For
students who wish to do some pre-course study, YachtCom has produced a
pre-course study package based around RYA publication VHF Radio (inc GMDSS) VHF
G22/02, GMDSS simulators and GMDSS ONLINE training package.
GMDSS ONLINE
trainingYachtCom's GMDSS ONLINE training covers all topics and
includes visual and audio examples on how to use and operate the new digital
DSC radios. Each subject in the YachtCom GMDSS ONLINE training package includes
a multiple choice question and answer section. If you know all the answers to
the questions in the YachtCom ONLINE training, then the exam held at the end of
the SRC course will be very easy.
ONLINE
TRAINING & DOWNLOADS To gain access to the YachtCom GMDSS ONLINE
training course and download the simulators, book yourself onto a YachtCom
GMDSS VHF-SRC course and ask for a User ID and
password. Once you have been given a User ID go to the
YachtCom home page and you will find a box marked
User ID, enter your User ID and press OK. Features of
the simulators include:-
- Send Distress alert, including nature
of distress
- Send Routine, Group, Safety and Urgency
calls
- Enter MMSI numbers
- Receive Distress, Urgency, Safety,
Routine Calls and Distress Relays.
- Acknowledge calls made
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Are
location
Click here for directions
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Topics covered in the YachtCom VHF SRC online
training course are :- |
Pro-log
Marine radio is not new, radio has been
installed on vessels for over 100 years. |
Radio
Licensing
You must have a ship's radio licence and an operator's
certificate before you use the VHF radio onboard your yacht. |
Global Marine
Distress & Safety System (GMDSS)
The GMDSS was developed by the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) to aid mariners in general and
distress communications. |
Digital Selective
Calling (DSC)
DSC is a part of GMDSS. Basically it is a paging system
which alerts you when a call is about to be made on the VHF radio. |
DSC
calling
The DSC radio can make the following calls - Routine - Safety -
Urgency - Group. |
DSC Distress
alerting
The advantage of DSC Distress alert is that it informs ALL
STATIONS that a MAYDAY call and message is about to be sent on VHF channel
16. |
NAVTEX
The
NAVTEX system is a world wide network of stations broadcasting Maritime Safety
Information (MSI) and weather broadcast. |
EPIRB
Emergency Positioning Indication Radio Beacons
offers distress alerting via satellite. |
SARTS
Search And Rescue Transponders indicate a distress by RADAR. |
VHF
Radio
Marine VHF radio is the prime means of communications for the
mariner. |
VHF
Channels
There are 56 international channels, you must use the correct
channels |
Radio
Regulations
International radio regulations apply to the mariner. |
Prowords
Prowords are procedure words and used to save
time in radio procedure. |
Radio
Procedure
The correct use of the radio is required, yachtsmen are on the
sea with professionals and therefore need to know the correct way of using the
radio. |
Safety and
Urgency
The spoken word for a safety message is SECURITE and the spoken
word for URGENCY is PAN-PAN. |
Distress
Prowords
Distress Prowords are internationally agreed procedure words
which are used in radio distress procedures. |
Distress
Procedure
During a distress situation it is important that correct use
of the radio is made and that distress radio procedures are maintained. |
Questions
To see how you are doing, you can self test
yourself with this multiple questions quiz. There are over 10 pages of
questions, each page asks you 6 questions.
Click here for an example of the GMDSS
multiple choice questions |