Introduction.
Communication plays a very important part in modern society. We have advanced from the days of the old land-line based telephone and postal (snail) mail to mobile phones and e-mail. Technology has given us the ability to communicate with each other instantly and anywhere in the world. It has developed to such an extent that there is hardly a facet of our lives that is not affected by modern communications. Communications forms a very important part of the maritime industry and in this module we will be discussing the communications means available to the mariner. Some of it is old technology but most is new.
Maritime means of communication.
What is available to the mariner? Taking a very broad look at the subject we find the following methods which are used by seafarers:
- Visual methods:
- Flags.
- Semaphore.
- Flashing light.
- Pyrotechnics.
- Audio methods:
- Amplified voice (loudhailer).
- Ship’s siren.
- Underwater telephone.
- Electronic methods:
- Radio.