Inmarsat C Troubleshooting Guide
Inmarsat C Troubleshooting Guide
INMARSAT C SSAS
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Version 1.0
Amendment Record
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transmitted in any form or by any means, including by photocopying, recording, taping, information storage
syst ems, without the prior permission of Pole Star Space Applications Limited.
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INMARSAT C SSAS ALERT ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Introduction 4
1 Which transceiver type? 4
2 Colour coding for vessel icon 4
Troubleshooting for Standard Reporting 5
1 General notes for reporting issues 5
2 The transceiver does not report immediately after registration 5
3 Transceiver is not reporting while vessel is in port 6
4 Reports are not being received to email/SMS 6
5 Vessel icon is grey 6
6 Vessel is reporting but some data may be incorrect 7
7 Automatic position reports (APRs) are not sent at the required frequency 7
8 Vessel is reporting but no speed or heading data appears 8
9 I have polled the unit but I have not received a position report 8
Auto recovery messages 8
1 Mobile logged out 9
2 Mobile not in ocean region 9
3 Terminal not responding 10
4 Unknown mobile 10
5 Message undeliverable 11
6 Message transfer failed 11
7 Mobile is barred 11
Troubleshooting for SSAS Configuration 11
1 The staff onboard do not know the username and password
for the Inmarsat C SSAS equipment 12
2 Vessel shows in the fleet list but not on the Manage Alerts page. 12
SSAS Operation and Management Troubleshooting 12
1 The alert button was pressed onboard but no security alert
has been received online/email/SMS 12
2 Security alert has been received but does not contain
all information necessary for CSO/Flag 13
3 A RESET command sent from the Manage alerts page has not reset the alert 13
4 A routine Test alert has been conducted but the “TEST” status
is not indicated in email/SMS notifications received 14
5 Position reports are being received every 15 minutes from a TT-3000SSA 14
6 Alert messages were not received by email/sms recipients 15
Username and passwords 15
1 I cannot access all the functions in the Pole Star login 15
Appendix 1: To poll a unit to request an immediate position report 16
Appendix 2: To check notifications for email/SMS/fax 17
Appendix 3: Password Comparison Matrix 18
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INMARSAT C SSAS ALERT ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Introduction
Pole Star has the capability to integrate Inmarsat C SSAS (Ship Security Alert System) hardware so
that it can be managed via Pole Star’s Alert Advanced SSAS Management System.
Compatible Inmarsat C hardware includes: Furuno Felcom 15, Nera Mini-C, JRC JUE-75/85, Thrane
& Thrane TT-3000SSA & rebadged Thrane & Thrane (Sailor, Raytheon, Skanti, DEBEG).
From experience, we know that users often have questions about the system and how it functions.
For assistance with routine operational functions, please refer to the appropriate Alert Advanced User
Guide for your integrated Inmarsat C SSAS hardware. These can be found online in your Alert
Advanced login via Help > User guides.
Correctly installed Inmarsat C transceivers will usually transmit position reports at the frequency you
have set on your Alert Advance Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) and send Covert/Security Alerts in
response to an incident alerted onboard the vessel. This data is displayed on the Fleet list, Fleet
map, Asset map and Console map. Reports can also be sent to email, SMS, fax and telex via the
Notifications feature.
There may be occasions when position reporting deviates from its expected pattern. This
Troubleshooting Guide is designed to help you resolve any problems that occur.
You will be able to resolve most reporting issues online or by asking the vessel to follow a simple
procedure. More complex technical problems may need to be referred to your Pole Star customer
support team (either through Pole Star or your Pole Star supplier, depending upon your account
manager) or your hardware supplier, as directed.
Before starting a troubleshooting investigation, check the transceiver details by going to Fleet > Tools
> Asset details in your Alert Advanced login, selecting the Asset name and noting the Transceiver
make/model. When you contact the Master onboard the vessel, check these details are correct to
ensure you are dealing with the specific transceiver that has the problem.
