Search and Rescue in Australia
Distress and Safety Communications
- GMDSS concept
- GMDSS services provided by AMSA
- AMSA HF DSC network
- Maritime radio services for small craft
- Maritime Safety Information
- Maritime Mobile Service Identity
- AUSREP and REEFREP
GMDSS services provided by AMSA
AMSA continues to provide for Australia’s GMDSS requirements for DSC and follow-on communications via HF radiotelephony and Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP) as well as Inmarsat satellite services for GMDSS.
These services can be summarised as follows:
Distress alerting via Digital Selective Calling (DSC) (Ship to shore distress alerting and shore to ship distress relay).
A continuous automatic monitoring of the GMDSS Digital Selective Calling (DSC) distress and safety channels of 4207.5, 6312, 8414.5, 12577 and 16804.5 kHz.
A capability to transmit and receive on any frequency between 2-27 MHz using the following modes of emission:
- Radiotelephony (Single Side Band, suppressed carrier);
- GMDSS Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP) telegraphy; and
- GMDSS DSC, including the automatic response to DSC test calls.
- A limited capability to connect MF/HF radiotelephone services to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for services such as medical advice to ship masters.
last updated: 09 May 2003