U.S. Coast Guard Radio Stations
Encyclopedia
The United States Coast Guard
maintains radio stations for communication between Coast Guard units, Coast Guard units and other government entities, and Coast Guard units and the general public. Most communications take place on the VHF marine bands. For long-range communications with aircraft, Coast Guard stations use shortwave
single-sideband communications. Weather and safety of navigation forecasts involve facsimile
as well as other modes over shortwave
and mediumwave
transmissions.
According to the NTIA, the Coast Guard is the seventh-biggest user of radio spectrum in the United States. The U.S. Coast Guard maintains a network of VHF radio stations at its shore stations and on cutters and boats, as well as stations of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. In addition, the Coast Guard maintains a chain of high frequency
(HF) and medium frequency
(MF) radio stations that provide communications in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Coast Guard VHF Radio stations are currently being upgraded through the Rescue 21
program to meet the US obligations under the Global Maritime Distress Safety System
.
, New York; and the network expanded to Nahant, Massachusetts; New London, Connecticut; Cape May, New Jersey; Cape Henry, Virginia (with the call sign NMN); Fernandina, Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; San Francisco, California; San Pedro, California; Port Angeles, Washington; and Anacortes, Washington in the 1930s.
The network expanded even further in the 1940s, adding radio station NMH in Washington, D.C, among others. However, in the 1970s, the increasing use of automation caused the number of stations to contract. In 1976, for example, NMN (then at Communication Station (COMMSTA) Portsmouth) assumed the duties of NMH in Washington, and took over remote operations from Miami in 1993, Boston (NMF) in 1996, and New Orleans in 1998.
With the introduction of the computer-assisted Rescue 21 system, the ability of the Coast Guard to provide coverage on the marine VHF band in marginal areas has increased.
Communication Area Master Station Atlantic (CAMSLANT) is located on the site of U.S. Naval Security Group Northwest (near Newport News, Virginia), and has a staff of approximately 100 people. CAMSLANT provides technical communications assistance and training to other Coast Guard units. It operates the following stations:
Communication Area Master Station Pacific (CAMSPAC) operates
Communication Station Kodiak (COMMSTA Kodiak) is responsible for communications in the Alaska area of operation and operates
charts; single sideband transmissions; and Simplex Teletype Over Radio SITOR
narrow-band direct-printing broadcasts. In the 1960s through the 1980s, these transmissions were broadcast live, with the interval signal
of "Semper Paratus"; however, now, using Voice Broadcast Automation (VOBRA), a computerized voice ("Perfect Paul") reads the voice messages.
NAVTEX transmissions are identified by the last letter of the callsign of the station. Each station transmits a NAVTEX broadcast six times a day, including two rebroadcasts of the general forecast. A NAVTEX broadcast includes maritime navigation warnings, weather forecasts, ice warnings, Gulf Stream locations, radio navigation information, rescue messages, and marine advisorys. Each station has 2 NAVTEX transmitters.
Besides broadcast messages, Coast Guard stations handle direct traffic between aircraft, cutters, boats, and shore stations on VHF, MF, and HF frequencies, including the HF Data Link encrypted e-mail system and Digital Selective Calling (DSC), which uses radio telephone to send digitally-encrypted signals to either one receiver or a group or receivers.
(NTIA). Specific frequency allocations are handled by the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee. There is increased concern about the scarcity of public service radio spectrum, including selling portions to private users.
; instead, they identify themselves by the activity name, such as "Sector Baltimore", "Station Washington, D.C. (or Station Washington)". Boats identify themselves with the last digits of their registration number, for example, a Defender-class boat with the registration 25123 would be "Coast Guard 25123, while a 41-foot boat would be "Coast Guard 41345." Cutters identify themselves as "Cutter (name)". Aircraft identify themselves by their number. A number beginning with "15,17,20" is a HC-130; "21" is a HU-25A/C/D; "23" is a HC-144A; "60" is a MH/HH-60J/T helicopter; "65 or 66" is a HH/MH-65; . Auxiliary aircraft and ships identify themselves as "Auxiliary ###".
