NAVTEX

NAVTEX (Navigational Telex) is an international direct-printing service for promulgation of MSI in

the English language, pertaining to coastal waters up to about 400 nautical miles offshore. Unlike
NAVAREA warnings, which are tailored for international sea commerce on or near main shipping
lanes, NAVTEX carries information relevant to all sizes and types of vessels within a region
established for this service. It also carries routine meteorological forecasts and warnings and
other urgent safety information to ships. A selective message-rejection feature of the receiver
allows the mariner to receive only that safety information pertinent to his requirements.
NAVTEX is a component of the International Maritime Organization / International Hydrographic
Organization Worldwide Navigation Warning Service (WWNWS).
NAVTEX is also a major element of the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS).
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) mandated certain classes of vessels
must carry NAVTEX, beginning August 1, 1993.
NAVTEX transmissions are also called narrow-band direct printing (NBDP). The transmissions are
layered on top of SITOR collective B-mode. SITOR-B is a forward error correcting (FEC) broadcasts
that uses the CCIR 476 character set.
SITOR-B is also used in amateur radio, where it is known as AMTOR-B or AMTOR-FEC. NAVTEX /
SITOR / AMTOR broadcasts use 100 baud FSK modulation with a frequency shift of 170 Hz.
NAVTEX broadcasts are primarily made on the Medium frequencies of 518 kHz and 490 kHz. The
international NAVTEX frequency is 518 kHz, and these broadcasts should always be in English.
Mutual interference will be avoided by limiting the transmitter power to that necessary for
coverage of the assigned area and by co-ordinating the broadcast schedules. National
transmission of NAVTEX uses 490 kHz specifically for broadcasts in local languages. It is not used
in US.
NAVTEX Marine Safety Information (MSI) national transmissions also take place on HF at 4209.5
kHz using FEC mode.
Example of a dedicated receiver/processor. Is used for the reception of NAVTEX broadcasts.

NAVTEX Message Format

NAVTEX messages are transmitted using binary frequency-shift keying (BFSK) at 100 bit/s and a
170 Hz frequency shift. The characters are encoded using the 7-bit CCIR 476 character set and
basic error detection is enabled by employing forward error correction (FEC). This is the same
format as the SITOR-B (AMTOR) format.
A NAVTEX message is built on SITOR collective B-mode and consists of:
- A phasing signal of at least ten seconds
- The four characters ZCZC that identify the end of phasing
- A single space
- Four characters B1, B2, B3 and B4 (see below)
- A carriage return and a line feed
- The information
- The four characters NNNN to identify the end of information
- A carriage return and two line feeds
- Either ; 5 or more seconds of phasing signal and another message starting with ZCZC or
- Either ; and end of emission idle signal alpha for at least 2 seconds.
Subject indicator characters

A Navigational warnings
B Meteorological warnings
C Ice reports
D Search & rescue information, and pirate warnings
E Meteorological forecasts
F Pilot service messages
G AIS messages
H LORAN messages
I Not used
J SATNAV messages (i.e. GPS or GLONASS)
K Other electronic navaid messages
L Navigational warnings additional to letter A
(Should not be rejected by the receiver)
T Test transmissions (UK only not official)
V Notice to fishermen (U.S. only currently not used)
W Environmental (U.S. only currently not used)
X Special services allocation by IMO NAVTEX Panel
Y Special services allocation by IMO NAVTEX Panel
Z No message on hand