SIST EN 61996-1:2014

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
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Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems - Shipborne
voyage data recorder (VDR) - Part 1: Voyage data recorder (VDR) - Performance
requirements, methods of testing and required test results
Navigations- und Funkkommunikationsgeräte und -systeme für die Seeschifffahrt -
Fahrtdatenaufzeichnungsgeräte (VDR) auf Seeschiffen - Teil 1:
Fahrtdatenaufzeichnungsgerät (VDR) - Leistungsanforderungen, Prüfverfahren und
geforderte Prüfergebnisse
Matériels et systèmes de navigation et de radiocommunication maritimes - Enregistreurs
des données du voyage (VDR) de bord - Partie 1: Enregistreur des données du voyage
(VDR) - Exigences de fonctionnement, méthodes d'essai et résultats d'essai exigés
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 61996-1:2013
ICS:
47.020.70 Navigacijska in krmilna Navigation and control
oprema equipment
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 61996-1
NORME EUROPÉENNE
July 2013
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 47.020.70 Supersedes EN 61996-1:2008

English version
Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems -
Shipborne voyage data recorder (VDR) -
Part 1: Performance requirements, methods of testing and required test
results
(IEC 61996-1:2013)
Matériels et systèmes de navigation et de Navigations- und
radiocommunication maritimes - Funkkommunikationsgeräte und -systeme
Enregistreurs des données du voyage für die Seeschifffahrt -
(VDR) de bord - Fahrtdatenaufzeichnungsgeräte (VDR) auf
Partie 1: Exigences de fonctionnement, Seeschiffen -
méthodes d'essai et résultats d'essai Teil 1: Fahrtdatenaufzeichnungsgerät
exigés (VDR) -
(CEI 61996-1:2013) Leistungsanforderungen, Prüfverfahren
und geforderte Prüfergebnisse
(IEC 61996-1:2013)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2013-06-27. CENELEC members are bound to comply
with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard
the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on
application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified
to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung

Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B - 1000 Brussels

© 2013 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.
Ref. No. EN 61996-1:2013 E
Foreword
The text of document 80/690/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 61996-1, prepared by IEC/TC 80 "Maritime
navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC
parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as EN 61996-1:2013.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has (dop) 2014-03-27
to be implemented at national level by
publication of an identical national
standard or by endorsement
(dow) 2016-06-27
• latest date by which the national
standards conflicting with the

document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 61996-1:2008.
a) The description of the protective capsule in 4.3.4 has been changed in line with the requirements of the
new IMO performance standards given in Resolution MSC.333(90) which now require a final recording
medium comprising three parts; fixed, float-free and long-term.
b) A new requirement for a performance test has been added in 4.3.6.
c) Further data items to be recorded have been added to 4.6 for ECDIS, AIS, rolling motion and electronic
logbooks.
d) Clause 5 contains new technical requirements for configuration data, operational performance test and
bridge alert management system. In addition, further technical requirements have been added to 5.6 for
bridge audio and to 5.8 for radar and ECDIS images.
e) References to “alarm” requirements in the previous edition have been substituted by references to
“cautions” in line with current IMO recommendations. The test methods in Clause 6 have been updated to
reflect the new requirements.
f) New Annexes E, F and G concerning protocols for interfacing images using a Local Area Network have
been added.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC [and/or CEN] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 61996-1:2013 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standards indicated:
IEC 60268-5 NOTE  Harmonised as EN 60268-5.
IEC 61162-1 NOTE  Harmonised as EN 61162-1.
IEC 61924-2 NOTE  Harmonised as EN 61924-2.
IEC 62065 NOTE  Harmonised as EN 62065.
IEC 62288 NOTE  Harmonised as EN 62288.
ISO 8728 NOTE  Harmonised as EN ISO 8728.
ISO 11674 NOTE  Harmonised as EN ISO 11674.

- 3 - EN 61996-1:2013
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications

The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

NOTE  When an international publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the relevant EN/HD
applies.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year

IEC 60068-2-27 2008 Environmental testing - EN 60068-2-27 2009
Part 2-27: Tests - Test Ea and guidance:
Shock
IEC 60268-16 - Sound system equipment - EN 60268-16 -
Part 16: Objective rating of speech
intelligibility by speech transmission index

IEC 60945 - Maritime navigation and radiocommunication EN 60945 -
equipment and systems - General
requirements - Methods of testing and
required test results
IEC 61097-2 - Global maritime distress and safety system - -
(GMDSS) -
Part 2: COSPAS-SARSAT EPIRB - Satellite
emergency position indicating beacon
operating on 406 MHz - Operational and
performance requirements, methods of testing
and required test results
IEC 61097-7 1996 Global maritime distress and safety system - -
(GMDSS) -
Part 7: Shipborne VHF radiotelephone
transmitter and receiver - Operational and
performance requirements, methods of testing
and required test results
IEC 61162 Series Maritime navigation and radiocommunication EN 61162 Series
equipment and systems - Digital interfaces

