U.S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol 01 February 1995 ANNOUNCEMENT OF 1995 INTERNATIONAL ICE PATROL SERVICE In February or March of 1995, depending on iceberg conditions, the International Ice Patrol (IIP) will commence its annual service of monitoring and broadcasting the southeastern, southern, and southwestern limits of icebergs in the vicinity of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Reports of ice in this area will originate from passing ships and IIP reconnaissance flights. During the ice season, IIP will broadcast two message bulletins each day and a daily radiofacsimile chart containing ice information to inform ships of the extent of the estimated limits of all known ice. The International Ice Patrol strives to locate and track icebergs south of 52 N especially those south of 48 N, which may hazard shipping in the vicinity of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. When the size, description, and time of sighting of icebergs are reported to IIP, the data are entered into a computer program which predicts the iceberg drift. Please note that the iceberg position reported in all bulletins is always the predicted position for the date and time of the bulletin. As the time after sighting increases, so does the probability of some error in the iceberg predicted position. This probability of error is taken into account when the limits of all known ice are drawn. The purpose of Ice Patrol's messages and charts is to advise mariners of our best estimate of the extent of icebergs in the region of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. The iceberg positions represented within the estimated limits are intended only to give the mariner an understanding of the relative densities of icebergs. Any attempt to navigate among icebergs within the estimated limits on the basis of the facsimile charts or message bulletins is strongly discouraged. While the International Ice Patrol attempts to be as accurate as possible in reporting the presence of icebergs to mariners, it is not possible to assure that all icebergs are reported. Mariners are strongly urged to use radar carefully, but not to rely entirely upon it to detect icebergs, since icebergs often are not detected distinctly with radar. There is no substitute for vigilance and prudent seamanship, especially when navigating near sea ice and icebergs. All ships are encouraged to immediately report sightings of ice to COMINTICEPAT GROTON CT when near or within the "estimated limits of all known ice." Ships are encouraged to make reports even if "no ice" is sighted. Knowledge of where ice is not is also very important. When reporting ice, please include the following information: SHIP NAME AND CALL SIGN ICEBERG POSITION (Specify either the geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude) or range/bearing from ship's stated geographic position (latitude, longitude)) TIME OF SIGHTING SIGHTING METHOD (Visual, Radar, or Both) SIZE AND SHAPE OF ICEBERG (see Tables 2 and 3, below) SEA ICE CONCENTRATION (In Tenths) SEA ICE THICKNESS IN FEET OR METERS (Specify Units) In addition to ice reports, sea surface temperature and weather reports are important to the Ice Patrol in predicting the drift and deterioration of ice and in planning aerial patrols. If you make routine weather reports to METEO Washington please continue to do so. If your vessel does not normally make the above reports, then it is requested that you make special reports directly to the Ice Patrol every 6 hours when within latitudes 40 N to 52 N and longitudes 38 W to 58 W. Ships with one radio operator may prepare the reports every 6 hours and hold them for transmission when the radio operator is on watch. When reporting, please include the following: SHIP POSITION, COURSE, SPEED, VISIBILITY, AIR AND SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE, WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED. Report ice sightings, weather, and sea surface temperature to COMINTICEPAT GROTON CT through INMARSAT, U.S. Coast Guard Communication Stations or Canadian Coast Guard Marine Radio Stations. If reporting ice sightings to International Ice Patrol through INMARSAT A or C, use Service Code 42. This will ensure the ice information reaches the COMINTICEPAT Groton, CT. There is no charge for ice reports made using Service Code 42. See Table 4 for Code 42 instructions. Iceberg sightings may also be reported on guarded frequencies listed in Table 4. (Note that Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP (FEC)) radio teletype is available through CAMSLANT Portsmouth (NMN)). Telephone communications are available to the Ice Patrol Office in Groton, CT throughout the season. The numbers are: 203-441-2626 (Ice Patrol Duty Officer) or 617-223-8555 (Coast Guard Operations Center, Boston). International Ice Patrol earnestly solicits comments, particularly concerning the effectiveness of the times and frequencies of radio transmissions. Please mail facsimile charts received at sea to Commander, International Ice Patrol, 1082 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340-6095. Please indicate the frequency used and position of the ship when you received the broadcast. ROSS TUXHORN Commander, U. S. Coast Guard Commander, International Ice Patrol TABLE 1 - IIP BROADCASTS BROADCAST STATION TIME OF BROADCAST (Z)FREQUENCIES (kHz) NAVTEX BROADCAST U. S. Coast Guard 0045, 0445, 518 Communication Station 1845, 1245, Boston/NIK 1645, 2045 Canadian CG Radio 1820 518 Station St. John's/VON Canadian CG Radio 2240 518 Station Sydney/VCO (Primarily sea ice in Gulf of St. Lawrence and North. Limits of icebergs sometimes given.) NBDP (FEC) BROADCAST U. S. Coast Guard 0030 6314, 8416.5, 12579 Communication 1218 8416.5, 12579, 16806.5 Station Boston/NIK Canadian Coast 0630 4213.5 Guard Marine Radio 1630 8419.5 Station Halifax/VCS 2300 4213.5 CW BROADCASTS (On or about 1 April 1995, the U. S. Coast Guard will cease all CW broadcasts) U. S. Coast Guard 0050 5320, 8502, 12750 Communication 1250 8502, 12750 Station Boston/NIK (Bcst to follow NBDP bcst) Canadian Forces METOC 0015, 1101 122.5 Continuous Centre Halifax/CFH 1201, 1301 (off air 1200-1600 2201, 2301 second Thurs. each month) 4271 (2200- 1000 UTC) 6496.4 Continuous 10536 Continuous 13510 (1000-2200 UTC) Canadian Coast Guard 1330 4285, 6491.5, 8440, Radio Station 2200 12874, 16948, 22619.5 Halifax/VCS (Broadcast on frequ- encies as advertised by CN marker tape) LCMP BROADCAST (On or about 1 April 1995, the U. S. Coast Guard will cease all CW broadcasts, including LCMP) Norfolk, VA 0800-0900 8090,12135,16180, NMN/NAR 1500-1600 8090,12135,16180,20225 1600-1700 8090,12135,16180,20225 2100-2200 8090,12135,16180,20225 Key West, FL/NAR 0800-0900 5870 1500-1600 5870,26725 1600-1700 5870,26725 2100-2200 5870,26725 RADIOFACSIMILE BROADCASTS Time Z Frequency kHz U. S. Coast Guard 1600 6340.5, 12750 (+/- Communication 1810 400Hz) Station Boston/NIK Radio Station Bracknell 1602 2618.5 (1800-0600 United Kingdom/GFE OCT 1-MAR 31; 1900- (Eastern North Atlantic 0500 APR 1-30 SEP) Sea Ice Observations) 4782 Continuous 9203 Continuous 14436 Continuous 18261 (0600-1800 OCT 1-MAR 31; 0500-1900 APR 1-30 SEP) Canadian Forces METOC 0015, 1101, 122.5 Continuous Centre Halifax/CFH 1301, 1401, (Off air 1200-1600 (Primarily sea ice in 2201, 2301 second Thursday Gulf of St. Lawrence each month) and North. Limits 4271 (2200-1000 UTC) of icebergs sometimes 6496.4 Continuous given.) 