Vessel icons are colour coded according to their reporting status to help you identify the problem. The
table below gives a summary of the report types, their colour coding and explanation.
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* These colours and the 48 hour interval are default settings. You can change them in your login on
the Setup > Profile > Asset Appearance page. See User Guide for details.
Always check the transceiver details by going to Fleets > Tools > Asset details in your login,
selecting the Asset name and noting the Transceiver make/model before you contact the Master
onboard the vessel Verify these details are correct when you contact the Master onboard to ensure
that you are dealing with the specific transceiver that has the problem.
The Inmarsat C transceivers, JRC JUE-75/85 & Furuno Felcom 15, are designed to perform several
functions on board. Each function is independent and implemented in a strict priority system, with
messaging having the highest priority and tracking the lowest. Thus if position report data is not being
received at the required frequency, it may be because the transceiver is being used for other tasks.
Contact the Master and ask if the transceiver is being used for sending emails, faxes or telex, as these
will take priority over position reporting.
If you are instructed to contact your Pole Star supplier to resolve a problem, it will speed up the
recovery process considerably if you are able to find out which Ocean Region the transceiver is
currently logged in to.
Before you register a vessel you should ensure that the Inmarsat C transceiver is switched on and
logged into the Inmarsat network.
When an Inmarsat C SSAS transceiver is registered in your account, it goes through a commissioning
process. During this process the system is attempting to start tracking the transceiver. The minimum
commissioning period is 24 hours and around 98% of transceivers will send a position report within
this period, particularly if the vessel is at sea. If a vessel is in port, the commissioning process could
be hampered by external sources of interference. (See 3 Transceiver is not reporting while vessel
is in port.)
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INMARSAT C SSAS ALERT ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
• If no position report is received 24 hours after registration and the vessel is at sea, check
for an Auto recovery message. (See Auto recovery messages, page 8.)
• If no Auto recovery message appears after 24 hours, ask the Master to reboot the
transceiver. This will force the transceiver to resynchronise with the Inmarsat network. To
reboot the transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one minute, switch it back
on and log back in. (To reboot a Mini C: switch off, wait one minute, switch back on.)
Once the transceiver has been rebooted, the commissioning process should continue automatically. If
you do not receive a position report within 24 hours, contact your Pole Star supplier for advice.
A correctly installed transceiver will work reliably at sea. However, when the vessel is alongside in
port, there is an increased probability of communication problems because there is likely to be a high
concentration of interference sources. High power VHF, UHF and microwave equipment can all cause
interference problems. Buildings, gantries and other large structures can also cause problems in port
by blocking the line of sight to the satellite. When the vessel leaves port, tracking and reporting should
resume within 24 hours. If not, please contact your Pole Star customer support team.
If the vessel is reporting and current position report data is displayed on the Fleet list, but no emails or
SMS messages have been received, the problem may be that the notifications have not been set up
correctly.
Under normal reporting conditions the vessel icon will be green. If the icon is grey, this means the
vessel has not sent a position report for more than 48 hours.
(Grey is the default setting. You can change this in your login on the Setup > Profile > Asset
Appearance.)
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Occasionally, due to a technical fault with the transceiver, there may be an error in the date/time or
latitude/longitude appearing on the position report. In this case:
• Ask the Master to reboot the transceiver. This will force the transceiver to resynchronise
with the Inmarsat network. To reboot the transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off,
wait one minute, switch it back on and log back in. (To reboot a Mini C: switch off, wait
one minute, switch back on.)
• Once the transceiver has been rebooted, login and poll the vessel to request an immediate
position report. (See Appendix 1: To poll a unit to request an immediate position
report.)
• You should receive a position report within one hour.
• If you receive a position report that is still showing incorrect data, you should contact your
hardware supplier for assistance rectifying the hardware fault.
7 Automatic position reports (APRs) are not sent at the required frequency
• Login to your Alert Advanced account and go to the Asset map for the specific vessel.
