RTCM 11020.1 (RTCM Paper 110-2004/SC110-STD), Standard for Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS) using the Cospas-Sarsat System

This document contains minimum requirements for the functional and technical performance of maritime satellite Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS) operating in the 406.0 to 406.1 MHz band through the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. A 406 MHz SSAS designed and manufactured to the standards contained in this document constitutes the SSAS portion of the Cospas-Sarsat System developed and implemented by the Cospas-Sarsat Partners (Canada, France, the Russian Federation, and the United States).

The purpose of the SSAS is to transmit a security alert from the ship to shore to indicate to a competent authority that the security of the ship is under threat or has been compromised. The SSAS comprises a minimum of two activation points, one of which is on the navigation bridge. Either of these activation points can initiate the transmission of a ship security alert. The SSAS is intended to allow a covert activation to be made which alerts the competent authority ashore and does not raise an alarm on board ship nor alert other ships.

This edition updates the original issue of the standard, RTCM 11020.0 so that it conforms with C/S T.015, Issue 1, Cospas-Sarsat Standards for SSAS Beacons, Revision 1, November 2007. Table 1 was revised to reflect new output power requirements and antenna characteristics. The performance of the internal navigation device in 4.2.6.2.2.3 was changed to require that the accuracy of the position be within 500 m (was 5 km). Conforming amendments were made in other places in the standard to reflect these changes.