National Ocean Service

New Orleans, Louisiana — May 29-June 1 The Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) will hold its 1984 Annual Assembly Meeting May 29-June 1 at the Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans, La. The meeting, hosted by the American Waterways Operators, Inc., is being held during the Louisiana World's Fair which opens in New Orleans on May 12.

The RTCM was established in 1947 as a government/industry organization under the aegis of the Department of State. In 1972, after passage of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, it became a Federal Advisory Committee chartered by the Federal Communications Commission. Today, it is structured as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.

Today's RTCM is a streamlined version of the original RTCM and has inherited its mantle. All segments of the marine field—government, private industry, labor, environmentalists, consumers—are partners in providing a broad-based overview of the industry. In the interest of Federal economies, government agencies no longer provide funding; however, as a privately supported organization, RTCM's goals remain the same: ". . . to advance the technical quality and professional application of maritime telecommunications for the benefit of all concerned . . ." "Telecommunications" as used by RTCM means any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images, and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical, and other electromagnetic or visual systems.

Membership in RTCM is open to all United States citizens and organizations having an interest in furthering the objectives of RTCM.

Associate membership is open to foreign citizens and organizations.

During the 1984 Assembly Meeting some 28 technical papers will be read covering a wide range of topics of interest to communications people. The papers will be presented each day, May 30, 31, and June 1, in five sessions.

The keynote luncheon is scheduled for May 30, and the luncheon address "Telecommunications Needs of the Offshore Industry" will be presented by Robert T.

Lober, president, State Boat Corporation, Houston, Texas. A buffet luncheon for all meeting registrants, sponsored by Magnavox Advanced Products and Systems Company, will be held on May 31, after which the electronic equipment manufacturer's display areas will be open. On the final day, June 1, there will be an international luncheon with the address "Inmarsat: Quo Vadis?" by Dr.

Ahmad F. Ghais, director, Technical and Operations Division, International Maritime Satellite Organization.

The four-day affair will have several social events scheduled starting with a welcoming reception on the evening of May 29, sponsored by the 1984 RTCM Booster Club. A Mississippi River dinner cruise on the diesel-electric sternwheeler "Creole Queen" has been set for May 30, and special tour programs in and around New Orleans include a visit to the Vieux Carre (French Quarter), and a bus trip "up river" for a visit to some of the famous antebellum plantation homes in the lower Mississippi Valley.

Technical Papers The technical papers to be presented during the meeting are: "Rulemaking in the Maritime Mobile Services," by Raymond A.

Kowalski, U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

"The NOAA Ocean Services Program," by Dr. John G. Hayes, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Ocean Service.

"Selecting the Optimum Mix of Federally Provided Radionavigation Systems," by David C. Scull, U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Special Programs Administration.

"Marine Weather Observation Programs of the National Weather Service, NOAA," by Jerome W.

Nickerson, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather Service.

"The Shipboard Environmental Data Acquisition System (SEAS): An Inexpensive, Rapid and Accurate System for Marine Data Transfer from Deployed Ships to Shore-Based Users," by Vince Ze- gowitz, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Ocean Service.

"Maritime Applications of Space Remote Sensing—A Perspective for the 80's," by Samuel W. Mc- Candless Jr., User Systems, Inc.

"Satellite Communications and Its Application to Ship Weather Routing," by Ed Bender and Larry Moore, Comsat Telesystems.

"Shipboard Personnel Information Systems," by V. Frank Colangelo, Lykes Brothers Steamship Company, Inc.

"The Role of the Radio Electronics Officer: Present and Future," by Barry V. Hamilton, consultant.

"Advanced Technology in the Coast Radiotelephone Station," by Edward B. Robinson, AT&T Communications.

"Communications Services Provided by the United States Public Coast Stations," by John Klemm, Mobile Marine Radio, Inc.

"Computer Assisted Operation of a High Frequency Communications Station," by Heinz H. Blankenhagen, Rockwell International Corporation.

"Mechanized Vessel Access—A Human Factor to be Considered," by George P. Schleicher, Illinois Bell Telephone Company.

"The Geostar Navigation, Position Determination and Message System," by Gerard K. O'Neill and Leslie O. Snively, Geostar Corporation.

"Mobile Communications by Satellite—A Commercial Reality," by Roy E. Anderson, Mobile Satellite Corporation.

"Cellular Radio Telephone Communications Area Wide Gulf of Mexico System," by J. Arthur Petranek, Petroleum Communications, Inc.

PROGRAM 1984 RTCM Assembly New Orleans, La.

May 29 4 - 8 pm—Registration 7 - 9 pm—"Welcome Reception" sponsored by 1984 RTCM Booster Club May 30 8 am-8 pm—Registration desk open 9-10:30 am—Annual Business Meeting 10:45-12 noon—Technical Session I 12:15-2:15 pm—Luncheon with keynote address 2:30-5:15 pm—Technical Session II 7:15-10:30 pm—Mississippi River Dinner Cruise on the "Creole Queen" May 31 8:30 am—Registration 9 am-12:10 pm—Technical Session III 12:30-2:00 pm—Buffet Luncheon for all Meeting Registrants 2:15 pm—Meeting of Special Committee No. 103 on Ship Radar Specifications 2:15-6 pm—Electronic Equipment Manufacturer's Display areas open June 1 8:30 am—Registration 9-11:45 am—Technical Session IV 12:15-2:15 pm—International Luncheon and Luncheon Address 2:30-5:15 pm—Technical Session V 5:15-5:30 pm—Closing Remarks "Use and Benefits of GPS for the Civil/Commercial Communities," by Brad Montgomery, Texas Instruments.

"NAVSAT: A Global Civil Navigation Satellite System," by C.

Rosetti, European Space Agency.

"Inmarsat: Clearing the Air," by J.C. Bell, International Maritime Satellite Organization.

"The Evolution of Inmarsat Ship Terminal Technology," by A. Clifford Barker, Navidyne Corporation.

"Message Preparation Capability of an Inmarsat Satellite Communications Terminal," by Donald V. Anderson, Magnavox Advanced Products and Systems Company.

"The Acceleration Displaceable Mass: Generation Three for Inmarsat Above-Deck Systems," by Monroe McDonald, Tracor, BEI, Inc.

"Coast Guard Telecommunications and the Future Global Maritime Distress and Safety System," by Capt. M.E. Gilbert, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S.

Coast Guard.

"A New Generation of Lifeboat Radios (Part of the FRG Project 'Ship of the Future'," by Udo von Stebut, DEBEG GmbH, Federal Republic of Germany.

"COSPAS/SARSAT—An Operating International System Looking Towards an International Operating Framework," by Thomas E. McGunigal, et. al., U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"Implementation of a Global Search and Rescue Satellite System," by George Kadar and Bruce Burlton, Telesat Canada.

"Future Maritime Position Location System Economics and Markets," by Robert Tanenhaus, consultant.

"Radiolocation Range Nulls and Antenna Separations," Thomas A. Moore, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Ocean Service.

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) Telecommunications meetings on Navigation and Positioning, Communications, and Ocean Sensing have been scheduled to overlap with the RTCM Assembly. The meetings are to be held on May 31 and June 1 at the De La Poste Motor Hotel, 316 Rue Chartres, New Orleans, and have been so arranged as to minimize conflict with the RTCM sessions in order to enable members to attend both functions.

The NOIA offices are located at 1050 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036.

The telephone number is (202) 785-5116.

For complete details on the RTCM annual assembly including registration contact RTCM's offices at 655 Fifteenth Street, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20005.

The telephone number is (202) 639-4006.