auxcom chapter 1
DESCRIPTION
USCG Auxiliary Specialty CourseTRANSCRIPT
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Flotilla Maui Specialty Course140-03-26
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Chapter One
Basic Marine Radiotelephone
Systems. Nomenclature
and Theory
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
• Cycle = a single complete reversal of an alternating current (One wave)
• Frequency = the number of cycles per second
• Hertz (Hz) = one Hz equals one cycle per second
These units of frequency measurement honor Henrich Hertz, an early pioneer in radio.
Terms of Art
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Radio Waves
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Frequency Conversions
1 Hz = 1 Cycle per Second
1,000 Hz = 1 kHz (Kilo Hertz)
1,000 kHz = 1 MHz (Mega Hertz)
1,000 MHz = 1 GHz (Giga Hertz)
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
.2182 GHz
2.1820 MHz
2,182.000 kHz
2,182,000.000 Hz
Frequency Numbering
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3-30 kHz Very Low Freq. VLF
30-300 kHz Low Freq. LF
300-3,000 kHz Medium Freq. MF
3-30 MHz High Frequency HF
30-300 MHz Very High Freq. VHF
300-3,000 MHz Ultra High Freq. UHF
3-30 GHz Super High Freq. SHF
Frequency Spectrum
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Ionosphere
Sky Waves Penetrating Ionosphere
Sky Waves Reflected
from Ionosphere
Sky Waves & the Ionosphere
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Skip Distance
Ionosphere
Sky Wave Transmissions
Radio Skip
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Ionosphere (Night)
Ionosphere (Day)
MF Wave
VHF Wave
Sky Wave (D
ay)
Sky Wave (Night)
Ground Wave
A
B C
D
Propagation CharacteristicsHF vs. VHF
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Emission Designations
First 3 Characters – Bandwidth
Last 3 Characters – Emission Type
Example:
2K8J3E 16KF3E
Bandwidth Emission Type Bandwidth Emission Type
J3E – Single Sideband, Suppressed Carrier, Voice
F3E – Frequency Modulated, Voice
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Station
1
Station
1
Station
2
Station
2
Simplex
156.8 MHz
Send & Receive
(CH 16)
DuplexSend Receive
Receive Send
161.8 MHz
157.2 MHz
(CH 24)
Types of Circuits
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Three Functions ofMarine Radiotelephone
•SAFETY
•OPERATIONS
•BUSINESS
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
2 – 30 MHz SSBRadio System
Ground Wave vs. Sky Wave
More Power – More Range
FCC Limit of 150 Watts
AM vs SSB
2182 kHz – International Distress & Calling
2670 kHz – Coast Guard – Public Freq.
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Power Distribution (Watts)
Lower Sideband
Frequencies (LSB)
Upper Sideband
Frequencies (USB)
Carrier Frequency
(No Intelligence)
1/6 2/3 1/6
Am
plit
ude
Frequency
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Double SidebandSuppressed Carrier
Am
plit
ude LSB Frequency USB Frequency
Carrier
Frequency
Frequency
For Single Sideband, only LSB or USB is Transmitted
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AM Transmissions Wave
FM Transmissions Wave
Examples of Waves
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2 – 30 MHz Ground Wave & Sky Wave
Transmissions
(1,000s of Miles Possible)
156 – 158 MHz Line of Sight Transmissions
(25 Miles Typical)
HF vs VHF
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Line of Sight
Mostly Free of Static
For Vessels – 25 Watts Max (with 1 Watt Switch)
•Channel 16 156.8 MHz (National Distress, Safety and Calling)
•Channel 6 Internship Safety
•Channel 13 Navigational (Bridge to Bridge)
•Channel 70 Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
VHF-FM Marine Bands(156-162MHz)
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• NO – Radio Watch Required
• NO – Protections from Interference
• NO – Foreign Vessels Can Not Use
• NO – Weather / Marine Info Available
• Limited to 5 Watts
Citizens Band (CB) Radio
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Radio Repeater
INReceive
Freq. ARCVR
XMTR OUTTransmit
Freq. B
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Antenna Types
2 – 30 MHz 156 – 158 MHz
Land stations Directional Directional
Vertical Vertical
Horizontal Wire
Shipboard Vertical Vertical
Directional
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Antenna Radiation Patterns
Horizontal Plane PatternAntenna Axis
SOLID PATTERN
Vertical Plane Pattern
Antenna Axis
180
225
135
270 90
315 45
0
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Antenna Axis
3 db 3 db6 db 6 db
9 db 9 db
ANTENNA RADIATION PATTERNS vs GAIN
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Roll and pitch causes signal loss with narrow-beam high-gain antennas
High-Gain Antenna
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
Lower gain antennas are less affected by roll and pitch in normal coverage areas.
Lower-Gain Antenna
Auxiliary Communications Specialty Course
• USE A GOOD GROUND
• PROVIDE LIGHTNING PROTECTION
• USE CAUTION NEAR OVERHEAD POWER AND TELEPHONE LINES
• DISCONNECT ANTENNA DURING SEVERE THUNDER STORMS
Antenna SafetyCautions