AUSTRALIA

| Australia | New Zealand | Pacific |

You can track some ships online via http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/

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AUSTRALIA

Australian waters comprise the SEA AREA A3 - covering a massive 52.8 million sq km - although due to the poor systems maintained throughout the smaller nations of the pacific - Australia's response system voluntarily extends to the outer pacific areas, often past the Solomon Islands, for example. 

There are three government run HF Australian maritime networks:

- GMDSS DSC network operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
(Used mainly by SOLAS or large vessels >300 tonnes);

- National Coastal Radio network Operated by the individual states (& NT).
(For voice only equipped vessels: non-SOLAS, non-GMDSS DSC);

- Marine Weather network broadcast via the GMDSS transmitter sites.

Additionally there is a privately run SailMail service, providing HF email services.

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GMDSS DSC Network - Australian Maritime Safety Authority (ASMA)

The Australian Federal Government provides a Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) and maintains watch on GMDSS DSC emergency frequencies, Inmarsat, and Cospas-Sarsat distress beacons.
ASMA also provides Inmarsat SafetyNET weather broadcasts, AUSREP, and emergency phone patch facilities.

There are two TX/RX sites for the ASMA located in Wiluna (Western Australia) and Charleville (Queensland). These are controlled remotely from Canberra at the RCC (callsign: RCC Australia or VIC).

HF Emergency frequencies for all GMDSS DSC equipped (SOLAS) vessels: (MMSI 005030001)(2K80J3E)

 

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National Coast Radio network - State-based voice net (non-DSC)

For non-SOLAS vessels (small craft <300 tonnes) without DSC the maritime authorities in the Australian States and the Northern Territory provide safety communications services.
This network (National Coast Radio Network) consists of HF voice-only stations covering the Australian coastline from stations at:
Cairns, Charleville, Darwin, Gladstone, Hobart, Perth, Port Hedland, and Wiluna.

National Coast Radio network voice frequencies used for distress and calling

Weather and navigation warnings 8176 (0555 UTC)

NSW, South Australia, and Victoria

Use the National Coast Radio network Distress & Calling frequencies & supplementary frequency

South Australia, Victoria and NSW broadcast from Charleville or Wiluna (the two ASMA broadcast sites).

Western Australia 

Distress & Calling - Coast radio Perth and Headland use the National Coast Radio network frequencies.

Queensland

Coast radio Cairns & Gladstone H24 Distress & Calling use the National Coast Radio network frequencies.

Northern Territory

Coast radio Darwin H24 Distress & Calling uses the National Coast Radio network frequencies.

Tasmania

Coast radio Hobart H24 Distress & Calling uses the National Coast Radio network frequencies and the following frequency:

2524 Day Calling Only

Daily Skeds (initial announcements made on voice emergency frequencies):

Local Maritime Safety Information 8176 kHz 1555 EST (0555 UTC) Daily

 

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HF Weather Broadcasts

 Regular voice and fax weather broadcasts & nav /weather warnings are provided by the Bureau of Meteorology from the Wiluna (VMW) and Charleville (VMC) broadcast sites.

The voice network uses the frequencies (kHz) of:

* Does not include time offset for daylight savings.

VMC (Australia Weather East) broadcasts for the following areas:
Coastal Waters between Cape Don in the Northern Territory and Eucla in Western Australia, including all Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia zones.
High Seas for the Northern, North Eastern and South Eastern high seas areas

VMW (Australia Weather West) broadcasts for the following areas:
Coastal Waters between the South Australia - Victoria border and Torres Strait in Queensland including all South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory zones.
High Seas for the Northern, Western and South Eastern high seas areas.

 

Weather Fax broadcasts  (requires software)
(If using USB receiver tune 1.9 KHz below frequency for software to decode accurately)

* Does not include time offset for daylight savings.

