The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is like a guardian angel for mariners. It’s an internationally agreed-upon set of procedures, equipment, and communication protocols designed to enhance maritime safety and security. Think of it as a high-tech safety net for sailors.
Here’s what makes it tick:
Distress Communication: GMDSS ensures that ships can communicate distress messages using various means, including satellite communication, high-frequency (HF) and very high-frequency (VHF) radios, and even digital selective calling (DSC) technology.
Search and Rescue Coordination: It establishes a framework for coordinating search and rescue operations on a global scale. When a distress signal is sent, rescue coordination centers worldwide can work together to provide assistance.
Navigational and Meteorological Warnings: GMDSS facilitates the broadcasting of navigational and meteorological warnings to vessels, keeping them informed about potential hazards and changing weather conditions.
Automatic Identification System (AIS): GMDSS incorporates AIS, a system that enables ships to automatically communicate their identity, position, course, and speed to other vessels and shore stations. This helps prevent collisions and enhances situational awareness.
Satellite Communication: GMDSS leverages satellite technology to ensure that distress signals can be transmitted globally, even in remote areas where traditional communication might be challenging.
Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs): GMDSS mandates the use of EPIRBs on ships, which are devices that can automatically transmit distress signals with the vessel’s precise location to satellites.
Search and Rescue Aircraft Coordination: It establishes procedures for coordinating communication between ships in distress and search and rescue aircraft, streamlining the rescue process.
In essence, GMDSS is a comprehensive and integrated system that combines various communication technologies to provide a robust safety infrastructure for mariners, ensuring that help is just a distress call away, no matter where they are on the high seas. It’s like having a global safety hotline for sailors!
How has satellite technology helped the study of oceanography?
Satellite technology has been a game-changer for oceanography! Here are a few ways it has made a splash:
Sea Surface Temperature Monitoring: Satellites equipped with infrared sensors can measure sea surface temperatures. This helps scientists track changes in ocean temperatures, identify ocean currents, and study phenomena like El Niño.
Sea Level Monitoring: Satellites equipped with altimeters can measure sea level with remarkable accuracy. This is crucial for understanding global sea level rise and its impact on coastal areas.
Ocean Currents and Circulation: By observing the surface roughness of the ocean, satellites can provide valuable information about ocean currents. This helps scientists understand the dynamics of ocean circulation and its role in climate patterns.
Detection of Ocean Features: Satellites can identify various ocean features, including eddies, upwelling zones, and phytoplankton blooms. This information aids in studying marine ecosystems and fisheries.
Mapping Ocean Topography: Satellites equipped with radar altimeters can map the topography of the ocean floor. This is vital for understanding underwater geology, tectonics, and the distribution of marine resources.
Hurricane and Storm Monitoring: Satellites play a crucial role in monitoring and tracking hurricanes and storms over the ocean. This helps in predicting their paths and intensities, providing early warnings to coastal regions.
Ice Monitoring in Polar Regions: Satellites contribute to monitoring changes in sea ice extent and thickness in polar regions. This information is crucial for understanding the impacts of climate change on polar ecosystems and sea level rise.
In a nutshell, satellites give oceanographers a bird’s-eye view of the vast and dynamic oceans, allowing them to gather valuable data on a global scale.
For industrial operations within a factory, we recommend the Hytera PD405 factory radio, for improving communications efficiency. It is an excellent upgrade for business process improvement.
The factory radio has proved reliable with our industrial customers, and in fact we have never had one returned under warranty, due to failure.
The Hytera PD405 is tough enough to withstand light water splashes, and light product manufacturing dust.
If your factory has a lot of moisture and dust, then there are other
options, such as the Entel DX400 series that we can recommend.
For a product demonstration of the Hytera PD405 at your site, why not get in touch.
Benefits of using radios such as the Hytera PD405, are staff safety and improving communications speed.