• Using the right click menu, go to the Communication window. (See Figure 1:
Communication window.)
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Some transceivers do not send speed and heading information within the position report. You need to
contact your hardware supplier as Pole Star cannot accept any responsibility for the configuration of
third party hardware.
9 I have polled the unit but I have not received a position report
After polling a vessel, you should receive a position report within 15 minutes.
• If you do not receive a position report after one hour, go to the Fleet List and check if
there is an Auto Recovery posting message. If so, go to Auto recovery messages, page
8 and follow the relevant instructions.
• If there is no Auto Recovery message after one hour, ask the Master to reboot the
transceiver. This will force the transceiver to resynchronise with the Inmarsat network. To
reboot the transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one minute, switch it back
on and log back in. (To reboot a Mini C: switch off, wait one minute, switch back on.)
• If you do not receive a position report within one hour of the transceiver being rebooted,
poll the terminal for a position report. (See Appendix 1: To poll a unit to request an
immediate position report.) If you receive nothing within 30 minutes of the poll, contact
your Pole Star supplier, informing them of the Ocean Region the transceiver is currently
logged in to, if possible.
Occasionally on the Fleet List page you may see a message appear within the body of the position
report, eg Auto recovery: Terminal not responding or WARNING ***UNKNOWN MOBILE ***,
depending on the circumstances. See Figure 2: Example of Auto recovery message.
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An explanation of each message follows and what action you should take to restart tracking in each
case.
This means that the transceiver is logged out of the Inmarsat network and so it cannot communicate
with the outside world.
• Poll the transceiver via your login. (See Appendix 1: To poll a unit to request an
immediate position report.)There are two possible outcomes:
• The Mobile logged out message will reappear. Confirm with the Master which Ocean
Region the transceiver is logged into and then contact your Pole Star supplier for further
assistance.
• If the Mobile logged out message does not reappear, this means that the transceiver is
now logged into the Inmarsat network. If a position report is not received within one hour,
contact your Pole Star supplier, first confirming with the Master which Ocean Region the
transceiver is logged into, if possible.
• Check the transceiver details Fleets > Tools > Asset details in your login.
• Confirm with the Master that the specific transceiver is switched on and check which
Ocean Region it is logged into. Once you have confirmation, wait 24 hours for the system
to recover the unit and begin tracking.
• If a position report is not received within 24 hours, contact your Pole Star supplier.
This means that the transceiver is not in the expected ocean region. This message will trigger a cycle
of Auto Recovery. The Pole Star Auto Recovery system will go through each ocean region until it
locates the transceiver.
The system will then poll the transceiver. If the transceiver accepts the command, a position report
should be received and the Auto Recovery posting will clear.
• Poll the transceiver via your login. (See Appendix 1: To poll a unit to request an
immediate position report.)
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• You should receive a position report at the time at which you have set the regular reporting
interval. If you do not receive a position report, contact your Pole Star supplier.
If a current position report is received, but the old Auto Recovery message remains on the Fleet List
page after 24 hours:
• Delete the posting manually (occasional the system fails to remove the Auto Recovery
message).
• To do this, go to Fleet > Tools > Postings, select the appropriate vessel. The message
will be displayed on the page. Click the DELETE button next to the message you wish to
remove.
This means that the transceiver onboard the vessel is not responding to commands.
• Ask the Master to reboot the transceiver. This will force the transceiver to resynchronise
with the Inmarsat network.
• To reboot the transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one minute, switch it
back on and log back in. (To reboot a Mini C: switch off, wait one minute, switch back on.)
• Once the transceiver has been rebooted, you should poll the vessel to request an
immediate position report. (See Appendix 1: To poll a unit to request an immediate
position report.) Once the terminal is logged in, you should receive a position report
within one hour.
• If you do not receive a position report, contact your Pole Star supplier, first confirming with
the Master which Ocean Region the transceiver is logged into, if possible.
