RADIO COMMUNICATIONSA communication system enables information to be passed from a source, through a medium, to a destination. Between a ship and a land station that medium will be radio waves. From the land station the medium is usually land line, i.e, the internal telephone and telecommunications system. Messages can be sent in either Morse code or speech. If Morse is used, then wireless-tele- graphy (W/T) is used. When speech is used, then radio-telegraphy (R/T) or ‘VHF are used. With R/T the receiving operator has to convert the Morse code into plain language. When transmitting a message by R/T or VHF, the Interna- tional Phonetic Alphabet must be used to avoid confusion When there are language difficulties.Transmissions from all stations must contain an identity signal by which the station making the transmission can be recognized. This signal must be used at all times when communicating between stations, Such identification must take the form of International Callsigns or other internationally agreed forms of identity. In radiotelephony, coast (land) stations normally identify themselves by using their geographical name, followed by the word Radio, e.g, Nitonradio, Angleseyradio, Ship stations normally identify themselves by the name of the ship, but the International Callsign assigned to the ship may be used, for example, when two ormore ships bear the same name, or where pronunciation! language difficulty could occur.The three marine frequencies used for Distress, Call and Reply purposes are: (a) 500 khz for telegraphy (Morse) (b) 2182 khz for telephony (speech) (c) 156.8 Mhz for telephony (speech) During hours of service all ships and coast stations maintain a listening watch on at least one, if not all, of the above frequencies for information regarding messages for individuals, general messages, and distress, urgency and safety messages. The obligation to accept distress calls and messages is absolute for all stations and such messages must be given priority and dealt with immediately. VISUAL DISTRESS SIGNALS (WDS)In order to increase the safety of life at sea, and over the sea, all stations of the maritime mobile service normally keeping watch in the authorized band between 405 - 535 khz must, during their hours of service, ensure watch on the International Radiotelegraph Distress/Calling frequency 500 khz is kept for three minutes, twice each hour, at h15 - h18 and at h45 - h48, Those normally keeping watch in the frequency band 1605-2850 khz must, during their hours of service, ensure watch on the International Radiotelephone Distress/Calling frequency 2182 khz is kept for three minutes, twice each hour, at h00- h03 and at h30 ~ h33, These times are referred to as silence periods and must always be observed. During these three-minute silence periods all transmissions on these frequencies must stop in order that possible weak signals of a distress call can be heard, Transmissions between the frequencies 485 - 515 khz, and between 2173.5- 2190.5 khz, must cease during silence periods, except for distress trans- missions.Where VHF radiotelephony equipment is installed, a continuous listening watch is maintained on the International Distress/Calling frequency 156.8 Mhz, referred to as Channel 16. No silence periods are allocated to this frequency.Short, medium and long range communications In general ‘short’ range communication refers to VHF (156 - 174 Mhz) and the radius of such contact is 30 - 45 miles. The main use is Telephony (F3E). ‘Medium’ range communication can refer to MF Telegraphy (W/T) in the 405 - 335 khz, ot MF Telephony (R/T) in the frequency band 1605 - 4000 khz. The radius of contact is roughly between 150-300 miles, depending on local propa- gation conditions, transmitter power and the aerial system used. ‘Long’ range communication refers to the HF band of frequencies, 4000 - 25000 khz for WT (AIA only), and 4000 - 23110 khz for R/T (R3E or J3E only). ‘Long’ range is used for distances exceeding 300/400 miles,Certain VHF channels are designated for particular purposes. These are given in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ‘List of Coast Stations’. Distress, Safety and Calling Channel {6 Intership firstchoice Channel 6 (Others listed inVHF allocation guide) Port operations Channel 10 (also 12, 14) Public correspondence main choices Channels 24, 25, 26,27,28 On-board Channels 15, 17 (on low power) Coast Radio Stations channels listed in ITU List of Coast Radio Stations or as specified by the CRS.Note. 1 Port Operations —ship movement and Pilot Services Port Operations channels (found in ‘List of Coast Stations’) are restricted to various port operation services, the movement and safety of ships, and, in emergency, to the safety of persons. No private or public correspondence messages can be passed over these channels. 2 Public Correspondence - any telecommunication which the offices and stations must, by reason of their being at the disposal of the public, accept for transmission. 3° On-board Communications These are restricted to communications on-board the ship itself, mooring/unmooring and cargo operations; or between the ship and itsliferafts; or between a group of vessels during towing operations.(A) Message types In the Seaspeak Reference Manual, which gives essential English for VHF use, Messages are divided into only seven types based on their function. These seven types are listed below with examples: 1. Question e.g. (a) Whatis your position? (b) Is visibility expected to change? 2. Instruction e.g. (a) Youmust stay clear of the fairway. (b) Donot overtake. 3. Advice e.g. (a) Advise you pass astern of me.4. Request e.g. (a) Irequirea tug. (b) Please send medical assistance. 5. Information c.g. (a) The pilots waiting now at position... (b) My ETAat East Pier is one-six-three-zero local. 