Services

Working frequencies

VHF telephony: The coast radio stations can be called using emergency traffic channel 16 and, in the case of Aasiaat radio, also on the working channel for the section of waterway in question.

MF telephony: The coast radio stations are called using the working frequencies.

HF telephony: The coast radio stations are called using their normal ITU working channels.

The channel numbers are given on in the list of frequencies.



Traffic lists
The coast radio stations broadcast traffic lists at regular intervals on their normal working frequencies and channels. Traffic lists are an international concept used where ships do not necessarily expect to be called.


Coastal control
Any ship of 20 GT and over and fishing vessels travelling between Greenland’s ports and harbours must provide Coastal Control reports.

In practice, the system works with each departing vessel giving a coast radio station the following information:

• vessel name
• place and time of departure
• route
• expected place and time of arrival 
• number of people onboard

If the voyage takes more than 24 hours, the vessel must report its position at least once every 24 hours. Arrival at the planned destination must be reported to a coast radio station.

If an agreed report is not given, the rescue authorities are notified.
Anyone can join KYSTKONTROL (coastal control) free of charge.

Storm warnings, gale warnings and ice warnings
Storm, gale and ice warnings received from DMI are broadcast by the greenland coast radio stations.

The warnings received are issued as scheduled broadcasts at 0605, 1105, 1605 and 2105 hours, local western Greenland time, summer and winter. Scheduled broadcasts are pre-announced in speech on 2182 kHz and channel 16 shortly after the silent period, and the warnings are read out on the working channels.

Warnings received for issuing outside the above times are broadcast on the working frequencies and channels after prior announcement on MF DSC (2187.5 kHz), the emergency traffic channel 2182 kHz and VHF channel 16, and are repeated at the end of the silent period occurring at least half an hour afterwards.

Storm, gale and ice warnings are also broadcast on HF and NAVTEX.



Weather forecasts
Weather forecasts
The shipping forecasts and a three-day weather forecast for Nunap Isua can be accessed by telephone, but only in Greenlandic and Danish.

• 157 (Greenlandic)
• 158 (Danish)

A chart of Greenland waters showing the division into shipping zones can be viewed by clicking here.

Weather forecasts for the towns can be accessed by telephone

• 153 (Greenlandic)
• 154 (Danish)

Weather forecasts for the towns can also be viewed at DMI byvejr (town weather).

The Greenland coast radio stations transmit forecasts in greenland and danish language only at the following times 0805, 1205, 1805 and 2205. Those transmissions are only broadcast on the VHF working channels.



Ice
Ice reports received from the Iscentralen in Narsarssuaq is available free of charge at the Greenland coast radio stations.
Ice information is given free of charge.
Ice charts can be found on DMI ice charts.

Ice reports are also broadcast via NAVTEX.



Navigational warnings
Reports of significance to safety at sea and which do not arrive in time for publication in ‘Notice to Mariners’ are broadcast as navigation warnings via Greenland coast radio stations.

The coast radio stations broadcast navigational warnings on working frequencies after the first silence period after reception after prior announcement on MF DSC, emergency traffic channel 2182kHz and VHF channel 16. Further transmissions follows the trafficlists.

Navigational warnings are given only in respect of the section or sections of waters where they are required.

Navigational warnings are broadcast via Kalaallit Nunaata Radio (KNR) in Greenlandic and Danish on weekdays.

Navigational warnings are also broadcast via Navtex.

NAVTEX
Safety notices (navigation notices, storm warnings, etc.) are also broadcast via radio telex on frequency 518 kHz. In order to receive these notices, the vessel must be equipped with a NAVTEX receiver or a radio telex receiver capable of printing these notices.

Eastern Greenland is roughly covered by a NAVTEX transmitter positioned near Reykjavik, Iceland, with the call letter X, and a NAVTEX transmitter positioned near Nuuk with the call letter W roughly covers the west coast of Greenland.


Radiomedical
In the event of sudden illness or serious injury of a crew member onboard a ship, contact with a doctor can be made.
As far as possible, vessels will be connected to a doctor in the first town the vessel is expected to arrive at.