Furuno RC-1500-1T manual EGC Settings, What is the EGC Enhanced Group Call service?, 2-11

EGC Settings

What is the EGC (Enhanced Group Call) service?

The EGC service enables EGC information providers to send SafetyNETTM or FleetNETTM messages via a LES to select groups of ships, or to all ships within a defined geographical area.

To send an EGC message, the information provider prepares the mes- sage, and then accesses the Country of international telex network to send the message to the LES. The LES processes and forwards it to the NCS for the ocean region designated by the provider. Then, NCS broadcasts the message throughout the ocean region.

Although all MESs can receive the EGC message, the message is accepted only by those receivers that have been pre-programmed for the area or group conditions contained in the message. All other EGC receivers reject the message.

Two EGC services are available:

1)SafetyNETTM

This provides a means for information providers to distribute Mari- time Safety Information (MSI) from shore-to-ship. Authorized in- formation providers include:

a.Hydrographic Offices, for navigational warnings

b.National Weather Services, for meteorological warnings and forecasts

c.Rescue Co-ordination Center, for shore-to-ship distress alerts and other urgent information

d.International Ice Patrol, for North Atlantic ice hazards

2)FleetNETTM

This service allows authorized information providers such as com- mercial subscription services, shipping companies and govern- ments, which have registered with a LES that supports FleetNETTM, to broadcast messages to selected group of MESs. Typical applications of FleetNETTM are:

a. Fleet or company broadcasts

b. News broadcasts

c. Commercial weather services

d. Market quotations

e. Government broadcasts to all vessels on a country’s registra- tion

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