CH03 Admiralty Publications

Question 1

What publications are available as e-NPs?

Answer 1

NP100 The Mariner’s Handbook
NP314 The Nautical Almanac
Admiralty Sailing Directions (aka Pilot books)

Question 2

Advantages of e-NPs

Answer 2

Faster NM updates (a few seconds).
Small weekly download.
Search functionallity.
Carriage compliant with most flag states.
Updates (NM) are consistent, acurate and clear.
Inspectors can see very quickly that they up-to-date.

Question 3

What electronic nautical reference guides are available?

Answer 3

ADLL - Admiralty Digital List of Lights.
ADRS 2 & 6 - Admiralty Digital Radio Signals.
ATT - Admiralty Total Tide.

Question 4

What can you find in ALRS & ADRS 6?

Answer 4

Essential maritime radio communications information for 3,600 service locations worldwide, including pilot services, VTS and port operations.

Question 5

What should be checked before using sailing directions?

Answer 5

1. The most recent edition of the volume is held.
2. Amendments in Annual NMs (part II) applied.
3. Amendments published in section IV of weekly editions of NMs applied.

Question 6

What publications are available form the Admiralty?

Answer 6

ALL - Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals.
ALRS (I-VI) - Admiralty List of Radio Signals.
ATT - Admiralty Tide Tables.
Tidal Stream Atlases.
NP136 - Ocean Passages for the World.
NP350 - Admiralty Distance Tables.

Question 7

What is the Admiralty List of lights and Fog Signals?

Answer 7

It is an annually published list of worldwide fixed lights, fog signals and some lighted gloating marks. Also contains geographical range table and luminous range diagram for determination of range at which a light will first be seen.

Question 8

What is NP132 Ocean Passages of the World?

Answer 8

Includes distances between principal ports and important locatons.
Contains details of weather, current and ice hazards appropriate to the routes and gives other useful information on Load Line Rules, Weather Routing etc.

Question 9

What is NP350 Admiralty Distance Tables?

Answer 9

Gives the shortest navigable distance between two important positions. Distances may differ from NP132 as this accounts for climatic conditions and currents.

It is in 3 volumes: 1. Atlantic 2. Indian 3. Pacific Oceans.

Question 10

What are the 6 voulmes of ALRS?

Answer 10

I - Maritime Radio Stations
II - Rodio Aids to Navigation, Satellite Navigation Systems, Legal Time, Radio Time Signals and Electronic Poasiton Fixing Systems.
III - Maritime Safety Infromation Services.
IV - Lists of Met Observation Stations.
V - Global Maritime Distress and Safety System.
VI - Pilot Services, VTS and Port Operations

Question 11

What can you find in ALRS 1: Maritime Radio Stations?

Answer 11

Global communication services.
Maritime radio stations.
Coastguard radio stations.
Medical advice by radio.
Quarantine reports.
Locust and pollution reports.
Maritime satellite services.
Piracy and armed robbery reports.
Radio in territorial waters.
International Radio Regulations.

Question 12

What can you find in ALRS 2: Radio Aids to Navigation, Satellite Navigaiton Systems, Legal Time, Radio Time Signals and Electronic Position Fixing?

Answer 12

VHF Radio direction-finding stations.
Radar Beacons.
Automatic Identificaiton System.
Sat Nav Systms.
DGPS corrections.
Legal time.
Radio Time Signals.
Electronic Position Fixing.

Question 13

What can you find in ALRS 3: Maritime Safety Informaiton Services?

Answer 13

Radio Facsimile Broadcasts. 
Radio Weather Services.
Radio Navigational Warnings.
GUNFACTS/SUBFACTS.
Marine Meteorological Services.
Meteorological codes for shipping.

Question 14

What can you find in ALRS 4: List of Met Observation Stations?

Answer 14

Contains a full listing of all meteorological observaiton stations worldwide.

Question 15

What can you find in ALRS 5: GMDSS?

Answer 15

System particulars with diagrams.
Extracts from ITU Radio Regulations.
Services to assist vessels using or participating in the GMDSS.

Question 16

What can you find in ALRS 6: Pilot Services, VTS and Port Operations.

Answer 16

Maritime radio procedures for vessels requiring pilots/entering port.
Ship reporting systems.
Vessel Traffic Services.
Port operations.

Question 17

What can you find in Sailing Directions (aka Pilot Book)?

Answer 17

Quality colour photography and graphics.
Information on navigation hazards.
Buoyage.
Meteorological data.
Details of pilotage.

Question 18

What can you find in Part I of the Admiralty Tide Tables?

Answer 18

Daily predictions of the times and heights of HW and LW for a selection of standard ports.

Question 19

What can you find in Part II of the Admiralty Tide Tables?

Answer 19

Time and height corrections to be applied to standard portsin order to derive predictions for secondary ports.

Question 20

What can you find in Part III of the Admiralty Tide Tables?

Answer 20

The principal harmonic constants for all ports where they are known.
For use with simplified harmonic method.

Question 21

What should you be aware of when using Tide Tables?

Answer 21

Secondary port data can be incomplete. Where it is, predictions should be treated as approximate. Footnotes etc should be consulted.
When sailing outside the British Isles the foreign tables for your location should be used (available from relevan hydrographic office).

Question 22

What can you find on a Tidal Stream Atlas?

Answer 22

Same info as on larger scale charts but the presentation is more beneficial when planning and executing a passage.
Direction and strength of tidal streams at hourly in diagrammatic form.
Provides interpolated estimates of stream movements between the observed points.

Question 23

What publications support celestial navigation?

Answer 23

Nautical Almanac.
Rapid sight reduction tables.
Star finder.