The GMDSS Radio Maintainer is responsible for the preventative and corrective maintenance of the GMDSS radio equipment. In General, the GMDSS Radio Maintainer is responsible for carrying out preventative and corrective electronic maintenance to the GMDSS equipment.
The Primary GMDSS Radio operator is responsible for Radio communications during distress incidents. He is responsible for insuring: that the GMDSS watches are properly maintained; that the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) equipment is properly programmed; and, above all that the vessel's position is properly entered into the DSC equipment.
The Primary GMDSS Radio Operator is also required to insure that the Maritime Safety Information ( MSI) which is required to be copied while the ship is underway. The ship normally copies the MSI information from the NAVTEX receiver.
If the ship sails in areas outside of NA VTEX coverage and is within the coverage of an INMARSAT satellite, an INMARSAT-C or HF Radio terminal must be used to receive SafetyNET broadcasts. The SafetyNET system can provide an automated service in areas where there is no coverage of the NAVTEX system, or shipping is too low to warrant its implementation. This requirement, to copy MSI can be met on ships where High Frequency (HF) with Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP) is available and the vessel is fitted to receive these broadcasts.
Some of the MSI NBDP frequencies are:
4,210.0 Khz
6,314.5 Khz
8,416.5 Khz
12,579.0 Khz
16,806.5 Khz
19,680.5 Khz
22.376.0 Khz
26.100.5 Khz