Key Features of the Hytera PD405
MIL-STD-810 C/D/E/F/G standards
IP55 Compliance
Dual Mode (analogue & digital)
TDMA Direct Mode in DMO
256 channel capacity, 3 zones
Supports mix (analogue & digital) channel
One Touch Call/Text message
Digital voice call function
Digital text message function (pre-programmable message)
VOX
Standard Package
Radio
Standard Antenna
Li-ion Battery (1500mAh)
Single Charger & power supply
Leather Strap
– Belt Clip
RRP: £200.00 Ex. VAT
Business Factory Radio – Choosing the right equipment for you.
It can be confusing for a member of the public who is tasked with choosing a business safety radio for their business, either as the business owner, or as an employee.
Fortunately we can help you understand the various options, as we
recognise that most two-way radio dealers websites seem to be designed
by ‘techies’ for techies.
I have taken the liberty of looking at other dealers websites, and trying to imagine that I knew nothing about two-way radio.
I am going to explain what all the jargon means, so that you can make an informed decision.
Business Radios
Business radios describe two-way radios that are used by professional business organisations.
When reading websites you will come across terms such as:
Lets start with Analogue (which would be logical I guess).
Analogue two-way radios are available as Handheld (also known as
‘Hand-Portable’ or Walkie Talkies); Mobile (fitted in vehicles), and
Base Stations which are the ones that would be at a fixed location, such
as a desk.
Analogue radios are the older technology (compared with Digital, which I will come on to later).
This does not mean that analogue is necessarily a bad choice.
Advantages of Analogue radio equipment is that it is generally
cheaper to purchase than the newer digital equipment, which still caries
a premium in price (though coming down).
You also tend to get a better built radio when compared with a
digital one at the same price, which might be a consideration if you are
on a tight budget, and need a certain level of resistance to dust and
moisture (known as Ingress Protection).
Digital Radio
Digital
two way radio has been around for only a few years, and like in the
early days of Video Recorders (For those old enough to remember them),
there are two main competing standards that you will come across.
The two factory radio standards are firstly DMR, & secondly dPMR.
dPMR is the standard adopted by manufacturers, Icom & Kenwood.
DMR is the standard adopted by manufacturers, Motorla, Hytera, Tait etc.
DMR seems to be slowly winning, with Kenwood now also offering a DMR radio, as well as their dPMR radio range.
As a business user I would recommend you largely ignore the fact that
there are two standards, and focus on what the radio system can do for
you.
The two standards only become a consideration, when adding to
existing digital radios that you may have. If this is the case, then you
will need to stick with dPMR (or vice versa) to match your existing
radios. We can help and advise you if needed.
One final thing to mention about the two standards is, though they
are defined standards there are slight differences in interpretations of
the standard between manufacturers.
This means that although for instance your DMR standard Hytera made
radio is the same DMR standard as your motorola, some advanced functions
may not work, though basic communications should. Ask us for help and
advice if required.
Security Radios
We offer a comprehensive two way radio communications service in
Lincoln, Hull & surrounding areas including offering security radios
& equipment to local security businesses.
Unlike many companies on the internet, we don’t just sell factory radio walkie talkies. Our Lincoln based business can service, repair & install two way security radios into vehicles. This is backed up with proper City & Guilds radio communications & electronics qualifications & experience. We also have professionally trained installation engineers to standard MPT1362.
This guide to buying two way radios is designed to help those who either are new to two-way radio systems, or are looking to upgrade your existing two way radio system.
First of all lets look at some of the common terminology that you will come across, when researching two way radio in 2019.
Digital & Analogue
Digital and Analogue refer to the way the two way radio transmits and recieves the radio signal.
Analogue is the older of the two technologies, it and tends to be cheaper to purchase an analogue two way radio, than a digital one.
However in recent years the price of digital radios has dropped, and some manufacturers have actually stopped making analogue two way radio equipment.
In 2019 we would normally recommend our clients go for a digital two way radio system, unless they have specific specialist requirements, such as certain Marine Industry.
VHF & UHF
VHF and UHF refer to the radio frequency band, that the radio equipment operates on.
VHF is short for Very High Frequency, whilst UHF is short for Ultra High Frequency.
