most small commercial and pleasure craft will probably not need these systems except
in rare cases. Nonetheless, some basic operational instructions should be available including
how these are to be used for distress alerting (ship-to-shore), establishing a voice or
NBDP circuit, and receiving notifications of distress situations in their immediate vicinity.
The frequencies for distress alerting, distress voice traffic and NBDP traffic should be
covered as well as the necessity to guard the distress alerting channel in the 8 MHz band.