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
maintains radio stations for communication between Coast Guard units, Coast Guard units and other government entities, and Coast Guard units and the general public. Most communications take place on the VHF marine bands. For long-range communications with aircraft, Coast Guard stations use shortwave
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
single-sideband communications. Weather and safety of navigation forecasts involve facsimile
Facsimile
A facsimile is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in terms of scale,...
as well as other modes over shortwave
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
and mediumwave
Mediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...
transmissions.
According to the NTIA, the Coast Guard is the seventh-biggest user of radio spectrum in the United States. The U.S. Coast Guard maintains a network of VHF radio stations at its shore stations and on cutters and boats, as well as stations of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. In addition, the Coast Guard maintains a chain of high frequency
High frequency
High frequency radio frequencies are between 3 and 30 MHz. Also known as the decameter band or decameter wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decameters . Frequencies immediately below HF are denoted Medium-frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Very high frequency...
(HF) and medium frequency
Medium frequency
Medium frequency refers to radio frequencies in the range of 300 kHz to 3 MHz. Part of this band is the medium wave AM broadcast band. The MF band is also known as the hectometer band or hectometer wave as the wavelengths range from ten down to one hectometers...
(MF) radio stations that provide communications in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Coast Guard VHF Radio stations are currently being upgraded through the Rescue 21
Rescue 21
Rescue 21 is an advanced maritime computing, command, control, and communications system designed to manage communications for the United States Coast Guard.-Overview:...
program to meet the US obligations under the Global Maritime Distress Safety System
Global Maritime Distress Safety System
The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System is an internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, types of equipment, and communication protocols used to increase safety and make it easier to rescue distressed ships, boats and aircraft....
.
History of Coast Guard shore stations
The first Coast Guard shore stations were established after 1924, when the Coast Guard's mission expanded. The first shore station was at Rockaway Point Coast Guard Station, located at Fort TildenFort Tilden
Fort Tilden, also known as Fort Tilden Historic District, is a former United States Army installation in the New York City borough of Queens and part of Gateway National Recreation Area. It is located on the Rockaway Peninsula between Jacob Riis Park to the east and Breezy Point to the west...
, New York; and the network expanded to Nahant, Massachusetts; New London, Connecticut; Cape May, New Jersey; Cape Henry, Virginia (with the call sign NMN); Fernandina, Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; San Francisco, California; San Pedro, California; Port Angeles, Washington; and Anacortes, Washington in the 1930s.
The network expanded even further in the 1940s, adding radio station NMH in Washington, D.C, among others. However, in the 1970s, the increasing use of automation caused the number of stations to contract. In 1976, for example, NMN (then at Communication Station (COMMSTA) Portsmouth) assumed the duties of NMH in Washington, and took over remote operations from Miami in 1993, Boston (NMF) in 1996, and New Orleans in 1998.
With the introduction of the computer-assisted Rescue 21 system, the ability of the Coast Guard to provide coverage on the marine VHF band in marginal areas has increased.
Current Assignments
There are several Coast Guard radio stations responsible for operating more than one station or with a wide area of responsibility.Communication Area Master Station Atlantic (CAMSLANT) is located on the site of U.S. Naval Security Group Northwest (near Newport News, Virginia), and has a staff of approximately 100 people. CAMSLANT provides technical communications assistance and training to other Coast Guard units. It operates the following stations:
- CAMS Chesapeake, VA: call sign NMN (located near Norfolk) (directly)
- COMMSTA Miami, FL: call sign NMA (remotely)
- COMMSTA Boston, MA: call sign NMF (remotely)
- COMMSTA New Orleans, LA: call sign NMG (remotely)
Communication Area Master Station Pacific (CAMSPAC) operates
- CAMS NMC Pt. Reyes, CA: call sign NMC (directly)
- COMMSTA Guam: call sign NRV (remotely)
- COMMSTA Honolulu, HI: call sign NMO (remotely)
Communication Station Kodiak (COMMSTA Kodiak) is responsible for communications in the Alaska area of operation and operates
- COMMSTA Kodiak, AK: call sign NOJ (directly)
Modes of transmission
These stations broadcast navigation and marine safety messages through several means, including Navigational Telex [NAVTEX] transmissions on 518 kHz; facsimile transmissions of National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
charts; single sideband transmissions; and Simplex Teletype Over Radio SITOR
SITOR
SITOR is a system for transmitting text messages. Although it uses the same frequency-shift keying modulation used by regular radioteletype , SITOR uses error detection, redundancy, and/or retransmission to improve reliability.There are two SITOR modes:* SITOR-A is used for point to point links...
