GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF

RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Have an elementary knowledge of frequency and

frequency bands;
• Be aware of the characteristics of frequencies/radio
propagation;
• Have an elementary knowledge of different types of
modulation and classes of emission;
• Knowledge of the role of the various modes of
communication
• Frequency allocations to the Maritime Mobile Service.
 RESOURCES

•An Introduction to GMDSS; T.R.

Kristensen; 8th Edition; Poseidon
•Handbook for Marine Radio
Communication; G.D. Lees & W.G.
Williamson; 3rd Edition; Lloyds of London
Press.
•Model Course 1.25; 2004 Edition; IMO
•Template from
www.presentationmagazine.com
 Frequency and Frequency
Bands
• What is the propagation speed of radio
waves?

• The formula to find frequency or wavelength

C = f ×λ
is:
RADIOWAVE
 UNIT OF MEASURING
FREQUENCY

The unit used for measuring frequency Is the

Hertz (Hz). Radio transmissions are usually very
large numbers. Therefore these large numbers
are written as:
1 kHz (Kilo Hertz) = 1,000 Hz
1 MHz (Mega Hertz)= 1,000,000 Hz
1 GHz (Giga Hertz) = 1,000,000,000 Hz
1 THz (Terra Hertz) = 1,000,000,000,000 Hz
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FREQUENCY
AND WAVELENGTH
• Using the formula C = f x L , find the wavelength for
each of the following frequencies:
• 100 kHz
• 500 kHz
• 2182 kHz
• 156.8 MHz
• 1227.6 MHz
 RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM

• The radio frequency spectrum is divided into several

different bands. They are:
• ELF (Extremely Low Freq) 3 Hz - 3 kHz
• VLF (Very Low Frequency) 3 kHz – 30 kHz
• LF (Low Frequency) 30 kHz – 300 kHz
• MF (Medium Frequency) 300 kHz – 3 MHz
• HF (High Frequency) 3 MHz – 30 MHZ
• VHF (Very High Frequency) 30 MHz – 300 MHz
• UHF (Ultra High Frequency) 300 MHz – 3 GHz
• SHF (Super High Frequency) 3 GHz – 30 GHz
• EHF (Extremely High Freq.) 30 GHz - 300 GHz
PROPAGATION OF RADIO WAVES:
THE IONOSPHERE
 PROPAGATION OF RADIO WAVES:
TYPES OF PROPAGATION
• There are three types of propagation methods for
radio waves:
• Line of Sight
• Ground Wave
• Sky Wave
 MAXIMUM USABLE FREQUENCY (MUF)

• The maximum frequency that will be reflected off the

ionosphere over any particular path.
 MAXIMUM USABLE FREQUENCY

• The true range of communication is not the entire

distance between the transmitter and receiver.
 CRITICAL FREQUENCY

• The highest frequency for which reflection off any

layer of the ionosphere can be achieved. The Critical
Frequency is written as fo

MUF = fo X Cos A

A = Angle of Incidence
 LOWEST USABLE FREQUENCY

• As the radio frequency is reduced, the reflection will

occur in the lower layers of the ionosphere. But the
lowest levels of the ionosphere will also absorb the
radio signal. Therefore the frequency will reach a
lowest usable frequency level that can be reflected off
of the ionosphere.
 SINGLE HOP RADIO SIGNALS

• It is possible for radio signals to do multiple hops.

This phenomenon is not always useful since each
hop will absorb some energy until finally no voice
signal is received.
 OPTIMUM TRAFFIC FREQUENCY

• To determine what this would be, the following is

provided as a guide for normal conditions:
• Daytime MUF is higher than night time MUF
• Winter MUF’s are both lower than and vary more than
summer MUF’s
• Radio circuits less than 600 n miles normally use
frequencies below 15 MHz
• Radio circuits greater than 600 n miles normally use
frequencies above 15 MHz
• MUF’s are higher when the sunspot number is high
• MUF at night is approximately half of the daytime MUF
 CLASSES OF EMISSION

• “Emission” is defined as radiation produced, or the

production of radiation, by a radio transmitting
station.
• There are two basic types of emission (the
transmittal of radio signals):
• Amplitude Modulation
• Frequency Modulation
AMPLITUDE MODULATION
FREQUENCY MODULATION
 SIDE BANDS

• The modulating signals are known as side bands,

that is on both or either side of the carrier
frequency.
• Sometimes, the sidebands are both either above or
below the carrier frequency, in which case, there is
an “assigned frequency.”
 MODES OF EMISSION

