MARITIME

COMMUNICATIONS
MODULE 6: Table of Signaling Flags and Table of
Lifesaving Signals, Radio Telephone Procedures,
GMDSS, Ship’s Antennas
Objectives:
• Distinguish different forms of Distress signals
• Familiarize with the Table of signaling flags and Table of
lifesaving signals
• Analyze each manual signals and light signals
• Familiarize with the Radio telephone procedures
• Understand the basic concept of GMDSS
• Identify the design and location of Ship's Antennas
DISTRESS SIGNALS
 To be used or displayed, either together or separately, by a
vessel (or seaplane on the water) in distress requiring assistance
from other vessels or from the shore.
1. A gun or other explosive signal fire at intervals of about a minute.
2. A continuous sounding with any fog-signaling apparatus.
3. Rockets or shells, throwing red stars fired one at a time at short
intervals.
4. A signal made by radiotelegraphy or by any other signaling
method consisting of the group • • • – – –
• • • (SOS) in the Morse Code.
5. A signal sent by radiotelephony consisting of the spoken word “MAYDAY”.
6. The International Code Signal of distress indicated by NC.
7. A signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything
resembling a ball.
8. Flames on the vessel (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, etc.).
9. A rocket parachute flare or a hand flare showing a red light.
10. A smoke signal giving off a volume of orange-colored smoke.
11. Slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side.
12. The radiotelegraph alarm signal.*
13. The radiotelephone alarm signal.**
14. Signals transmitted by emergency position-indicating beacons.***
TABLE OF SIGNALING FLAGS AND
TABLE OF LIFESAVING SIGNALS
RADIO TELEPHONE
PROCEDURES
• RADIOTELEPHONE PROCEDURES

• RECEPTION OF SAFETY MESSAGES

Any message which you hear prefixed by one of the following words concerns SAFETY:

• MAYDAY (Distress) Indicates that a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle is threatened by grave
and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance.

• PAN PAN (Urgency) Indicates that the calling station has a very urgent message to transmit
concerning the safety of a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle, or the safety of a person.

• SECURITE (Safety) Indicates that the station is about to transmit a message concerning the
safety of navigation or giving important meteorological warnings. If you hear these words,
pay particular attention to the message and call the master or the officer on watch.
WHAT IS GMDSS?
 GMDSS is a worldwide coordinated maritime distress system designed to provide
the rapid transfer of distress messages from vessels in distress to units best suited for
providing or coordinating assistance. The system provides a link between SAR
authorities ashore and shipping in the immediate vicinity of a vessel in distress or in
need of assistance so that both land and sea resources can assist in coordinated SAR
operations with minimal delay. GMDSS is a combination of systems and sub-systems
using both satellite and terrestrial communication systems to fulfill the nine functional
requirements which are listed in the Functional Requirements section of this Guide.
Some components of the GMDSS may be required by other regulations. However, if
the components make up part of the ship’s GMDSS, then the GMDSS regulations
(47CFR § 80. 1103) require that the components be certified for GMDSS use. For
example: the Marine VHF, SSB, and EPIRB carriage requirements can be found
elsewhere in regulations, but if these systems are part of the GMDSS, then these
systems must be certified for GMDSS use
 SHIP’S
ANTENNAS
• SHIP’S ANTENNA
• Ship's Antenna Arrangement-Consist of different
transmitter and receiver antennas, and available space
on board is very limited. Therefore the antenna
locations are often a result of various compromises.
The design of antenna arrangement is of major
importance when it comes to the amount of radiated
power available and the reception of different radio
signals.