Features
- The most advanced shore station system available today
- Display DSC traffic from up to 100 receivers
- Transmit DSC messages to 100 various transmitters
- Advanced auto reply features to DSC messages
- Integrated advanced NBDP functions
- Integrated advanced NAVTEX functions
- Relay controls for remote sites
- RadioTelephone control panels
- User configurable for 'simple' or 'advanced' displays
- Multiple consoles on a single PC
- No limit to the number of consoles on a network
- Virtual Receivers for filtering DSC traffic
- Custom alarms and alerts
- Custom log files and reporting
- Custom MMSI database for displaying vessel names
- NMEA and AIS interfaces to other systems
- Advanced DSC message error correction algorithms
- Advanced DSC message displays
- Synthetic receivers function for combining DSC messages to remove errors
- Linking consoles across borders to facilitate quick response to distress and safety calls
- DSC message Database for archiving, searching and reporting function
About
The TransOceana GMDSS Operator Console is the most advanced GMDSS shore station console in the world, providing features and networking capabilities that exceed other existing shore station systems available today. The Console is a software application that runs on the Windows® Operating System. The Operator Console is used to receive and transmit DSC messages, send and receive NBDP traffic, send and receive NAVTEX traffic, provide radio control over various radiotelephone equipment, and monitor various hardware assets. The Console software can run on an Industrial Rack Mount PC, a desktop PC or a laptop. Multiple operator consoles can run on the same PC if required. For more information regarding GMDSS technology and systems see the Dunstan and Associates' web site (http://www.gmdss.com.au). Glenn Dunstan is an internationally recognized expert in GMDSS regulatory issues and TransOceana has installed many systems in cooperation with his group.
Receiving DSC Message
An Operator Console can be user configured to display received DSC messages. This is done by adding one or more ‘Virtual Receivers’ which are software ‘pages’ that filter the traffic as required and display them on a separate page. Each virtual receiver can be accessed by clicking a button assigned to the receiver. Each virtual receiver can filter DSC traffic based on more than 30 different filters in any combination. Detailed information about each message can be displayed by clicking on the message.
Each filtered message can be logged in various types of report files for later processing. Each message can also trigger a user specified alarm to notify the operator that a message has been received. Position messages can be reformatted into NMEA or AIS sentences and sent to other software applications on the network. Each virtual receiver can also auto reply to Test Calls and any other type of message as required.
Using ‘synthetic receiver analysis’ a virtual receiver can combine the received DSC messages from various receiver sites and process them to remove bit errors. For example, if a country has 2 MF receiver sites, the messages from both sites can be combined to remove bit errors from each site to produce clean messages. A virtual receiver can also be used to search through the DSC message database and display messages meeting a specified criteria. For example, all traffic over the last 30 days for vessel xxxx can be displayed.
Transmitting DSC Message
The Transmit function is used to send DSC messages. Using pre-defined buttons the operator can quickly send the most common messages with only two key strokes. Custom messages display a screen where the operator can create literally any kind of DSC message permitted under the DSC specification. This exceeds the requirements for Class A DSC equipment. The transmit log shows all messages transmitted and the current status of any pending transmissions. Alarms are used to alert the operator if a transmission fails. Multiple consoles can share one or more transmitters. Alternatively, specific transmitters can be limited to specific consoles.
User-define DSC message
The operator can pre-define custom messages that are frequently sent and save them in the ‘Saved Messages’ function. There is no limit to the number of custom pre-defined messages. With one click the operator can send any custom pre-defined message. The operator can also configure any custom pre-defined message to automatically transmit at given intervals or on a specified schedule. For example, if polling a fishing fleet for position reports, a custom message can be created which sends a position request message as a group MMSI call and to send the request once each four hours. Custom pre-defined messages are useful for quickly testing receivers and transmitters between shore stations to verify the system is working correctly. Each console can define its own custom messages. This is useful for site Consoles, regional Consoles and technician Consoles where each would have different types of messages.
MMSI Database
Each Console has its own MMSI database which is used to display a vessel name instead of the MMSI on a DSC message. If the MMSI is not found in the database the MMSI is displayed instead. The operator can easily add new entries to the database, change entries or remove entries. The database can be shared among Consoles and exported/imported to other stations.
NBDP Function
The NBDP function can send and receive FEC and ARQ NBDP traffic. Each NBDP modem is displayed in a user panel. Up to 100 modems can be added to each Operator Console. The panels are stacked vertically as if in a an equipment rack.
NAVTEX Function
The NAVTEX function can send and receive NAVTEX broadcasts. Each NAVTEX station is displayed in a panel and each Operator Console can support up to 100 NAVTEX stations. The NAVTEX transmit panel, is used to create and edit messages. The automatic broadcast schedule is configured into the NAVTEX handler. Multiple Consoles can interface to a single NAVTEX station.
Hardware Device Monitoring
The H/W devices function is used by the Console operator to monitor and control the various hardware elements that make up the station. These include Radios, Decoders, Encoders, Relays, etc. Each device type can display up to 100 device panels arranged in a stacked format similar to a 19″ rack mount. Each device is continuously monitored using a software watch dog timer and any problems result in visual and audible alarms. All alarms are recorded in an event log. Multiple Consoles can monitor the same devices, or specific Consoles can be configured to monitor specific devices. For example, local Consoles may monitor radios and relays while a central command station may monitor only the radios.