USCG tests cellular 9-1-1 calls at sea

Alex F

Well-Known Member
Nov 14, 2006
9,166
Miami / Ft Lauderdale
Boat Info
2005 420DB with AB 11 DLX Tender, Raymarine Electronics (2x12" MFDs) with Vesper AIS
Engines
Cummins 450Cs, 9KW Onan Generator, 40HP Yamaha for tender.
[h=4]Date Reported: Jan 22, 2015[/h] [h=4]Reported by: Mike Ahart, News Editor[/h]
USCG-Rescue-10.jpg
Mobile phones are always an option in a near-shore emergency; however, boaters should always have a working VHF radio on board – and an EPIRB or Personal Locator Beacon is highly recommended.

The U.S. Coast Guard and other organizations are testing to see how 9-1-1 emergency systems respond to mariners who call for help using a mobile phone, according to a Coast Guard News article:
The Coast Guard collaborated with Palm Beach County, Florida, to complete the second leg of three in trials focused on ensuring mariners in distress have the ability to contact emergency dispatch (January 15, 2015).
The Coast Guard Research and Development Center is exploring existing technologies, like maritime operated smart phones with Next Generation 9-1-1, to get faster and more accurate location data for Coast Guard search-and-rescue operations.
The USCG-RDC is examining these technologies with state and county NG 9-1-1 public safety answering point centers to securely share two-way maritime distress calls with Coast Guard’s information technology system. After eight months, the five-organization collaboration led by USCG-RDC resulted in a highly successful demonstration in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Dozens of cellular test calls were sent from multiple wireless provider networks from the USCG, USCG Auxiliary and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission vessels.
Tests evaluated integrating these calls into Coast Guard’s Rescue 21 Coastal System for search-and-rescue response.
Although these tests were successful, mariners are highly encouraged not to depend on their cellular devices and to continue using VHF radios to communicate distresses to first responders.
The final leg of the project is scheduled to conclude with one final collaboration with the state of Maine in July 2015.
Involved with this project were:

  • Coast Guard Sector Miami
  • Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet, Florida
  • Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Coast Guard Auxiliary
  • Palm Beach County
  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
  • General Dynamics C4 Systems
  • Airbus Federal

Source: US Coast Guard News
 
?? so now some magical cell signal is going to have a better and greater range of VHF? How from a cellular phone antenna? No cell towers in the ocean, height and horizon limitations with current VHF. I would sure like to know more about this concept? Or is this being tested as a close to shore 911 with many limits?

:smt024
 
The way I understand, they're working on enhanced close to shore system to get your exact coordinates from your smart phone's GPS and provide much faster response knowing where you're.
 

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