GMDSS Exercises Hochschule Bremen

Introduction

The following tasks and exercises are intended to be used with the Sailor 6000 series provided by the
TRANSAS 5000 GMDSS simulator. The simulator has some bugs and some functions do not work as they
would in reality. Known shortcomings are flagged. If you notice any further issues, please let me know!

Some exercises may work with other equipment. Please ask an instructor before using other equipment,
especially real equipment. Never transmit a distress with the real Inmarsat-C system!

Please use the original equipment documentation to familiarise yourself with the equipment and to
complete the exercises and tasks.

Please use the exercises to practice the equipment’s operation and to prepare for the practical exam.

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1. VHF DSC Sailor 6222

1.1 Check your MMSI, position and time.

1.2 Change date and time.

1.3 Set position and time manually to 56-45 N 008-23 E 1310 UTC.

1.4 Change the display’s brightness.

1.5 Change the volume for handset 1.

1.6 Activate the auto-acknowledgement for position-request-calls.

1.7 Check the stations stored in the address book.

1.8 Make a self-test.

1.9 Check the log for received and transmitted distress calls.

1.10 Send a test call to BREMEN RESCUE (002111240).

1.11 Send an individual call to another vessel: Priority: Routine, Working Channel: 8.

1.12 Send a position request to another ship.

1.13 You want to transmit an urgency message to LYNGBY RADIO (002191000), send the announcement
by DSC.

1.14 You want to transmit a safety message on channel 16 to all stations, send the announcement by
DSC.

1.15 Activate the option to transmit a call as medical transport.

1.16 Send a distress relay to Bremen Rescue (002111240): Ship in distress is unknown, position 54-
09 N 008-56 E, current time in UTC, nature of distress disabled.

1.17 Send a distress relay to all stations: Ship in distress: 353136000, position 30-21 N 030-22 E,
current time in UTC, nature of distress: Grounding.

1.18 Send a very quick distress alert, wait for the transmission and cancel it.

1.19 Send a distress call: Position 19-34 S 179-07 W, current UTC, nature of distress: Flooding. Wait
for an acknowledgement. If no acknowledgement after 10 minutes, cancel the distress.

1.20 Acknowledge a distress received by another vessel.

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2. MF/HF DSC Sailor 6300

2.1 Check MMSI, position and time. When was the last update?

2.2 Change date and time.

2.3 Set position and time manually to 44-30 S 032-20 W 1707 UTC.

2.4 Change the display’s brightness.

2.5 Change the volume for the handset.

2.6 Check if the DSC watch receiver monitors all DSC distress frequencies and make sure to keep
watch on 2177.0 kHz at the same time.

2.7 Keep watch on 2182.0 kHz and 2177.0 kHz.

2.8 Make a self-test.

2.9 Activate the option to transmit a call as medical transport.

2.10 Activate the auto-acknowledgement for position-request-calls.

2.11 Activate the function to print incoming DSCs.

2.12 Check the stations stored in the address book.

2.13 Check the log for received and transmitted distress calls.

2.14 Send a test call to LYNGBY RADIO (002191000).

2.15 Send an individual call to another vessel: DSC calling frequency 2177.0 kHz, Communication Type:
SSB telephony, Working Frequency: 2048.0 kHz.

2.16 Send a position request to another vessel.

2.17 Send an urgency call to as many stations as possible as geographic area call: Priority: Routine,
Communication Type: J3E, CMD: No Info, DSC calling frequency: 8414.5 kHz, working frequency:
8291.0 kHz.

2.18 Send a safety call as geographic area call: reference position 45-00 N 030-00 W, area 500 NM,
Priority Safety, Type: J3E, DSC calling frequency: 4207.5 kHz, working frequency: 4125.0 kHz.

2.19 Send a distress relay to ROGALAND RADIO (002570300): Ship in distress 211334450, nature of
distress: Piracy, position 54-21 N 007-34 E, 1215 UTC, SSB telephony, DSC calling frequency
2187.5 kHz.

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2.20 Send a very quick distress alert, wait for the transmission and cancel it.

