Inmarsat is a communications service provider with several geostationary satellites in orbit. They provide services such as satellite phone communications, broadband internet, and short text and data messaging services. Geostationary means that the satellites are in a fixed position in the sky and do not move. From almost any point on earth at least one Inmarsat satellite should be receivable. Inmarsat transmits in the L-band at around 1.5 GHz. With an RTL-SDR dongle, a cheap $10 modified GPS antenna OR 1-2 LNA’s and a patch or dish antenna you can listen to these Inmarsat signals, and in particular decode one channel known as STD-C NCS. This channel is mainly used by vessels at sea and contains Enhanced Group Call (EGC) messages which contain information such as search and rescue (SAR) and coast guard messages as well as news, weather and incident reports.

Jump to Decoding Software - Hobby Level Software. EGC std-C decoder Scytale-C EGC Decoder. Professional Equipment/Software. Hoka Code300-32.

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See the end of this post for a tutorial on modifying a GPS antenna for Inmarsat reception. Also as a small aside, you might want to use this tutorial to practice your L-band reception since are planning to begin their L-band broadcasts later this year, which may be possibly be broadcast from Inmarsat or equivalent satellites. These broadcasts will be at a nearby frequency and will contain about 10 megabytes of daily data. The RTL-SDR should also be able to receive these broadcasts if a compatible decoder is written. Some examples of the EGC messages you can receive on the STD-C NCS channel are shown below: Military Operations: Live Firing Warning STRATOS CSAT 4-AUG-2015 03:22 SECURITE FM: RCC NEW ZEALAND 040300 UTC AUG 15 COASTAL NAVIGATION WARNING 151/15 AREA COLVILLE, PLENTY CUVIER ISLAND (REPUNGA ISLAND), BAY OF PLENTY 1. LIVE FIRING 060300 UTC TO 060500 UTC AUG 15 IN DANGER AREA NZM204.

ANNUAL NEW ZEALAND NOTICES TO MARINERS NUMBER 5 REFERS. CANCEL THIS MESSAGE 060600 UTC AUG 15 NNNN Armed Robbery / Pirate Warning NAVAREA XI WARNING NAVAREA XI 0571/15 SINGAPORE STRAIT.

ARMED ROBBERY INFORMATION. 01-04.5N 103-41.8E.

FIVE ROBBERS ARMED WITH LONG KNIVES IN A SMALL UNLIT HIGH SPEED BOAT APPROACHED A BULK CARRIER UNDERWAY. ONE OF THE ROBBERS ATTEMPTED TO BOARD THE SHIP USING A HOOK ATTACHED TO A ROPE. ALERT CREW NOTICED THE ROBBER AND RAISED THE ALARM AND CREW RUSHED TO THE LOCATION. HEARING THE ALARM AND SEEING THE CREW ALERTNESS, THE ROBBERS ABORTED THE ATTEMPTED ATTACK AND MOVED AWAY. INCIDENT REPORTED TO VTIS SINGAPORE. ON ARRIVAL AT SINGAPORE WATERS, THE COAST GUARD BOARDED THE SHIP FOR INVESTIGATION. VESSELS REQUESTED TO BE CAUTION ADVISED.

Armed Robbery / Pirate Warning NAVAREA XI WARNING NAVAREA XI 0553/15 SINGAPORE STRAIT. ROBBERY INFORMATION. 01-03.6N 103-36.7E. DUTY ENGINEER ONBOARD AN UNDERWAY PRODUCT TANKER DISCOVERED THREE ROBBERS IN THE ENGINE ROOM NEAR THE INCINERATOR SPACE. THE ROBBER THEIR BOAT. A SEARCH WAS CARRIED OUT. NO ROBBERS FOUND ON BOARD AND NOTHING REPORTED STOLEN.

VTIS SINGAPORE INFORMED. COAST GUARD BOARDED THE TANKER FOR INVESTIGATION UPON ARRIVAL AT SINGAPORE PILOT EASTERN BOARDING AREA.VESSELS REQUESTED TO BE CAUTION ADVISED.

CANCEL 0552/15. Submarine Cable Repair Warning NAVAREA XI WARNING NAVAREA XI 0569/15 NORTH PACIFIC. SUBMARINE CABLE REPAIRING WORKS BY C/V ILE DE SEIN. 05 TO 20 AUG. IN VICINITY OF LINE BETWEEN A. 21-37.3N 156-11.5W AND 25-03.6N 148-43.2E.