Modulation: FSK (F3C)
Emission code: 3K00F3C
FSK Carrier: 1900 Hz
Shift: White +400 Hz, Black -400 Hz
Scan line frequency: 2 lines per second (120 lines per minute)
Scan line stability: Within 5 parts in 1,000,000
Index of co-operation: 576
Scanning line density: 3.8 lines per millimetre (96 lines per inch)
Picture format: Comprises start, phasing, picture and stop sequence as detailed below
Start signal: Carrier modulated for 5 seconds by alternate Black and White at a rate of 300 Hz
Phasing signal: 60 scan lines, each scan line comprising White level for 25 milliseconds followed Black level for 475 milliseconds
Picture signal: Line to start with 25 milliseconds White level, followed by one line of picture content uniformly occupying the remaining 475 milliseconds. This format to continue until entire picture content has been transmitted
Stop signal: Carrier modulated for 5 seconds by alternate Black and White at a rate of 450 Hz, followed by 10 seconds of Black level
SSB Receiver tuning frequency: (for a standard WMO facsimile decoder) 1.9 kHz below the published transmit frequencies
Tuning Tone: Most charts are preceded by 60 seconds of 'tuning tone' (white signal) to allow receivers to automatically tune and capture the chart. The 'tuning tone' precedes the scheduled transmission time of a chart.
Some charts could not be preceded by 'tuning tone' as there is insufficient idle period preceding. To automatically capture these charts, set your receiver to wake up 2-3 minutes earlier and tune-in on the tail-end to the previous transmission.

 

DRM (Broadcast from Melbourne)

Freq: 5960 kHz
Mode: C/10 kHz
SDC/MSC: 4 QAM
Data: 8.64 kb/sec

 

 

SUPPLIMENTARY AUSTRALIAN NETWORKS

 

SailMail

SailMail is a global group, with established stations worldwide. The Australian node is in NSW and uses Pactor, Pactor II, and Pactor III to provide HF email for registered users.

Volunteer Coast Guard Stations 

Queensland Volunteer rescue stations (listed in order from south to north) indicating frequencies monitored.

Call sign	Hours	HF
Point Danger Marine Rescue (NSW)	24/7	2182, 2201, 2524, 4125
VMR Southport	24/7	2182, 2524, 4125, 4483
Coast Guard Southport	24/7	2182, 2524, 4125, 6215, 8291
VMR Jacobs Well	24/7	2112, 2182, 2201, 2524, 4125, 6215
VMR Victoria Point	0700–1700 w/e–p/h	2182
Coast Guard Brisbane (Manly)	0600–2200 Saturday 0600–1800 Sunday	4125, 6215, 8291
Coast Guard Redcliffe	0600–2100 Mon–Fri 0600 (Fri)–2100 (Sun)	2182, 2524, 4125
Coast Guard Mooloolaba	0600–2200 7 days 2200–0600 (night watch, 7 days)	2182, 2524 –
Coast Guard Tin Can Bay	0600–1800 7 days	2182, 2524, 4125
VMR Hervey Bay	0600–1800 7 days	2182, 2524
VMR Bundaberg	0700–1800 7 days	2182, 2524, 4125
VMR Round Hill	0630–1800 7 days	2182, 2524
VMR Gladstone	0630–1800 7 days	2182, 2524, 4125
Coast Guard Keppel Sands	0600–1800 Tues–Thurs	2182, 2524, 4125
Coast Guard Yeppoon	0600–1700 Fri–Mon	2182, 2524, 4125, 6215, 8291
VMR Mackay	0800–1800 7 days	4125, 6215
VMR Burdekin	0800–1700 w/e–p/h	2182, 2524, 4125
Coast Guard Townsville	0800–1700 Mon–Fri 0700–1900 w/e–p/h	4125, 4483
Coast Guard Ingham	0800–1700 w/e–p/h	2182, 4125
Coast Guard Tully	0800–1700 w/e–p/h	2182, 2524
Coast Guard Innisfail	0800–1700 w/e–p/h	2182, 4125
Coast Guard Cairns	0900–1800 Mon–Fri 0700–1800 w/e–p/h	6215
Coast Guard Port Douglas	0900–1800 Sunday	2524

 

Sydney to Hobart 2014 

Coordinated via Kordia on  4483kHz and 6516kHz. VHF CH 16, 72, 73, 80 & 81.