scope:

This part of IEC 61097 specifies the minimum operational and performance requirements, technical characteristics, methods of testing and required test results for Inmarsat FB500 ship earth stations (SES), capable of transmitting and receiving distress and safety communications, initiating and receiving distress priority calls and transmitting and receiving general radiocommunications, using radiotelephony (voice), as required within Regulation IV/10.1 and 14.1 of the 1988 amendments to the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), for use in the GMDSS.

This standard covers equipment construction and testing. Matters relating to installation are reproduced in Annex A.

NOTE The Inmarsat FB500 is intended to meet the voice requirements of IMO Resolution A.1001(25). In order to meet the GMDSS carriage requirements of SOLAS in respect of receipt of SafetyNET broadcasts and direct printing telegraphy, it is necessary to install a combined Inmarsat C/EGC transceiver in addition to the Inmarsat FB500 equipment. Annex B provides more information.

This standard incorporates the performance standards of IMO Resolution MSC.130(75) and also takes into account the priority access (voice pre-emption) requirements of IMO Resolution A.1001(25). This standard takes account of IMO Resolution A.694(17) associated with IEC 60945. When a requirement in this standard is different from IEC 60945, the requirement in this standard takes precedence.

All text of this standard, whose wording is identical to that in the IMO Resolutions is printed in italics and the Resolution and paragraph number indicated between brackets.

Responsibility for type approval of Inmarsat FB500 is vested in Inmarsat by IMO Resolution MSC.130(75) (see 4.2). Therefore, this standard does not reproduce Inmarsat test procedures in full, but refers to the relevant tests in Annex C. It is recommended that equipment manufacturers rationalize the test requirements of this standard and those of Inmarsat before embarking on the approval process.