GUIDELINES FOR GENERAL RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS
1 Terminology
1.1 Generalradiocommunications meansoperationalandpubliccorrespondencetraffic,other than distress, urgency and safety messages, conducted by radio (SOLAS Chapter IV, regulation 2.1.5).
However,operationalandpubliccorrespondencetrafficcouldincludeotherradiocommunications relatedtothesafenavigationofthe ship such as ship movement, medical advice, weather reports, etc.
1.2 Publiccorrespondence meansanytelecommunicationwhichtheofficesandstationsmust,by reasonoftheirbeingatthedisposalofthepublic,acceptfortransmission(ITURadioRegulations, provision No. 1.116).
1.3 Alternativecommunicationsystem meansacommunicationsystemavailabletoindividualsor to ships in areas where no maritime VHF/MF public correspondence services are available.
2 Criteria
2.1 TheshipmustbefullyequippedtoperformallGMDSSfunctionsinallwaterswhereitis sailing.
2.2 Thealternativecommunicationsystemorsystemsusedforgeneralradiocommunicationsin A1/A2seaareaswherenomaritimeVHF/MFpubliccorrespondenceservicesareavailable,should:
.1 covertheareaconcerned(haveawelldefinedcoverageareasuchasmapofcoverage or estimated mileage froma coast station);
.2 offer connection to the landbased public switched network;
.3 be capable of handling traffic fromship-to-shore and fromshore-to-ship;
.4 becapableoftransmittingvoiceorwrittenmessages(directprinting(email),faxor data communications);
.5 be in operation 24 hours a day; and
.6 operate in accordance with the ITU Radio Regulations.
2.3 The appropriate personnel of the ship should be:
.1 knowledgeableintheuseofthealternativecommunicationsystemorsystemsused onboardtheshipforgeneralradiocommunicationsinseaareasA1/A2whereno maritime VHF/MF public correspondence services are available; and
.2 fully aware of areas covered by such alternative systemor systems.