18.3.1 Use of frequencies
A ship station may only use frequencies which are
18.3.2 Secrecy of communications
Under Article 37 of the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union, and ITU Radio Regulations No. 18.4 the unauthorized interception of radiocommunications not intended for the general use of the public is prohibited, and the divulgence of the contents, simple disclosure of the existence, publication or any use whatever, without authorization of any nature whatever, obtained by the interception of such radiocommunications is prohibited.
Further, under the ITU Radio Regulation No. 46, the ship station is placed under the supreme authority of the master or person responsible for the ship or other vessel carrying the station. The person holding this authority shall require that each operator comply with the Regulations and that the ship station at all times is used at all times in accordance with the Regulations. These provisions also apply to operators of ship earth stations.
18.3.3 Control of communications
During routine communications between a ship and a coast station, the coast station controls the working.
In order that all communications may be exchanged efficiently, all instructions given by coast stations should be followed immediately.
18.3.4 Calling and working frequencies
Frequencies assigned to ship and coast stations are designated as either:
• Calling channels/frequencies – used to establish communications; or
• Working channels/frequencies – used to exchange routine and public correspondence traffic.
18.3.5 Calling channels
The main frequencies used for establishing routine radio telephone communications are:
2 182 4 125 6 215 8 291 kHz and Channel 16 in the VHF band. HF bands from 4 to 22 MHz. These are used for radiotelephone calls between ships and telephone subscribers ashore.
18.3.6 Working channel
There is a frequency or pair of frequencies assigned in each of the HF maritime bands used for working with coast stations. These channels can be found in the ITU List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations, along with their hours of operation, and the Admiralty List of Radio Signals, Volume 1.
18.3.7 Calling procedures
Before transmitting, an operator must listen for a period long enough to be satisfied that:
• There is no distress, urgency or safety traffic in progress on the channel, and;
• Harmful interference will not be caused to any routine transmissions already in progress.
• The name and/or callsign of the station being called, spoken not more than three times;
• The words THIS IS;
• The name and/or callsign of the calling station, spoken not more than three times;
• The frequency (or channel number) of the channel being used; and
• The word OVER.
Once the coast station has answered, the ship should reply with a message indicating the purpose of the call and proposed working channel.
18.3.8 VHF procedures
When using frequencies in the VHF maritime band, and communication conditions are good, the initial call may be abbreviated to:
• The name and/or callsign of the station being called spoken once;
• The words THIS IS; and
• The name and/or callsign of the station calling, spoken twice.
On all bands, once communications have been established, names and/or callsigns need only be spoken once.
18.3.9 Repeating calls
When a station being called does not reply to a complete call sent three times at intervals of 2 min, Safety Information, by listening on the working channel for the band in use at the time.
18.3.10 Difficulties in establishing communication
If a ship or coast station is unable to communicate with a calling station immediately, it should reply to that the call is intended for it, it should not reply until that call has been repeated and understood.
When a station receives a call which is intended for it, but is uncertain of the identification of the calling station, it should reply immediately, asking for a repetition of the call sign or identification of the calling station.
18.3.11 International Phonetic Alphabet
The International Phonetic Alphabet is used to spell out words and figures during poor reception conditions.
It is reproduced in Appendix 3. In the ITU Radio Regulations, these codes are listed in Appendix 14.
18.3.12 Standard Marine Communications Phrases (SMCP)
The SMCP is an IMO publication, and contained in IMO Resolution A 22/Res.918) and a small portion is included as Appendix 5.
The IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) has been compiled:
• To assist in the greater safety of navigation and of the conduct of the ship;
• To standardize the language used in communication for navigation at sea, in port approaches, waterways and harbours, and on board vessels with multilingual crews; and
• To assist maritime training institutions in meeting the objectives mentioned above.
These phrases are not intended to supplant or contradict the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 or special local rules or recommendations made by IMO concerning ships’
routeing, neither are they intended to supersede the International Code of Signals, and their use in ship’s external communications has to be in strict compliance with the relevant radiotelephone procedures as set out in the ITU Radio Regulations. Furthermore, the IMO SMCP, as a collection of individual phrases, should not
Under the ITU Radio Regulations, aircraft are obliged to use maritime procedures when communicating with station in the maritime mobile-service. (ITU Radio Regulations No. 41), however, seafarers should be aware of slight differences in radiotelephony usage commonly used by aircraft.
18.3.13 Use of VHF channels other than distress/ safety channels
Safety of Navigation VHF Ch. 13 is also used for ship movements and port operations (subject to national regulations).
When using marine frequencies, ship–helicopter communications are preferred on VHF Ch. 9, 72 and
18.4 RADIO TElEX SERvICES
18.4.1 General
Globe Wireless (USA) no longer offers radio telex, but operates an HF Maritime Digital Radio Network is comprised of 24 radio stations strategically located to provide world-wide coverage with messages sent received in near real-time. Using the digital HF network, ships are immediately paged when large files or attachments are waiting ashore reducing the need to connect without knowing if there is traffic waiting.
The service is available 24 h/day and provides ships with automatic access to Australian and international networks. Calls from shore-to-ship are stored at a central bureau and passed to the vessel when it Fax: + 1 321 309 1366 or
e-mail: [email protected]
18.5 TRAFFIC ChARGES
18.5.1 Accounting Authority Identification Code (AAIC)
An AAIC is an internationally recognised way of providing a coast station with:
• A reasonable assurance that payment will be made for the service provided; and
• The name and address of the organisation that will make payment.
The way the system works is contained in Recommendation ITU-T D.90. aboard ship is rarely used in Australia, but still used overseas. Typically, an AAIC is allocated to a satellite service provider, who co-ordinates traffic charging.
18.5.2 Currencies used in international charging
Charges for commercial services offered by overseas coast stations are listed in the ITU List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations and by the service providers. These charges are sometimes quoted in special drawing rights (SDR). Conversion tables to enable costs to be determined in Australian dollars should be provided by ships’ accounting authorities.
18.5.3 Land line and coast station charges Charges from foreign coast stations are often quoted in two components:
• Coast Charge (CC) – the charge levied by the coast station for use of its facilities; and
• Land Line (LL) – the charge for connection into the public telephone or telex network from the country in which the coast station is located to the country of destination.
18.6 TIME SIGNAlS
18.6.1 Introduction
Various overseas radio stations transmit signals in the MF and HF bands that are used for the calibration of ship’s chronometers and equipment clocks. These transmissions are referred to as ‘time signals’, and usually comprise audible second markers, with a distinct tone to indicate the minute marker. Some transmissions include a synthesised male or female voice which announces the actual time.
Although satellite technology and improvements in chronometer accuracy have lessened their value in recent years, time signal broadcasts continue to be transmitted by shore stations in many parts of the world. Some broadcasts also include useful information on the status of satellite navigation systems and various other alerts.
18.6.2 Frequencies of transmission
Accurate time signals suitable for navigational purposes are regularly available on the frequencies of 5 000, 10 000, 15 000 and 20 000 kHz from various radio stations throughout the world.
Full details of foreign stations broadcasting time signals may be found in Volume 2 of the Admiralty List of Radio Signals or the ITU List of Radiodetermination and Special Service Stations (List VI) - see also Section 18.2.2.
Spirit of Tasmania II VNSZ 503433000
Station from Date and
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