Page 14: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 1992)

OTC Australia To Expand Mobile

Satellite Communication Services

OTC reports that in little more than 18 months since it opened, an advanced $35 million satellite earth station in Perth, Australia, oper- ated by OTC Australia, has grown to become one of the largest of its kind in the world, providing ships with quicker, cheaper and easier direct-dial telephone, telex, fax and data communications services to and from anywhere on the globe.

With a wide range of channels for quicker connection and less conges- tion, OTC's innovative marketing initiatives offer: lower tariffs and a simplified tariff structure to facili- tate accountingprocedures; optional direct billing facilities which save shipowner commission fees; quan- tity discounts on calls, with concessional packages tailored to individual needs and no VAT or

GST charges.

Last year, Australia's earth sta- tion launched commercial

Inmarsat-C communications service in the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

Inmarsat-C is a unique, compact low-cost mobile satellite data com- munications system designed for ships, commercial vessels and land mobiles, providing two-way 600 bps data/telex messages to and from virtually any location in the world.

OTC Australia, the international business unit of the Australian and

Overseas Telecommunications Cor- poration, has now signed a contract with a Canadian supplier for the installation of equipment in Perth which in 1993 will make available a new generation of mobile commu- nications services.

Inmarsat-B, which will provide enhanced facilities to those currently offered by Inmarsat-A, including voice and low and high speed data— and Inmarsat-M, a low cost voice service with compact transceiver that will even include briefcase phone models.

Unlike Inmarsat-A, which is an analogue system ana outgrowing its available power and spectrum space, Inmarsat-B is a digital sys- tem providing higher quality with lower transmission costs.

Inmarsat-M provides similar fa- cilities to Inmarsat-B but operates at a lower voice quality and fax speed to appeal to users who may be constrained by equipment size or cost. Ideal for boats, it is a signifi- cant step towards a multipurpose personal communicator. Inmarsat-

M and Inmarsat-B will be marketed by OTC Australia as OTC Satcom-

M and OTC Satcom-B.

Manned continuously around the clock, the dominating feature of

OTC's earth station are two 18-meter parabolic dish antennas directed to

Inmarsat's Indian Ocean and Pa- cific Ocean satellites, of similar de- sign to those used in Australia's deep space radio telescope.

The "engine room" of the earth station comprises powerful radio transceivers, sophisticated com- puter systems and complex ground communications equipment.

Outbound signals from a ship are transmitted directly to the satellite and from there to the earth station for automatic connection with do- mestic and international telecom- munications networks, with the re- verse procedure for traffic in the opposite direction.

OTC's earth station transmitters which have an output of up to three kilowatts, operate on frequencies of up to 6 Gigahertz (6,000 MHz) and the capabilities of the system are so great that more than 330 individual messages/conversations can be handled simultaneously.

For free literature detailing the extensive communication services of OTC Australia,

Circle 179 on Reader Service Card

For Construction

Welding, Cutting.

DIESEL-POWERED ENGINE DRIVE

Bobcat™ 225D

Economical, diesel-powered 225 amp multi- process welder and 8,000 watt generator. • 8,000 watt generator to operate lights, hand tools and other equipment. • Versatile AC/DC weld output for smooth Stick and "repair only" TIG welding. MIG or flux cored welding with optional accessories. Shown with optional accessories • State-of-the-art, industrial diesel Deutz/Ruggerini engine. • Large 7.5 gallon fuel tank for hours of operation. • Durable construction, with wrap-around base for maximum protection. • Exceptionally easy service, including 200-hour oil changes.

Circle 251 on Reader Service Card

AIR PLASMA CUTTER

Spectrum™ 250D

Portable plasma cutter cuts mild and stainless steel up to '/»" thick • Industrial quality with latest inverter technology. • Makes clean cuts in any metal — using only compressed air and electricity (200/230V). • Durable composite case with easy-carry design... weighs just 52 lbs! • Variable output control lets you match output to material for best travel speed and highest quality cut. • Built-in Safety Protection System.

Circle 252 on Reader Service Card

For details, contact your Miller distributoi; listed in the Yellow Pages, or call toll-free 1-800-950-9353. Miller Electric Mfg. Co, PO. Box 1079, Appleton, WI 54912. A M|||w Qroup ud ^ ©

Miller.

WE'VE GOT THE LIGHTING

DEPTH YOU NEED.

Regardless of your vessel's size. Phoenix can deck it out from stem to stern with the industrys widest line of domestically-manufactured quality marine lighting products. Choose from rugged vibration and weather resistant exterior floodlights, searchlights and navigation lights to marine- rated interior fluorescents for engine rooms, passageways, berth areas, holds and pilot houses. These include hazardous location and explosion-proof models. Phoenix can even design and build custom fixtures if needed. All thoroughly tested to survive a punishing life at sea. FOr a free brochure or information on a computer-aided evaluation of your vessel's lighting needs, contact PHOENIX PRODUCTS CO., INC., 6161 N. 64th St., Milwaukee,

WI 53218; Phone 414^38-1200; FAX 414-438-0213.

PHOENIX

Circle 260 on Reader Service Card 16 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News