10536 Continuous 13510 (1000-2200 UTC) The RADIOFACSIMILE chart is now available on an INMARSAT A FAXMAIL SERVER available through the COMSAT Corp. There is no charge for the chart. There is a charge for the telephone call. Telephone charges start with the first dialing in the access sequence below. COMSAT estimates that the telephone time following the 'fax start' should be about 1 minute. Download specifics are as follows: Access CES ID 01 then dial "2050#" enter the id # "2130001" and enter "#" enter "7740" and enter "#" enter "*29" and enter "#" after a tone, enter "#", then hit the fax start button. INMARSAT SafetyNET BROADCASTS The 00Z and 12Z Ice Bulletins will be broadcast over the AOR-W Satellite at 00Z and 12Z daily, respectively. In addition, safety broadcasts regarding icebergs outside of the limits of All Known Ice will be sent over the AOR-W Satellite upon receipt. RADIO TELEPHONE Canadian Coast 1335 4408, 8785, 13113 Guard Marine Radio 2335 Station Halifax/VCS SPECIAL BROADCASTS Canadian CG Radio As required when 2598 Radio- Station St. icebergs are telephone John's/VON sighted out side preceded by Inter- the limits of national Safety Signal ice between (SECURITE) on regularly 2182 kHz. scheduled broadcasts. Navtex-upon receipt and next available broadcast. U. S. Coast Guard As required when NAVTEX upon receipt Communication icebergs are or first avail Station Boston/NIK sighted out side broadcast. the limits of ice between regularly scheduled NDBP(FEC) next broadcasts. scheduled broadcast. International When in the 2670 Ice Patrol vicinity of ice Preceded by Inter- Vessel/NIDK(when in periods of national Safety assigned) darkness or fog. Signal (SECURITE) on 2182 kHz. TABLE 2 - SIZE DESCRIPTIONS USED BY ICE PATROL DESCRIPTIVE | HEIGHT | LENGTH NAME | (feet) (meters) | (feet) (meters) |Growler (G) | less less | less less | | | than 17 than 5 | than 50 than 15 | | | | | |Small Berg (S) | 17-50 5-15 | 50-200 15-60 | | | | | |Medium Berg (M) | 51-150 16-45 | 201-400 61-122 | | | | | |Large Berg (L) | 151-240 46-75 | 401-670 123-213 | | | | | |Very Large | greater greater | greater greater | |Berg (V) | than 240 than 75 | than 670 than 213| TABLE 3 - SHAPE DESCRIPTIONS USED BY ICE PATROL SHAPE DESCRIPTION Non-Tabular (N) This category covers all icebergs that are not tabular-shaped as described below. This includes icebergs that are dome-shaped, sloping, blocky, and pinnacle. Tabular (T) Flat topped iceberg with length-height ratio greater than 5:1. TABLE 4 - Report Receiving Stations RECEIVING STATION BANDS GUARDED XMIT FREQUENCY (CALL LOCATION) DAY/NIGHT VON Canadian Coast Guard ---------------CW---------------- Marine Radio Station, 500 kHz 478 kHz St. John's, NFLD VCS Canadian Coast Guard ---------------CW---------------- Marine Radio Station 500 kHz 484/446 kHz Halifax, Nova Scotia RADIO TELEX SELCALL 1.00580 (Assigned Frequency Shown) SHIP TRANSMIT SHORE TRANSMIT 4175.5 4213.5 (Continuous) 6266.0 6317.5 (Continuous) 8379.5 8419.5 (Continuous) 12496.0 12598.5 (Continuous) 16698.5 16821.5 (Continuous) 22313.0 22405.0 (Available upon request) NMN USCG Communications Area Master Station Atlantic (CAMSLANT), Portsmouth VA See file CALL.TXT HF RADIOTELEPHONE SINGLE SIDEBAND VOICE FREQUENCIES See file CALL.TXT Instructions for sending INMARSAT Code 42 Warnings INMARSAT-A 1. Select COMSAT (global identification code 01). 2. Select routine priority. 3. Select duplex telex channel. 4. Initiate the call. 5. Upon receipt of GA (Go Ahead), select the desired two-digit prefix access code followed by at + sign (42+). 6. Send your report. 7. The message will be forwarded at no charge to the mariner to International Ice Patrol by COMSAT, Corp. INMARSAT-C (General instructions) 1. Access the 2-digit code service on SES as instructed in your manufacturer's information. 2. Using the SES text editor, prepare the message. 3. Enter the 2-digit code of the service required (42). 4. Select the CES (01, COMSAT, AORW) 5. Transmit your message. 6. Wait for acknowledgment from the CES. 7. The message will be forwarded at no charge to the mariner to International Ice Patrol by COMSAT, Corp.