4 Unknown mobile
This means the Inmarsat mobile number entered for a vessel is not recognised by the Inmarsat
network. This typically occurs when the vessel is being re-flagged or has had a change of ownership
or management.
Alternatively, the wrong mobile number may have been entered during registration.
• Go to Fleet > Tools > Asset details and check the Inmarsat C mobile number registered.
• Contact the Master to check the Inmarsat C mobile number of the transceiver installed on
board the vessel. If that is not possible, an alternative option is to contact the airtime
service provider who will be able to confirm the number.
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• If the wrong number is registered, you must deactivate the vessel in your login via Setup >
My account > Deactivate asset. (For instructions, please refer to the User Guide in the
Help tab in your Alert Advanced login.)
• Then go to Setup > My account > Register vessel in order to register the replacement
vessel online, including the correct mobile number.
• This Unknown mobile message may appear if the transceiver was recently registered
with Pole Star on the same day the mobile number was activated with the airtime provider.
When a transceiver is activated by Inmarsat it can take up to 24 hours for the various Land
Earth Station operators to be updated with the new details.
• Advise your Pole Star supplier, who will restart commissioning. This process can take up to
48 hours.
5 Message undeliverable
This occurs if the Land Earth Station (LES) cannot communicate with the transceiver. This may also
be because the Inmarsat C mobile number is in the process of being changed.
This occurs because there is a problem with the satellite communication to the transceiver. This is
usually a temporary problem. However, if it continues to appear, you should contact your Pole Star
supplier, first confirming with the Master which Ocean Region the transceiver is logged into, if
possible.
7 Mobile is barred
This is an issue between the owner of the transceiver and their airtime provider. If this is not resolved,
tracking may cease.
This is beyond Pole Star’s control. The bar must be lifted before Pole Star can track the transceiver.
• You will need to arrange for the owner of the transceiver to resolve the issue by contacting
their Inmarsat service provider to get the bar lifted.
• Once the bar has been lifted, contact the Master and find out which Ocean Region the
transceiver is currently logged into, if possible.
• Then advise your Pole Star supplier, who will arrange to restart commissioning. This
process can take up to 48 hours.
Please note: The majority of Inmarsat C SSAS transceivers are Mini Cs. To resolve problems caused
by incorrectly configured Mini C transceivers, you may need to arrange for a technician with the
relevant software to go onboard to reconfigure the transceiver.
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1 The staff onboard do not know the username and password for the Inmarsat C SSAS
equipment
Thrane & Thrane, JRC and Furuno transceivers usually require a username and password to be
entered in order to access and amend address book settings. The default usernames and password
can be found in the relevant Operations Manual or Instruction Manual.
Pole Star does not hold usernames and passwords for your equipment. Please contact your hardware
supplier to resolve any problems.
2 Vessel shows in the fleet list but not on the Manage Alerts page.
• Your account should automatically be updated with the new SSAS unit registered on the
Manage Alerts page. If this does not happen, you will need to contact Pole Star Customer
Support who can confirm the communicator model has been registered correctly in the
system.
1 The alert button was pressed onboard but no security alert has been received
online/email/SMS
Whether the alert button was pressed for a real security incident or a routine test, go through the
following procedure:
When the vessel is in port, there is an increased probability of reporting problems as there is likely to
be a high concentration of interference sources. High power VHF, UHF and microwave equipment can
all cause interference problems. Buildings, gantries and other large structures can also cause
problems by blocking the line of sight to the satellite. Once the vessel puts out to sea, normal
operational efficiency should be resumed.
If the ship is at sea and no alert is showing in your login, the SSAS transceiver may not have been
configured correctly to send alerts into your account.
Please ask the vessel to check the transceiver has been configured correctly according to the SSAS
configuration instructions found in Appendix 1 in the relevant Alert Advanced User Guide. You can find
this in the Help tab in your Alert Advanced customer login.
