ACHIEVING THE NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY POTENTIAL OF VHF RADIOTELEPHONE

This paper examines some of the problems that must be overcome if VHF radiotelephone is to achieve its potential to improve navigational safety. Useful approaches to the solution of these problems are outlined. The discussion covers the potential for improved navigational safety arising from the passage of the Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Act and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972. However, unless appropriate technical and administrative measures are taken to insure reliable and near-instantaneous establishment of communications when needed and to provide for exchange of sufficient accurate information, increased use of VHF radiotelephone may not, in fact, improve safety. In addition, however, some means for automatic exchange of some navigational and identification informatin eventually will be needed to implement use of this communication capability as a dependable aid to navigation. It is asserted that systems capable of the necessary automatic exchange of information are technically and economically feasible now and a conceptual approach to the design of such a system is described.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the April 25-27, 1973 Seattle RTCM Assembly Meeting. Volume 1--Papers A thru E, Maritime Satellite Telecommunications Activity; Volume 2--Papers F thru L, Maritime Antennas, Personnel, and ITU Conference Activity; Volume 3--Papers M thru R, Systems Approaches to Maritime Telecommunications; Volume 4--Papers S thru Y, Navigation and Position Fixing in Maritime Telecommunications. Sold only as a complete four volume set--$10.00 per set.
• Corporate Authors:

  Radio Technical Commission for Marine Services

  /Federal Communications Commission
  Washington, DC  United States  20554
• Authors:
  • Chastain, J A
• Publication Date: 1973-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 8 p.
• Serial:
  • Volume: 4

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges (Ships); Communication; Navigational aids; Radio telephone; Safety; Standards
• Uncontrolled Terms: Safety standards
• Old TRIS Terms: Bridge to bridge communications
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050274
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Radio Technical Commission for Marine Services
• Report/Paper Numbers: Paper 104-73/DO-73
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 14 1973 12:00AM