narrow-band direct-printing broadcasts. In the 1960s through the 1980s, these transmissions were broadcast live, with the interval signal
Interval signal
An interval signal, or tuning signal, is a characteristic sound or musical phrase used in international broadcasting and by some domestic broadcasters...
of "Semper Paratus"; however, now, using Voice Broadcast Automation (VOBRA), a computerized voice ("Perfect Paul") reads the voice messages.
NAVTEX transmissions are identified by the last letter of the callsign of the station. Each station transmits a NAVTEX broadcast six times a day, including two rebroadcasts of the general forecast. A NAVTEX broadcast includes maritime navigation warnings, weather forecasts, ice warnings, Gulf Stream locations, radio navigation information, rescue messages, and marine advisorys. Each station has 2 NAVTEX transmitters.
Besides broadcast messages, Coast Guard stations handle direct traffic between aircraft, cutters, boats, and shore stations on VHF, MF, and HF frequencies, including the HF Data Link encrypted e-mail system and Digital Selective Calling (DSC), which uses radio telephone to send digitally-encrypted signals to either one receiver or a group or receivers.
Concerns
The use of the radio spectrum by the U.S. Coast Guard, like all U.S. Government agencies, is assigned by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information AdministrationNational Telecommunications and Information Administration
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves as the President's principal adviser on telecommunications policies pertaining to the United States' economic and technological advancement and to regulation of the...
(NTIA). Specific frequency allocations are handled by the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee. There is increased concern about the scarcity of public service radio spectrum, including selling portions to private users.
The role of the Auxiliary
Coast Guard Auxiliary stations are privately-owned stations that have been offered for use of the Government and have been approved by the Coast Guard. They may be on the marine VHF band or use HF communications. In addition, many Coast Guard Auxiliarists are qualified radio watchstanders at existing Coast Guard stations.Coast Guard call signs
Most Coast Guard land-based VHF radio stations do not use four-letter call signsCall Signs
Call Signs is the third studio album by Melbourne electronica band Black Cab, released in 2009.The album evokes the atmosphere of the former totalitarian state of East Germany, set to a soundtrack of post-punk and atmospheric electronics. In an interview, the band explained the album's sound was...
; instead, they identify themselves by the activity name, such as "Sector Baltimore", "Station Washington, D.C. (or Station Washington)". Boats identify themselves with the last digits of their registration number, for example, a Defender-class boat with the registration 25123 would be "Coast Guard 25123, while a 41-foot boat would be "Coast Guard 41345." Cutters identify themselves as "Cutter (name)". Aircraft identify themselves by their number. A number beginning with "15,17,20" is a HC-130; "21" is a HU-25A/C/D; "23" is a HC-144A; "60" is a MH/HH-60J/T helicopter; "65 or 66" is a HH/MH-65; . Auxiliary aircraft and ships identify themselves as "Auxiliary ###".
External links
- http://www.nws.noaa.gov
- http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/index.php?pageName=maritimeTelecomms -- USCG Navigation Center Maritime Communications website
- http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/camslant/default.asp -- CAMSLANT's website
- http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/camspac/index.htm -- CAMSPAC's website
- http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/commstaBoston/default.asp -- USCG Communication Station Boston (NMF)
- http://pollux.nas.nima.mil/NAV_PUBS/UNTM/200608/NtM_08-2006.pdf (Adobe Acrobat file) -- Notice to Mariners discussing changes to the Coast Guard's NAVTEX service
- USCG Boston Radio/Communications Station History
- USCG Guam Radio/Communications Station History
- 500 kHz watches at NMO in 1977, described by Jeffrey Herman
- USCG at the Global Frequency Database