- Have you received a security alert in your login but not to email/SMS?
If the security alert is displayed on the Fleet list and Fleet map but has not been received as an email
or SMS from the Pole Star system, it may be that the notifications have not been set up correctly for
the account. The Notifications feature in your login allows you to create a distribution list for
authorised recipients to receive real and test security alerts via email/SMS/fax messages, as specified.
- Have you received a security alert via email/SMS but not in your login?
It is possible that the security alert has been transmitted to designated recipients via email/SMS but
has not appeared on the Fleet map or Fleet list in your online account. In this case, the notifications
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have been set up correctly, but the configuration of the transceiver has not been carried out according
to Pole Star’s SSAS configuration instructions.
You are advised to contact the vessel immediately and request that they check the configuration of the
transceiver according to Pole Star’s configuration instructions which you can find in Appendix 1 in the
User Guide in your Alert Advanced login. Without the online record of these security alerts, it will not
be possible to monitor the course of this security incident and you will not have any archive record.
- The vessel is at sea and you have checked all the above.
Contact the vessel to confirm that the Inmarsat C mobile number in the transceiver is the same one
registered in your account.
Contact your Pole Star supplier with the transceiver details for further investigation.
2 Security alert has been received but does not contain all information necessary for
CSO/Flag
According to international maritime regulations, a security alert must contain the following data:
MMSI number
Call sign
CSO contact details
If any of these items is missing from the security alert, it may be that the postings have not been set
up correctly.
Please refer to the section entitled Postings: Inserting data into a position report in the relevant
User Guide. You can find this in the Help tab in your Alert Advanced customer login.
3 A RESET command sent from the Manage alerts page has not reset the alert
Integrated Inmarsat C SSAS transceivers can only be reset by unlatching the alert button onboard.
The online RESET CONFIRMED button is pressed AFTER the on board alert button has been
unlatched onboard.
• Contact the Master and ask him to unlatch the alert button. Stay in contact with the vessel
so that they can confirm this task has been done.
• Go to Fleet > Security > Manage alerts, click on RESET CONFIRMED, as shown in the
figure below.
• The alert mode will change to Resetting, please wait…. The system remains at this stage
for 10 minutes, then reverts to green, alert mode Normal.
• Optional: Go to Fleet > Fleet list. You may see the vessel is still showing an Activation:
Covert/Security Alert, even though the Alert mode on Manage alerts is Normal. This is
because the latest position report will remain shown on the Fleet map and Fleet list until
the next APR is sent.
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4 A routine Test alert has been conducted but the “TEST” status is not indicated in
email/SMS notifications received
Inmarsat C transceivers have a test alert button and a real alert button. They may also have a normal
operating mode and a test mode. However, once the transceiver is integrated into the Pole Star Alert
Advanced SSAS management system, neither the test alert button not the test mode option on the
transceiver should be used. If they are used, the Manage alerts procedure will not work correctly and
the Test status will not be displayed on notifications.
You are advised to manage all alerts online from the Manage alerts screen.
For instructions on carrying out a test alert, please refer to Managing a Test Security Alert in the
relevant User Guide. You can find this in the Help tab in your Alert Advanced customer login.
Please note: If you have set up an email notification direct from the terminal to another recipient, not
going through the Pole Star system, the notification will be received as a real alert not a Test alert. We
advise that ALL alert notifications are set up in your Pole Star login to avoid error and confusion.
A Thrane & Thrane TT-3000SSA (or rebadged Thrane & Thrane hardware) with no address book
entries (that is, no recipients entered to receive alert messages), will generate maritime reports every
15 minutes while the alert button is activated.
This is a pre-configured feature of TT-3000SSA (and rebadged T&T hardware) which causes the
transceiver to send maritime alerts to any operational DNID in the device.
If this is the case, the configuration will have to be checked by a technician via a computer onboard.
