Proposed Termination of USCG Medium Frequency NAVTEX

[ChrisSmolinski]

First they came for DGPS, now NAVTEX.  I wonder how long the USCG weather fax transmissions have left?

Proposed Termination of U.S. Coast Guard Medium Frequency (MF) Broadcast of Navigational Telex (NAVTEX) and Shift to Satellite

The U.S. Coast Guard may cease broadcasting Navigational Telex (NAVTEX) over Medium Frequency (MF) after first ensuring the information contained in NAVTEX broadcasts is available via International Maritime Organization (IMO) recognized satellite services. This notice requests public comment on the possibility of terminating the MF NAVTEX broadcast.

The U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to cease operating MF NAVTEX and, instead making this information available via IMO recognized satellite services in waters under U.S. responsibility. The current MF NAVTEX equipment is in dire need of replacement. The equipment is antiquated and essential replacement parts are difficult to find and expensive, placing overall operation of MF NATEX at risk. Any approved GMDSS satellite terminal will be able to receive this information. We would like comments on this proposal to make the NAVTEX information available over satellite.

We believe the transition from terrestrial broadcast to satellite will provide for more reliable delivery of NAVTEX information and allow better, more cost-effective products in the future. We also believe this change will have a low impact on the maritime public as satellite receivers have become more prevalent onboard vessels. However, we would like your comments on how you would be affected if we did provide the NAVTEX information via satellite, particularly if you use MF NAVTEX and do not currently have a GMDSS satellite terminal onboard your vessel. We would also like your comments on what types of Maritime Safety Information products you would like to see added in the future if we did provide the NAVTEX information via satellite.

Before terminating the broadcast, we will consider comments from the public. After considering any comments received, the Coast Guard will issue a notice in the Federal Register indicating how the matter will be resolved.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/09/11/2019-19675/proposed-termination-of-us-coast-guard-medium-frequency-mf-broadcast-of-navigational-telex-navtex

[ChrisSmolinski]

You can view comments to the proposal, and post your own, here: https://www.regulations.gov/searchResults?rpp=25&po=0&s=USCG-2019-%2B0702&dct=FR%2BPR%2BN%2BO%2BPS

[Josh]

As a local or regional service it seems to take care of the smaller commercial and hobby fishermen quite well judging from some of the comments submitted. Shame to see it go away, perhaps they could increase efficiency in the tx and antenna system to save money if that was the priority? Of course, new, higher efficiency equipment's going to take money too. I don't think I've caught one of these tx since living in Omaha decades ago, will have to go looking for some before/if they pull the plug.

[skeezix]

Satellite is fine, but why not both for redundancy?

Same goes for aviation for GPS, VOR, & NDB. Nice to have several sources instead of putting all of the eggs in one flimsy basket.

The current MF NAVTEX equipment is in dire need of replacement. The equipment is antiquated and essential replacement parts are difficult to find and expensive, placing overall operation of MF NATEX at risk

Ten second search on the Internet came up with a shiny new NAVTEX transmitter:
https://www.nautelnav.com/solutions/navtex/

Costs money, of course. But how many millions/billions are wasted that can be put into valid services?

I could mention LORAN-C.  Speaking of which, here's a shiny new eLORAN transmitter:
https://www.nautelnav.com/solutions/lf-pnt-eloran/

[redhat]

".....perhaps they could increase efficiency in the tx and antenna system to save money if that was the priority? Of course, new, higher efficiency equipment's going to take money too."

Since when was the government interested in saving money?

..Just a thought.

+-RH