What frequencies and types of communications are monitored in the COMMS booth?
FREQS:
1. Ch 16: Civilian Mariners in distress
2. CG 127: CG small boats
3. CG 410: CG Helos
4. 800hz : OGAs (Other Gov Assets)
5. COTHEN: All CG assists and units (Cellular Over The Horizon Enforcement Network)
6. 22A
7. CG 118
8. Ch 70/DSC
9. SIPR
What information should be logged in the COMMS Radio Log?
Everythinng. Relieve/Assume Watch, broadcasts, asset guards, distress calls, and equipment malfunctions
Explain the difference between Push to SAROPS, Publishing Audio, and Publishing Caller?
What are the asset check in times, and what information should be gathered at every checkin?
Info: OPS and PSN
Check In Times:
- Helos: 15 mins
- Small Craft: 30 mins
- Fixed Wing: 30 mins
- Cutters: 4 hours
Where do you log equipment issues? What info needs to be included?
Equip issues are logged in the COMMS Log. Included: POC, ticket number, planned actions to fix issue.
Who do you contact if there is an issue with Rescue 21 software or equipment?
General Dynamics(GD): 1877-449-0600 Option 1
How far offshore is R21 required to cover for VHF communications?
R21 covers 20nm offshore guaranteed but can pick up further. If it goes down you will COOP to Sector Jacksonville and call GD for the Sector to Sector handoff.
What is VSAT? How do you identify when an RFF is in VSAT?
VSAT is when an RFF is on its secondary generator.
You can check the regional system status to see if an RFF is in VSAT. If unsure you can call GD as well and they can confirm.
What does RFF stand for?
Remote Fixed Facility
Name the RFFs - south to north - in our AOR, and identify which RFFs belong to other Sectors.
Brunswick, Cardigan, Montgomery, Port Royal, Mount Pleasant, McClellanville , Garden City, Longs, Southport
Brunswick belongs to JAX and Southport belongs to NC.
What is the DVL?
Digital Voice Logger.
It records phone calls and COTHEN.
It must be checked every watch relief, and if it goes down you will hand write everything in a COMPLETE LOG
What is COTHEN?
Our call sign is?
Cellular Over The Horizon Network. Our call sign is Z10
It has unlimited range.
Call COTHEN technical support if there are issues with COTHEN.
>Use the COTHEN binder to locate the call sign for all USCG assets and sectors.
Lost COMMS?
Lost Comms is when an asset fails to respond to our hailing out at the designated check in time.
An asset goes into lost comms X minutes after no response, based on asset type.
Helos: 5 mins no check in
Small Boats: 10 mins no check in
Alert the watch floor and contact the asset’s parent command, while continuously making call outs on CH 16, Primary and Secondary frequencies. When Comms are regained, ask for position and reason why they went into lost comms.
What are the different colored lines - LOBs - on the geographical display of R22 and what do they mean?
On GEODISPLAY, Red is Ch 16 and Blue is Ch 70/DSC
What needs to happen during a R21 outage both planned and unplanned?
What information needs to be passed to an asset for a search pattern?
Vessel Type, CSP, Center Point, Creep Direction in Magnetic, Track Spacing, 1st Turn direction, search area L x search area W
What information can we pass to a disoriented mariner?
ONLY CHARTED INFORMATION.
We will be liable if we give the mariner a direction to steer when we do not know weather/sea conditions, their experience, or who/what is around them.
What is a RMIB?
ROUTINE MARINE INFORMATION BROADCAST.
2X a day at 1200z and 2200z
What is DSC?
Digital Selective Calling. It is on Ch70 and the secondary freq we are supposed to monitor.
What is DSC Polling?
DSC Polling takes all vessels within a certain radius and pull up all their information in V4 Workstation.
What is the timeline for responding to a DSC call?
You have no less than 1min and no more than 2.75 to acknowledge a DSC call.
How do mariners report on ATON?
Get a picture of the aid, what is wrong with it, reporting source name and phone number.
BNMs are ATON discrepencies.
Name the various types of broadcasts used by the USCG.
RMIB
UMIB, UNCOR UMIB
SMIB
BNM
MARB
RMIB?
Routine Marine Information Broadcast