To do this:
• Make sure that the onboard technician applies the Configuration instructions contained as
Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 at the back of the relevant Alert Advanced Inmarsat C User
Guide. You can find this in the Help tab in your Alert Advanced customer login.
• Make sure the onboard technician is aware that first he must follow the procedure in
Appendix 2 to remove the existing configuration before he proceeds to Appendix 1 to
configure the Inmarsat C transceiver for the Pole Star Alert Advanced service.
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If the vessel is reporting and current status report data is displayed on the Fleet list, but no emails or
SMS messages have been received, you need to check that the Notifications have been set up
correctly.
The account is set up so that personnel can be allocated access according to their seniority and level
of usage required. The three levels of access are: Master, Assistant and View.
Only Master has access to the whole range of functions.
• See Appendix 3: Password Comparison Matrix for full explanation of levels of access.
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• In your customer login, go to the Asset map for the relevant vessel.
• Right click to display the right click menu and click on Request position. This will request
an immediate position report from the vessel.
• You should receive the report within 15 minutes.
• After the first position report is received, you can expect to receive the next Automatic
position report (APR) within the interval you have set in the Communication window.
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If the vessel is reporting and current status report data is displayed on the Fleet list, but no emails or
SMS messages have been received, please go through the following procedures:
• Login to your Pole Star Alert Advanced account and go to Fleet > Tools > Notifications.
• Go to the Asset name box, select the vessel from the drop-down list. This will display the
Notification list for the vessel.
• Check that all details have been entered correctly. (For full instructions, refer to the
Notifications section in your Alert Advanced User Guide in the Help tab in your customer
login.)
• Make sure in particular that all SMS numbers have been entered correctly. Remember, in
the resource address you need to enter the prefix sms://+ followed by the number,
including the International country code, with no spaces (ie sms://+ 447930123456).
• If email addresses are entered correctly, check that your spam filters and firewall settings
allow “@purplefinder.net” so that emails can pass through the system.
Please note: A test to email has no charge, whereas a SMS test will be charged as normal.
The following routing test ensures the communication channels – email, SMS, fax – are working and
that reports are reaching designated recipients. It does not test any functionality of the Inmarsat C
SSAS itself, but simply ensures the information is reaching its destination, by sending a copy of the
last report to the selected resource address. This is particularly important for email which might come
up against firewalls or spam filters. It is also important for mobile telephone numbers that have been
transferred between operators, as they may not be deliverable without intervention from your SMS
service provider. Messages are routed according to the country code and the network prefix. For
example, country code 44 and network prefix 7986 will be routed to the Virgin network in the UK. If this
number is transferred to another UK network operator such as Vodafone then problems in SMS
transmission may occur.
• On the Notifications page for the vessel, click on the TEST box to the right of the
resource address you wish to test
• You will normally receive an email/SMS/fax within one minute. No acknowledgement of the
notification routing test will appear on the screen.
• If notifications are not received, contact your IT administrator to check that spam filters,
junk mail and firewall settings allow emails from [email protected].
• If notifications are still not received, please contact your Pole Star supplier for further
investigation.
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FLEET
Fleet list * * *
SECURITY *
Manage alerts *
TOOLS * *
Notifications *
Postings * *
Asset details * *
Enter position *
MAPS
Fleet map * * *
Asset map * * *
Console map * * *
Quick map * * *
REPORTS
SETUP
MY ACCOUNT * *
Fleet Details * *
Authorizations *
Register Asset *
Deactivate asset *
LOGIN * *
Create login * *
Destroy login * *
Add asset to login *
Asset association report *
Remove asset from login *
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INMARSAT C SSAS ALERT ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PASSWORDS * * *
Create password * *
Update password * * *
Destroy password * *
PROFILE * *
Asset appearance * *
Map appearance * *
Login profile * *
Data display * *
Unit settings * *
Asset profile * *
HELP
User Guide * * *
TICKETS * * *
View Ticket * * *
Open ticket * *
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