GMDSS Long Range Certificate

The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Long Range Certificate is a higher level certificate to the Short Range Certificate and allows you to operate on any marine MF/HF/VHF frequency/channel and Inmarsat satellite from on-board your yacht. We keep the technical stuff to a minimum and concentrate on the practical use of equipment. Knowledge of Morse code is not required.

The GMDSS Long Range Certificate is an ideal course for the off-shore and ocean sailor or blue water and commercial yachtsmen who are looking for long range communications.

Topics covered: -

• SSB communications
  • Frequencies and radio propagation
  • SSB installation
  • Controls of an SSB set
  • Practical use of equipment
    • Email & WeatherFAX
    • RadioTelephone, Intership & link calls
• VHF communications
  • Controls and channels
• Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
  • MF/HF/VHF DSC
  • Distress, Safety and Routine Calling
• Ships licence and radio regulations
• Voice procedures
  • Maydays, Pan-Pans, Intership calls etc.
• NAVTEX
  • Martine Safety Information (MSI) broadcasts
  • Coverage, stations and categories
• Emergency Positioning Indication Radio Beacons (EPIRB)
• Search & Rescue radar Transponders (SART)
• Satellite Communication
  • Satellite phone overview
    • Service providers
  • Inmarsat-C (International Marine Satellite)
    • NavAreas
    • Distress, safety & routine messaging
    • EGC SafetyNet

To cover all the above and give students time to revise for the exam, we have found that it is prudent to run this course over 3 days with the exam on the morning of the 4th day.

Note: At YachtCom we cover the complete LRC course including Inmarsat.

The agenda for each day is as follows

Day 1 -	Radio propagation, frequencies, SSB and VHF operation, GMDSS, Navtex, EPIRB, SART
Day 2 -	Digital Selective Calling, regulations, radio procedures.
Day 3 -	Inmarsat Satellite & EGC SafetyNET, pre-exam exercises.
Day 4 -	Revision, course conclusion and exam.

Pre-course study
Pre-course study recommended and good reading on the subject can be found in publication GMDSS A User's Handbook Third Edition - ISBN 0-7136-7856-9.
Use of phonetic alphabet, which is required during the exam.

To help you study, YachtCom has produced a PC software pre-course learning study package, click here for details.

Application notes and PC simulators
The following notes are available to download from the YachtCom on-line training site :-

• SSB station and frequency listing
• SSB Radio Propagation
• Receiving Shortwave weather broadcasts
• Icom M801 & Icom M802 user guide

• Icom M801 PC simulator programs
• Guide to Installing SSB onboard a yacht
• SSB and SailMail troubleshooting guide

These notes are available free of charge during the course.

What to bring
Bring along your PC so we can set you up with SSB email,HF Propagation and weatherfax software.
On the day of the exam, candidates must bring along 2 current passport size photographs of themselves and a cheque made payable to 'AMERC Limited NAC (GMDSS)' for £83.

Cost: £325

Extras: A User's Handbook Third Edition - ISBN 0-7136-7856-9. £17.00 inc P&P

Exam Fee: £83 (£95 from January 2009) paid on day of exam

• Plus two passport size photographs

Duration: 4 days click here for 2 day course

• Start 09:00 finish by 18:00 each day, except last day when should be finished by 16:00.

Remaining dates in 2008 - now all full see 2009

Mon-Thur	17 to 20 November 2008 (full)
Sat-Sun	29/30 Nov & 6/7 Dec 2008 (full) (Over 2 weekends)

2009 dates:

Sat-Tues	3 to 6 January 2009
Mon-Thur	19 to 22 January 2009
Sat-Tue	31 Jan to 3 February 2009
Mon-Thur	16 to19 February 2009 (full)
Sat-Tues	28 Feb to 3 March 2009
Mon-Thur	16 to 19 March 2009 (full)
Sat- Sun	21/22 & 28/29 March 2009 (Over 2 weekends)
Sat-Tues	4 to 7 April 2009
Mon-Thur	20 to 23 April 2009
Sat-Tues	2 to 5 May 2009
Mon-Thur	18 to 21 May 2009
Thur to Sun	28 to 31 May 2009

2009 LRC course enquiry

Course enrolment
To enrol please phone 01489 565100. Payment can be made over the phone by all major debit and credit cards.

Student Numbers
Student numbers are kept to a maximum of 6 students per course, so early booking is advised.

Equipment and support: -
YachtCom has a wide range of equipment for use during the course including 2 of the latest Icom SSB radios :-

• ICOM M801E SSB transceiver
• ICOM M710 SSB transceiver
• FURUNO FS-1550 SSB transceiver
• ICOM IC-M501 VHF transceiver
• ICOM IC-M601 VHF DSC transceiver
• ICS Electronics DSC2 DSC class 'A' DSC unit
• ICS NAV 4 plus navtex receiver
• NASA NAVTEX receiver
• EPIRB and SART
• Inmarast-C simulator

Course location:
The course takes place in our permanently equipped training studio at Lowford, Bursledon, Hampshire, close to the River Hamble. Click here for directions & accommodation.

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The Instructor
The instructor's name is Bob Smith, who is a keen sailor with his own 32 foot sailing yacht. Bob has logged 1000s of sea miles in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and North European waters. Bob has a technical background in radio communications and has a full UK radio amateur radio licence.

YachtCom Infomation page

More information on marine radio, licensing and general marine communications can be found on our marine communications information web site

www.yachtcom.info

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