[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 18 (Friday, January 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 5454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2092]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[CGD 95-006]
Discontinuance of Coast Guard High Frequency Morse
Radiotelegraphy Services
agency: Coast Guard, DOT.
action: Notice of intent.
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summary: the Coast guard intends to discontinue all high frequency
Morse (HFCW) radiotelegraph services. More effective means of
communication are now in use, and vessels in maritime areas over which
the United States exercises responsibility for search and rescue no
longer rely on HFCW radiotelegraphy as a primary means of
communication.
dates: All Coast Guard HFCW radiotelegraphy services will be
discontinued on April 1, 1995.
for further information contact: Lieutenant Adolph Keyes, Chief,
Telecommunications Policy Section (G-TTM), Office of Command, Control
and Communication, U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20593-0001, telephone (202) 267-6598, telefax (202) 267-
4617, or telex 892427 (COASTGUARD WASH). Normal office hours are
between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except
holidays.
supplementary information: Since 1959, the Coast Guard has used high
frequency Morse radiotelegraphy (HFCW) to communicate with government
and merchant ships, primarily to broadcast safety, warnings and
navigation information, receive position and meteorological reports
from ships, and to communicate with ships at sea reporting a distress
alert or medical or vessel emergency.
The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) amendments
to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention were adopted in 1988
and initial provisions entered into force in February, 1992. GMDSS
methods provide the mariner with improved means for initiating or
relaying distress alerts, and receiving safety information pertinent to
its area of operation. Components of the GMDSS now available include
navigational telex (NAVTEX), simplex teletype over radio (SITOR),
emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB), search and rescue
radar transponders (SARTS) and International Maritime Satellite
(INMARSAT). NAVTEX, SITOR and INMARSAT's SafetyNet provide the mariner
with the same components of information the Coast Guard currently
broadcasts over high frequency Morse (HFCW) radiotelegraphy. Government
and merchant vessels no longer rely on high frequency Morse (HFCW)
radiotelegraphy as their primary means of safety radiocommunications
when operating within maritime areas, where the United States exercises
responsibility for search and rescue and navigational safety.
U.S. commercial coast radio stations provide adequate radio
frequency and time of day coverage of maritime areas to ensure a high
probability of reception of distress and safety alerts. Provisions
exist under the Communications Act for prompt processing of distress
and safety messages and forwarding to the appropriate U.S. Coast Guard
rescue coordination center.
The U.S. Coast guard will continue to provide HF SITOR service from
Communication Stations Kodiak (NOJ), Honolulu (NMO), and Guam (NRV),
and Communications Area Master Stations San Francisco (NMC) and
Portsmouth (NMN). Additionally, government and merchant vessels can
contact designated commercial coast radio stations on HFCW to pass
safety, medical emergency and Automated-Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue
(AMVER) reports to the Coast Guard at no cost to the originator. More
information concerning Coast Guard distress and safety radio circuits
can be obtained from the Coast Guard Navigation Information Service
computer bulletin board, accessible by modem at (703) 313-5910, or by
Internet from `Telnet fedworld.gov'.
The Coast Guard believes the current implemented provisions of
GMDSS and commercial coast radio station operating Morse telegraphy
services (HFCW) within the high frequency bands are sufficient to
ensure distress and safety communication services. Therefore, effective
1 April 1995, the Coast Guard proposes to cease all high frequency
Morse (HFCW) radiotelegraphy services currently operated from Coast
Guard Communication Stations Kodiak, Honolulu, and Guam, and
Communications Area Master Stations San Francisco and Portsmouth.
Dated: January 13, 1995.
D.E. Ciancaglini,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of Command, Control and
Communications.
[FR Doc. 95-2092 Filed 1-26-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M
