The NAVTEX (NAVigational TelEX/TEXt) system is part of the GMDSS system and is an international method using low-speed character-based transmission of weather and other data pertinent to mariners on two frequencies (518KHz for international, 490KHz for national) that can be received up to about 200NM offshore. Vessels that are bound to SOLAS must (since 1993) have an approved NAVTEX receiver on board - these print out received messages on paper for a permanent record, which must be kept; non-SOLAS vessels aren't required to use the expensive commercial printing units and can use less expensive digital recorders such as the NASA Clipper unit that I have gotten for Zanshin. While of no use when past 200NM offshore, it is an invaluable device for receiving up-to-date weather information plus many different kinds of navigational, safety, emergency and other information. The NAVTEX unit allows certain types of messages to be filtered out and one can choose which station(s) to filter out as well so that not too much text is received and displayed.
B2
character |
Subject
Subject items in bold cannot be rejected by the receiver |
| A |
Navigational warnings |
| B |
Meteorological warnings |
| C |
Ice reports |
| D |
Search and rescue information |
| E |
Meteorological forecasts |
| F |
Pilot service messages |
| G |
DECCA messages |
| H |
LORAN messages |
| I |
Available if required |
| J |
SATNAV messages |
| K |
Other electronic Navaid messages (messages concerning radio navigation systems) |
| L |
Subfacts/Gunfacts (UK use) – advisable not to reject this class of message
in UK waters |
| V |
Amplifying Navigational warnings initially announced under category A |
|
Sample NAVTEX message (San Juan, Puerto Rico, 24/09/2011)
FZNT26 KNHC 240903
OFFN05
NAVTEX MARINE FORECAST
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE center MIAMI FL
530 AM EDT SAT SEP 24 2011
...PLEASE REFER TO THE COASTAL WATERS FORECAST AVAILABLE
THROUGH NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER MEANS FOR A MORE DETAILED
FORECAST WITHIN 60 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE COASTLINE...
SYNOPSIS FOR CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC FROM 07N TO 22N
BETWEEN 55W AND 65W
.SYNOPSIS...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA NEAR 16.9N 55.2W AT 24/0900
UTC MOVING W-NW AT 12 KT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND 45 GUSTS TO 55
KT. OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE N PORTION OF THE
TROPICAL N ATLC THROUGH THROUGH MON REACHING 18.0N 56.6W THIS
AFTERNOON...19.2N 58.4W TONIGHT...20.2N 60.0W SUN...21.0N 61.5W
SUN NIGHT AND MOVE JUST N OF THE AREA MON NIGHT.
E CARIBBEAN E OF 75W TO THE LEEWARD AND WINDWARD ISLANDS
.TODAY AND TONIGHT...W OF 68W E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT 20 TO
25 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT. E OF 68W NE
TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...E OF 68W SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3
TO 5 FT. W OF 68W E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT
SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 5 FT MON.
.WED...E OF 68W SE TO S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT PRIMARILY
IN NE SWELL. W OF 68W E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4
TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 22N BETWEEN 55W AND 65W
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING N OF 15N E OF 62W...
.TODAY THROUGH SUN...N OF 15N E OF 62W TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS. HIGHEST WINDS 45 KT GUSTS OF 55 KT. SEAS 12 SEAS OR
GREATER IN THE AREA OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. ELSEWHERE N
OF 15N NE WINDS 20 TO 33 KT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT. S OF 15N NE TO E
WINDS 10 TO 15 KT SHIFTING E TO SE SAT THEN SE TO S LATE SAT.
SEAS 8 TO 11 FT IN NE SWELL.
.SUN NIGHT AND MON...N OF 17N TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS
EXPECTED WITH HIGHEST WINDS 40 KT GUSTS TO 50 KT. SEAS 12 SEAS
OR GREATER IN THE AREA OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. S OF 17N
SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT MON. SEAS
7 TO 10 FT SUBSIDING TO 5 TO 7 FT MON.
.TUE...N OF 20N S TO SW WINDS DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS
4 TO 7 FT. FROM 13N TO 20N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4
TO 5 FT. S OF 13N NE TO E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT IN NE
SWELL. .WED...N OF 20N W OF 60W S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT.
SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. ELSEWHERE N OF 16N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT.
SEAS 4 TO 6 FT IN SE SWELL. S OF 16N E TO SE WINDS 10 KT. SEAS
3 TO 4 FT IN E SWELL.
SYNOPSIS FOR THE SW N ATLC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS
.SYNOPSIS...ATLC RIDGE WILL MAINTAIN MODERATE TO FRESH E TO SE
WINDS MAINLY E OF THE BAHAMAS THROUGH MOST OF THE FORECAST
PERIOD. SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDS FROM 30N78W TO 23N79W WILL
REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY AND GRADUALLY DISSIPATE TONIGHT.
EXPECT INCREASING WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS TOWARD THE END OF
THE FORECAST PERIOD AS TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA MOVES OVER OR
VERY CLOSE TO THE E PART OF THE ZONE NEAR 24.5N 63.5W TUE
NIGHT AND NEAR 26.5N 63.5 WED NIGHT.
SW N ATLANTIC S OF 31N W OF 65W INCLUDING BAHAMAS
...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED TUE AND WED...
.TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 27N SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT
SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT W OF 77W. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT EXCEPT 3 TO
5 FT W OF 77W. S OF 27N E OF BAHAMAS E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20
KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT EXCEPT 8 TO 10 FT S OF 25N E OF 68W. S OF
27N W OF BAHAMAS SE TO S WINDS 5 TO 10 KT BECOMING E TO SE
WINDS 10 TO 15 KT SAT NIGHT. SEAS 1 TO 3 FT.
.SUN AND SUN NIGHT...N OF 27N SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT
S TO SW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT W OF 78W. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT EXCEPT 4 TO
6 FT IN SE SWELL W OF 78W. S OF 27N E OF BAHAMAS E TO SE WINDS
15 TO 20 KT. SEAS BUILDING 8 TO 11 FT IN SE SWELL. S OF 27N W
OF BAHAMAS E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
.MON...N OF 27N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT EXCEPT S TO SW WINDS
W OF 75W. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT IN SE SWELL. S OF 27N E OF BAHAMAS E
TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING N TO NE 15 TO 20 KT E OF 67W
LATE. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT IN SE SWELL. S OF 27N W OF BAHAMAS E TO
SE WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
.TUE AND WED...WINDS INCREASING TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE S OF
28N E OF 67W WITH HIGHEST WINDS 50 KT GUSTS TO 60 KT. SEAS 12
FT OR GREATER IN AREA OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. ELSEWHERE
N OF 27N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT IN SE
SWELL. ELSEWHERE S OF 27N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO
8 FT E OF BAHAMAS AND 2 TO 4 FT W OF BAHAMAS.
$$ |