6. Warning e.g. (a) lammanoeuvring with difficulty, 7. Intention e.g. (a) Lintend to reduce speed, new speed: five knots, Note: Here Instruction refers to commands, and Advice to suggestions. A Warning contains information of critical importance to the safety of the vessel, and an Intention indicates immediate operational intentions.Exercise 1. In order to understand a message completely it is necessary to know its function. See if you can identify the function of these messages by writing: question, instruction, advice, request, information, warning or intention in the space provided, as appropriate. a)... .: Buoy number two-six is unlit. b). What are my berthing instructions? c). No vessels are at the anchorage. Ce .: Goto berth number eight. «| Whatis your draught aft? .| Advise you keep your present course. . [expect to be underway within period: two hours. .! Please provide fire-fighting assistance. .: Push on my port bow. The vessel ahead of you is stopping. Saat = = meen ees iS re RoIn the Seaspeak system a message should always be initiated by a ‘message marker’, i.e. one of the seven words above denoting message type. This will inctease the probability of the message being understood. The system also uses ‘reply markers’, which correspond as follows: question/answer, instruction/ instruction-received, advice/advice-received, ctc. e.g. question: What is your ETA at the harbour entrance? answer: My ETA at the harbour entrance is: time: one-four-zero-zero GMT. With the other markers, the message is quoted back in full after the ‘reply marker’ with any necessary changes made. e.g. intention; ] intend to reduce speed, new speed: five knots. intention-received: You intend to reduce speed, new speed: five knots.(B] Message patterns Seaspeak recommends that a message and a reply should take the following patterns: 1, Questions These should be restricted to three types: (i) Questions beginning with ‘Wh’ question words or ‘How’ e.g. What ..., When ..., Where ..., How many vee HC. (ii) Questions which give alternatives, e.g. Are you loading or unloading? (iii) Questions requiring a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Note. Questions of the ‘......., isn't it?) Sa... , won't you?’ type, and those formed by tone of voice are strongly advised against.2, Answers Whena yes or no answer is required these take the form of: Positive, Negative or I don’tknow, as follows: e.g. question: Are there any survivors? answer: Positive, there are four survivors. or answer: Negative, there are no survivors. or answer: don't knowifthere are any survivors.3. Instructions These should use the Imperative form, e.g. Stop... Tum... Donot anchor .... Agreement or disagreement with the instruction is indi- cated by saying ‘Positive’ or ‘Negative’ after quoting the command. After a negative a reason may be given. e.g. Instruction: Stop your engines. Instruction-received: Stop my engines, negative, reason: the tide is too strong.4, Advice 5. Requests 6. Information & warnings This signals suggestions and also uses the Imperative or ‘Advise you...”, Requests for items to be delivered begin: ‘Please deliver ...’: ‘Please supply ...’; ‘Please send ...’; ‘Please provide ...’; or ‘Please confirm ...’ (if seeking confirmation of information). These take the form of statements and often use the Simple Present and Continuous Present tenses. See (A) Message Types6 & 7,7. Intentions 8. Reasons Although in everyday English intentions can be expressed using ‘going to’, Seaspeak recommends the pattern: ‘Tintendto...”. If a reason is given with any of the above, Seaspeak recommends that the single word ‘Reason’ should be used rather than words such as, ‘because’, ‘as’, ‘so that’, ‘inorder to’,etc. e.g. advice: Please keep clear of me, reason: my stecring- gearis defective.Exercise 1. Use the ‘message markers’ and the message patterns described above to complete these conversation extracts, which are based on those found in the Seaspeak Reference Manual. ... Dredging operations are completed in the fairway. Over. fete teeeeeceeeeeees ~ received: You intend to anchor now. Over. (c) Question: Is buoy number: two-three in the correct position? Over. tetttseieeet Negative,(d) Request! ee welding equipment, ..... urgent repair. We have qualified welders on board. Over. (e) Please proceed to Avonport, soccer Advice — ceceeeeee , Yeason: there is cargo for me. Over. (f) .... Astrong easterly wind is blowing at the berth. Over. Turn starboard immediately. Over.Exercise 2. Rewrite these sentences in the Seaspeak format. (a) Large vessel leaving. Keep clear of the approach channel. (b) I will attempt rescue by Breeches-buoy. (c) Atwhat time do you expect to arrive at the harbour entrance? (d) You did say your length was two hundred metres, didn’t you? (e) It would be better for you to pass ahead of me as I am slowing down. (f) I’m afraid that shore based radar assistance is not available. (g) Okay. Thanks for the warning. I'll keep a look out for wreckage.Typeotprocedure Call Urgency Safety Mayday Pan-Pan Sécurité (pronounced Say-cure--tay) Tobe used when aship or areraftisthreatened by grave andimminent danger likelyo involve loss ofl, and tequests immediate assistance, Tobe used when the message contains urgent information concerning the safety of ship, aircraft orother vehicle, orthe safety ofa person, Tobe used when the message contains animportant navigational or meteorological warning,Exercise 1. Look at these messages and decide whether distress, urgency or safety procedures should be used. (a) 100 miles southwest of Landsend engine broken down. Require tug assistance. (b) From Harbourmaster Falmouth yacht Belinda overdue on voyage from Cromer to Falmouth left Cromer 10th March report any sightings to Lloyds London. ” {c) Diving operations in progress at ninian north platform ship movement within a radius of 500 metres prohibited until further notice. (d) Ship holed in engine room. Sinking. Request immediate assistance. (e) Gale warning southwest gale force winds imminent in sea areas Dover Thames. (f) 52.30 North 16.20West fire in number two hold shipsin vicinity please stand by.