SUB-COMMITTEE ON
RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS AND SEARCH
AND RESCUE
4th session
Agenda item 7
COMSAR 4/7/3
14 May 1999
Original: ENGLISH
EMERGENCY RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS: FALSE ALERTS AND INTERFERENCE
Measures to reduce the number of false distress alerts for practical use of GMDSS
Submitted by Japan
SUMMARY
Executive summary: This document requests consideration of measures to reduce false distress alerts under the GMDSS
Action to be taken: Paragraph 5
Related documents: MSC/Circ.861, A.814 (19), A.764 (18)
1 From 1 February 1999, the GMDSS has been fully implemented under the SOLAS Convention. Japan continues to receive many false distress alerts in the present situation. These false distress alerts include many cases of ID of the ship and that of the GMDSS equipment being different. The information on false distress alerts received by Japan and on inappropriate control of IDs is attached at annex 1.
2 Japan is aware of various efforts being made to reduce false distress alerts, however, Japan feels that further efforts are required since false distress alerts and inappropriate control of IDs impose heavy loads on the SAR organization and threaten the reliability of the GMDSS.
3 Therefore, Japan considers it necessary for the Sub-Committee to:
.1 circulate the procedure for responding to a distress alert to Member Governments as soon as possible, which has been developed by COMSAR 3 and amended by the ITU, in order to reduce unnecessary relay of false distress alerts;
.2 develop and circulate a COMSAR circular requested the Member Governments to provide information on false distress alerts received and on inappropriate control of IDs. A draft outline of the proposed circular is attached at annex 2;
.3 request the Secretariat to compile reports on the information provided from the Member Governments and circulate the reports to the Member Governments; and
.4 consider at COMSAR 5 on the basis of proposals from Member Governments further measures to be taken on the problems of false distress alerts.