One is not better than the other, and the best choice is dependent on the environment in which the radio will be used.
For example VHF tends to give better distance coverage in open country, and UHF is normally better suited to multi storey buildings.
Yesway Ltd is happy to offer free advice, and also carry out site surveys to design the best system possible, for your businesses individual requirements.
DMR & dPMR
DMR and dPMR are rival digital standards, similar to the way that the old fashioned video recorders (VCR), had two competing main standards originally.
After a few years since the digital radios came onto the market, the DMR standard appears to the the dominant winner.
For more help on the guide to buying two way radios , contact us.
Weightless’ is an exciting new wireless technology fro the Internet of Things.
Weightless uses what is known as ‘white space’ to transmit and receive its signals on. White Space is the term used to describe the unused gaps between licensed frequency bands. These gaps are now offer licence free communication, as well as better use of the radio spectrum.
Yesway has joined Weightless as an observer member
The ‘Internet of Things’, or IOT for short is set to dominate the next phase of the internet.
The IOT is about monitoring and controlling everyday machines and items by giving them an address (IP address) on the internet.
Recent advances in low power wireless technologies open up the possibility of cost effective transmission of monitoring data, with long service intervals for the monitoring equipment (sometimes 10 years on one battery).
By capturing the data from all these internet connected wireless sensors, and storing it in a huge cloud based ‘Data Lake’ , trends in data can be searched and analysed.
Yesway Communications aims to be at the forfront of the ”Big Data’ and Internet of Things revolution.
If you have a business that could benefit from data monitoring and analysis using the cloud, then get in touch.
Recently we were contacted by a farmer, based just outside of the city of Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
He had had a system supplied and installed by another company a few years ago, however, the performance had decreased over time.
The first task was to carry out a through audit of the installed equipment. This included radio RF performance tests of the installed radios to verify that the correct power output was being achieved from each radio. We also checked on-air speech quality, and receive audio.
Once we were satisfied that the equipment was working properly (there is no point fitting a new aerial to a vehicle with a bust radio), we checked the aerial systems for forward and reflected power. This is done with an SWR (standing wave ratio) meter.
A number of the aerials fitted to the tractors and combine harvesters were in a poor state. Some whips were missing/damaged, while others were simply the wrong length.
The length of the aerial will vary depending on the frequency that the radio operates on.
The farmer had bought a replacement mag-mount aerial from a high street supplier, however, these come ‘un-trimmed’. Therefore some of the power was being reflected back into the radio, and not going out into the ether (as it should).
This is why choosing an experienced company like Yesway, is always a good idea, as part of business process improvement.
After trimming to the correct length, the output power increased. They also reduce the risk of radio equipment damage.
Benefits of LoraWAN for Farmers
A recent development that can benefit Lincoln farmers is LoraWAN and the Internet of Things.
Recently near Wainfleet in the Lincolnshire Wolds Farmers and householders experienced extensive flooding.
The Wainfleet floods were caused by heavy rains causing the river banks to be breached.
By using LoraWAN wireless connected sensors, river levels could be monitored, and the data put onto the Internet cloud via a device called a ‘LoraWAN Gateway’.
There are both public and private LoraWAN networks available, and we have even custom built our own experimental LoraWAN gateway ourselves.
If you are a Lincoln or Wainfleet Farmer who wishes to find out more about how LoraWAN wireless sensor technology could be used to monitor River levels, get in touch.
Solar powered two way radio event hire is a first from Yesway Communications.
Hire two-way walkie talkies from the only* company that uses the power of the sun to charge our handheld hire radios.
We have now built a system that allows us to charge up our radio hire fleet, using solar powered two way radio hire , rather than the mains electricity supply.
This benefits the environment by not using electricity from the plug, which is often generated by nuclear power and fossil fuels, such as coal and gas.
We are also introducing solar chargers that can be hired for your event, to recharge our hired two-way radios at your event.
(Call: (01522) 740818 or (01482) 520818
*as far as we are aware we are the first and original company to offer 100% solar charging of our radio hire fleet in the uk.