• A1A • H3E

• A2A • R3E

• H2A • J3E

• J2B • F1B

• A3E • F3E
 THE USES OF DIFFERENT EMISSIONS

• In the MF/HF voice communications bandwidth,

the J3E will be the primary emission for use in
GMDSS . At present, H3E and R3E may still be
used as a mode of emission.
• The Bandwidth of J3E is 2.8 kHz.
 THE USES OF DIFFERENT EMISSIONS:
CONTINUED

• Double Side Band (A3E) transmissions are used by

LF/MF/HF broadcasting stations with a bandwidth of
9-20 kHz.
• Narrow Band Direct Printing or Telex is the standard
mode of transmission for MF/HF to send data
information. The bandwidth is 170 kHz. Telex can be
transmitted using SSB in which case the emission is
J2B. It can also used the F1B mode of transmission.
 THE USES OF DIFFERENT EMISSIONS:
CONTINUED

• VHF normally uses the F3E mode of emission, but

sometimes it can also use the G3E
ANALOGUE VERSUS DIGITAL
 ITU CHANNELS

• The International Telecommunications Unions has

divided up the frequency bands into “Channels.”
These channels are numbered in a simple manner.
For example Channel 402 indicates:
• “4” is the 4 MHz band
• 02 indicates the second channel within that band
• When the ITU Channel is 1604, what is the frequency
band being used?
 TELEPHONY COMMUNICATIONS

• Communications sometimes comes in two forms,

simplex and duplex.
• A simplex channel has one frequency used to both transmit
and receive communication. To know when to transmit, the
word “over” is used to indicate the end of that part of the
telephony communication.
• A duplex channel uses two frequencies for communication
and the communication can occur simultaneously, just like the
telephone.
• For a duplex conversation with a shore station, how
do we ensure that the communication is possible?
 GMDSS MODES OF COMMUNICATION

• Digital Selective Calling (DSC) is for communication

between ship and shore or ship to ship using digital
methods. Primary use is for Distress, Urgency and
Safety messages.
• Radio telephony is used for voice communications
between stations and is an important part of safety
communication.
• Both DSC and radio telephony is used on the MF/HF
and VHF bands of communications.
 GMDSS MODES OF COMMUNICATION:
CONTINUED

• Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP) is also known

as NAVTEX. This type of data communications is
the sending of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) in
the LF/MF/HF frequency bands.
• Telex is used for ordinary communications not
related to safety.
 GMDSS FREQUENCIES

• The Distress, Urgency and Safety frequencies for

MF/HF is:
DSC R/T NBDP
2187.5 kHz 2182.0 kHz 2174.5 kHz
4207.5 kHz 4125.0 kHz 4177.5 kHz
6312.0 kHz 6215.0 kHz 6268.0 kHz
8414.5 kHz 8291.0 kHz 8376.5 kHz
12,577.0 kHz 12,290.0 kHz 12,520.0 kHz
16,804.5 kHz 16,420.0 kHz 16,695.0 kHz
 GMDSS FREQUENCIES

• NAVTEX frequencies are:

• 490 kHz for National language broadcasts
• 518 kHz for English language broadcasts
• 4209.0 kHz for National language broadcasts
 GMDSS FREQUENCIES

• Maritime Safety Information is available on the

following HF frequencies:

4210.0 kHz 12,579 kHz 22,376.0 kHz

6314.0 kHz 16,806.5 kHz 26,100.5 kHz
8416.0 kHz 19,680.5 kHz
 GMDSS FREQUENCIES

• DSC calling is made on the following frequencies:

• Ship to Shore 2189.5 kHz (+ national frequencies)

• Ship to Ship 2177.0 kHz (+ national frequencies)
• Shore to ship 2177.0 kHz (+national frequencies)
• VHF DSC calling 156.525 MHz
• On-Scene Communications is made on:

MF VHF
2182 kHz 4125.0 kHz 123.1 MHz
(aircraft)
3023.0 kHz 5680.0 kHz Channel 6
Channel 16
 GMDSS FREQUENCIES

• Survival Craft Channel 16

• On Board Communication Channels 15 & 17 @
1Watt
• Bridge to Bridge Channel 13
• EPIRB’s 406.025 Cospas Sarsat
» L Band Inmarsat E
• SART’s 9 GHz (3cm X Band radar)