GMDSS

General declaration

GMDSS primarily is developed for professional use. The equipment is determined for the sea waters A1 to A4. Some of the equipment is also recommended for the recreational yachtsman, to refer to the system in an emergency. For your own safety and to support other ships in an emergency, affordable instruments are available. The radio certificates have been extended to GMDSS, so that every yachtsman can aquire the knowledge and use these instruments.

The 2 radio certificates

1. The general ship radio telephone operator´s certificate
    This certificate enables for the use of all GMDSS instruments on board for worldwide voyages.

2. The limited ship radio telephone operator´s certificate
    This certificate is restricted to the use of VHF systems and therefore it can be used for inshore voyages.

Both radio certificates enable for the assignement of a participant number in germany and other countries (MMSI) for the GMDSS instruments

The four sea areas

The book 'Amiralty List of Radio Signals, Volume 5' contains an up-to date overwiew.

A1
A VHF coast radio station is permanently available for DSC alarms.

A2
A SSB-coast radio station is permanently available for DSC alarms - but outside of the A1 area.

A3
Outside of the area A2 you have the coverage with Inmarsat satellites to make an emergency call.

A4
Outside of the area A3. Here the Inmarsat satellites cannot be reached.

We recommend the following equipment

Sea waters A1
- A VHF-DSC transceiver.
You can make emergency calls to the coast or to other yachts. Channel 70 can be watched continuously.

Sea waters A1-A2
- A VHF-DSC transceiver.
- An EPIRB, preferrably Inmarsat E.
With it the emergency position will be indicated for helpers.
- A Navtex receiver.
When you can receive Navtex stations, you get nautical information, warnings and weather reports on board.
- SSB transmitter.
In many cases boats don´t have SSB transmitters, because they are quite expensive. In this case, an Inmarsat system comes into question.

Sea waters A1-A3
- A VHF-DSC transceiver.
- A Cospas Sarsat EPIRB
- A Navtex receiver.
- An Inmarsat system. You can choose between a C-, M- or Mini-M system.
For fast transmission of emergencies at the open sea or, in case, to get an advice.

Sea waters A1-A4
- A VHF-DSC transceiver.
- A Navtex receiver.
- An Inmarsat system. You can choose between a C-, M- or Mini-M system.
- A Cospas Sarsat EPIRB
This even works in polar areas, where Inmarsat is not receiving anymore.
- A HF receiver, to get security information and weather reports.

The VHF-DSC marine transceiver system

We recommend the Class D instruments, they use just one antenna and are not very expensive.
Sailor A1 DSC
Simrad RD 68
Raymarine 240E
ICOM 503 & 601
Midland Neptune

Maybe you take an additional marine handheld vhf for a power breakdown or the life raft
Sailor SP 3300
Icom IC-M31, IC-M71 und IC-M87

EPIRBs

Cospas Sarsat: E3 or G4 GPS

Navtex receiver
Nasa Clipper Navtex
NWF MRD 80
Fastnet FMD15, FMD25 und FMD55
Furuno NX300

Inmarsat

Sailor Mini-M system

More useful equipment for offshore sailing

- An active radar reflector SeaMe for extensively used waterways.
- A Wind generator or Solar cells to guarantee your power supply.
- A watermaker to avoid a lack of supplies.