2.21 Send a distress call: Position 23-17 N 035-27 W, current UTC, nature of distress: Sinking, SSB
telephony, DSC calling frequency: 2197.5 kHz. Wait for an acknowledgement. If no
acknowledgement after 10 minutes, cancel the distress.

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3. MF/HF Radiotelex Sailor 6300

3.1 Switch on the radiotelex-terminal and the printer.

3.2 Compose a message:

to: russjensen Rotterdam

attn: mr gerold

fm: 1. eng mv boston

eta 131500 rotterdam need 30 mt freshwater

mfg smith nnnn

3.3 Send the message from task 3.2 via OOSTENDE RADIO (Code 0480) on channel 12122 (or another
channel) to a subscriber in Danmark (Tlx-Nr. 05522249).

3.4 Make a call to ISTANBUL RADIO (Code 4360) on channel 12112 (or another channel) and order the
help menu. Then order a telex-test or ask for a connection to a hospital for medical advice.

3.5 Send a distress call on MF: Position 72-11 N 004-57 E, engine room and accommodation on fire.

3.6 Print of the last messages.

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4. Inmarsat-C Sailor 6000

4.1 Switch on the terminal and the printer.

4.2 Familiarize yourself with the different menus.

4.3 Check your position and change it manually.

4.4 Check the time.

4.5 Login to AOR-E.

4.6 Logout from the current satellite and change to IOR.

4.7 Save some subscribers into the address book:

Land Subscriber

Hamburger Seehandels GmbH Tlx-Nr. (41)62476 (Answerback 62476 HSG D)

S.P. Radio Denmark Tlx-Nr. (55)69789

and some further addresses from Annex 2 (green folder)

Fax

Annex 3 (green folder)

Service Codes

Navigational Hazards and Warnings

Meteorological Observations

Maritime Assistance

Ship Stations

other ships in the simulation

4.8 Compose the following telex and save it as “transwa”:

to: Transworld Antwerp

attn: ms clark

fm: master ship’s name/call sign

pos 10-34 s 021-54 w delayed by bad weather stop

eta antwerp 251900z stop

need freshwater

master nnnn

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4.9 Login to AOR-E and send the telex via BURUM to Transworld Antwerp (Tlx-Nr. 33059) in Belgium.

4.10 Check if the telex from task 4.9 has been sent.

4.11 Send a distress message to LES EIK: Nature of distress: Fire.

4.12 Send a distress message with detailed information to the same LES:

mayday de ship’s name/call sign mmsi xxxxxxxxx Sat-C xxxxxxxxx

position xx-xx a xxx-xx b at xxxxxxz

fire in engine room, fire spreading to accommodation. Dense, toxic smoke.

Require immediate assistance +

nnnn

4.13 Your distress alert was a false alert. Cancel it as fast as possible.

4.14 Your vessel’s engine has broken down, you are not under command and drifting 10 NM west of
Land’s End. You need immediate tug assistance. Send a request by Inmarsat-C.

4.15 You observe 5 drifting containers, magenta colour, labelled “ONE” in position 38-51 S 020-12 E.
Send a message by Inmarsat-C.

4.16 Test your own Inmarsat-C terminal with a short test message to your own ship sent via AUSSAGUEL.

4.17 Check if the message from task 4.14 has been sent and check the inbox for reception.

4.18 Delete some of the saved messages.

4.19 Change the EGC configuration and add NAVAREA X as well as Coastal Warning Areas F, G and H
for Australia.

4.20 Delete the additional areas selected in task 4.19.

4.21 Setup the printer to print all incoming routine, urgency and distress messages.

4.22 Print a received distress or safety message.

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5. Inmarsat FleetBroadband

5.1 Switch on the terminal, the PIN is 1234.

5.2 Check to which satellite the system is logged in.

5.3 Change the satellite.

5.4 Check the date and the time.

5.5 Make a phone call to 02392-674000 in United Kingdom.

Note that unlike in reality you have to dial the 0 of the area code after the country code!

5.6 Order Medical Advise and Medical Assistance.

Note that unlike in reality the system does not support SAC 32 and SAC 38!

5.7 Add the number for Maritime Assistance and the numbers of other subscribers.

5.8 Show the details of the call log.

5.9 Send a distress call. Use 505.

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