Recommendation 632-1

(1986-1990)

TRANSMISSION CHARACTERISTICS OF A SATELLITE EMERGENCY POSITION-INDICATING RADIOBEACON (SATELLITE EPIRB) SYSTEM OPERATING THROUGH GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITES IN THE 1.6 GHz BAND

(Question 90/8)

The CCIR,

CONSIDERING

(a) that satellite EPIRBs are one or the prime alerting means in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO);
(b) that the satellite EPIRB system operating through geostationary satellites in the 1.6 GHz band is one or two satellite-based distress alerting systems developed for use in the GMDSS;
(c) that all ships to which Chapter IV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974, as amended in 1988, applies will be required by Regulation IV/7.1.6 to carry a satellite EPIRB from 1 August 1993:
(d) that SOLAS Regulation IV/7.1.6 permits tile carriage of a satellite EPIRB operating through the INMARSAT geostationary-satellite system, subject to the availability of appropriate receiving and processing ground facilities for each ocean region covered by INMARSAT;
(e) that pre-operational demonstrations have been satisfactorily completed;
(f) that the IMO has adopted Resolution A.661(16) - Performance standards for float-free satellite EPIRBs operating through the geostationary INMARSAT satellite system on 1.6 GHz;
(g) that ships to which the 1974 SOLAS Convention does not apply will use elements of the GMDSS, including satellite EPIRBs, some of which may not meet all of the requirements established by the IMO in Resolution A.661(16);
(h) the necessity to make available satellite EPIRB production units, and to gain operational experience within the remaining time-frame;
(j) that the frequency band for satellite EPIRBs available through the first generation INMARSAT space segment is 1644.3-1644.5 MHz,
(k) that the second generation INMARSAT space segment, which is planned to commence operation from 1990 onwards, will cover both the band 1644,3-1644,5 MHz and the band 1645.5-1646.5 MHz;
(l) that the number of potential users including non-convention ships, cannot yet be estimated;
(m) that the amount of spectrum for the 1,6 GHz satellite EPIRB system necessary to meet the presently foreseen operational capacity requirements is less than 200 kHz,

UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS

1. that the transmission characteristics of all types of satellite EPIRBs operating through geostationary satellites at 1.6 GHz should be in accordance with Annex I to this Recommendation;
2. that the transmission frequencies of satellite EPIRBs be distributed uniformly across the frequency band appropriate to the space segment in use;
3. that tile Operational implementation or the 1.6 GHz satellite EPIRB system as it applies to the second and subsequent generations or the INMARSAT space segment be initiated it the spectrum between 1645.6 and 1643.8 MHz;
4. that until all satellites of the INMARSAT first generation space segment (spare and operational) are completely replaced, all types of satellite EPIRBs will transmit sequentially on both 1644.3-1644.5 MHz and 1645.6-1645.8 MHz