Review of progress in mercantile-marine radiocommunication. Part 1: Systems and facilities

The review covers the significant developments during recent years in the mercantile-marine radiocommunication services. It deals with the overall improvements in system design and in the facilities available both in respect of safety-radio services and those used for commercial communication. The development of safety-radio services is outlined with special reference to the most recent convention on safety of life at sea, where particular emphasis was given to the extension of complete-safety-radio facilities to smaller ships, i.e. those normally equipped only with radiotelephony. There follows a discussion in detail of the more notable advances in commercial communication including v.h.f. and s.s.b. radiotelephony and some modern forms of automatic radiotelegraphy, including the progress made in securing international standardisation of technical parameters and operational procedures, and the stimulus which has thereby been given to the development of additional communications facilities.