Bob Smith

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GMDSS Long Range Certificate

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Yacht Communications information page
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, blue water and commercial yachtsmen.

Topics covered: -
  • VHF communications
    • Controls found on marine VHF set
    • Channels (simplex & duplex)
    • VHF communication range
  • SSB communications
    • Modes and controls of an SSB set
    • Frequencies and channels
    • MF/HF radio propagation
    • SSB installation
    • Practical use of equipment
      • Email & WeatherFAX
      • RadioTelephone & link calls
  • DSC (Digital Selective Calling)
    • MF/HF/VHF DSC
    • Distress, Safety and Routine Calling
    • MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) numbers
  • Ships licence and radio regulations
  • Voice procedures
    • Maydays, Pan-Pans etc.
  • NAVTEX
    • MSI (Martine Safety Information) broadcasts
    • Coverage, stations and categories
  • Portable safety equipment
    • EPIRB (Emergence Positioning Indication Radio Beacons)
    • SARTs (Search & Rescue radar Transponders)
  • Inmarsat (International Marine Satellite)
    • Inmarsat-C
      • NavAreas
      • Distress, safety & routine messaging
      • EGC SafetyNet
    • Fleet 33 service
      • Voice calls and Internet services
To cover all the above and give students time to revise we have found that it is prudent to run this course over 3 days with the exam on the 4th day.

The agenda for each day is as follows
Day 1 - GMDSS, Navtex, EPIRB, SART, radio propagation, frequencies and SSB and VHF equipment.
Day 2 - DSC, licensing, regulations, radio procedures.
Day 3 - Inmarsat Satellite, 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 Second Edition - ISBN 0-7136-6224-7.
To help you study,

Dates: Starts Monday or Saturday clich here
Pre-course knowledge:
  • Pre-course study recommended.
Pre-course study
  • GMDSS A User's Handbook Second Edition
    • ISBN 0-7136-6224-7
Duration:
  • 4 days start 09:00 finish by 18:00 each day, except last day when should be finished by 16:00.
Cost: Exam Fee:
  • Payable to AMERC on day of exam
  • Plus two passport size photographs

Equipment used during course includes :-
  • ICOM M710 SSB transceiver
  • ICOM IC-M501 VHF transceiver
  • ICOM IC-M601 VHF DSC transceiver
  • ICS Electronics DSC2 DSC class 'A' DSC unit
  • NASA NAVTEX receiver
  • EPIRB and SART
  • Inmarast-C simulator
Yacht Communications
Application and user notes
The following notes are available to YachtCom LRC students :-
  • SSB station and frequency listing
  • SSB Radio Propagation
  • Receiving Shortwave weather broadcasts
  • Icom M801 user guide
  • Guide to Installing SSB onboard a yacht
  • SSB and SailMail troubleshooting guide
These notes are available free of charge during the course.

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

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

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

What to bring
Bring along your PC so we can set you up with radio propagation, email 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.

The Instructor
The instructor's name is Bob Smith, who is a keen sailor with his own boat. Bob as 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.

Copyright Bob Smith 1998 - 2010