IEC 61162-450 2011 Maritime navigation and radiocommunication EN 61162-450 2011
equipment and systems - Digital interfaces -
Part 450: Multiple talkers and multiple
listeners - Ethernet interconnection

IEC 61174 - Maritime navigation and radiocommunication EN 61174 -
equipment and systems - Electronic chart
display and information system (ECDIS) -
Operational and performance requirements,
methods of testing and required test results

IEC 61260 1995 Electroacoustics - Octave-band and fractional-EN 61260 1995
+ A1 2001 octave-band filters + A1 2001

IEC 61672-1 2002 Electroacoustics - Sound level meters - EN 61672-1 2003
Part 1: Specifications
IEC 62388 2007 Maritime navigation and radio-communication EN 62388 2008
equipment and systems - Shipborne radar -
Performance requirements, methods of testing
and required test results
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IMO A.658(16) - Use and fitting of retro-reflective materials on - -
life-saving appliances
IMO A.662(16) - Performance standards for float-free release - -
and activation arrangements for emergency
radio equipment
IMO A.694(17) - General requirements for shipborne radio - -
equipment forming part of the global maritime
distress and safety system (GMDSS) and for
electronic navigational aids
IMO A.810(19) - Performance standards for float-free satellite - -
emergency position-indicating radio beacons
(EPIRBs) operating on 406 MHz
IMO A.1021(26) - Code on alerts and indicators - -

IMO MSC.333(90) 2012 Performance standards for shipborne Voyage - -
Data Recorders (VDRs)
EUROCAE ED-112 2003 Minimum operational performance - -
specification (MOPS) for crash protected
airborne recorder systems
VESA 2007 Video electronics standards association – - -
VESA and industry standards and guidelines
for computer display monitor timing (DMT)

SAE AS8045A 2011 Engineering Society for advancing mobility - -
land sea air and space – Minimum
performance standard for underwater locating
devices – Acoustic, self-powered

IEC 61996-1 ®
Edition 2.0 2013-05
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems –

Shipborne voyage data recorder (VDR) –

Part 1: Performance requirements, methods of testing and required test results

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
PRICE CODE
XC
ICS 47.020.70 ISBN 978-2-83220-799-4

– 2 – 61996-1 © IEC:2013(E)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 6
1 Scope . 8
2 Normative references . 8
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations . 9
3.1 Terms and definitions . 9
3.2 Abbreviations . 12
4 Performance requirements . 12
4.1 General . 12
4.2 Purpose . 12
4.3 Operational requirements . 12
4.3.1 Design and construction . 12
4.3.2 Maintenance of sequential records . 13
4.3.3 Co-relation in date and time . 13
4.3.4 Final recording medium . 13
4.3.5 Interfaces . 14
4.3.6 Performance test . 15
4.4 Data selection and security . 15
4.4.1 Selection of data items . 15
4.4.2 Configuration data . 15
4.4.3 Resistance to tampering . 16
4.4.4 Recording integrity . 16
4.5 Operation . 17
4.5.1 Recording and saving of data . 17
4.5.2 Power source . 17
4.5.3 Dedicated reserve power source . 17
4.5.4 Recording period and duration . 17
4.6 Data items to be recorded . 17
4.6.1 Date and time . 17
4.6.2 Ship’s position . 18
4.6.3 Speed . 18
4.6.4 Heading . 18
4.6.5 Bridge audio . 18
4.6.6 Communications audio . 18
4.6.7 Radar data – post-display selection . 18
4.6.8 ECDIS . 19
4.6.9 Echo sounder . 19
4.6.10 Main alarms . 19
4.6.11 Rudder order and response . 19
4.6.12 Engine and thruster order and response . 19
4.6.13 Hull openings (doors) status . 19
4.6.14 Watertight and fire door status . 20
4.6.15 Accelerations and hull stresses . 20
4.6.16 Wind speed and direction . 20
4.6.17 AIS . 20
4.6.18 Rolling motion . 20
4.6.19 Configuration data . 20
4.6.20 Electronic logbook . 20

61996-1 © IEC:2013(E) – 3 –
5 Technical characteristics . 21
5.1 Co-relation in date and time . 21
5.2 Particular design requirements for the final recording medium . 21
5.2.1 Fixed protective capsule . 21
5.2.2 Float-free capsule . 21
5.2.3 Long-term recording medium . 21
5.3 Location beacons. 22
5.3.1 Fixed protective capsule . 22
5.3.2 Float-free capsule . 22
5.4 Survivability of recorded data . 22
5.4.1 Long-term retention . 22
5.4.2 Physical protection . 22
5.5 Information to be included in the manufacturer’s documentation . 23
5.5.1 Installation guidelines. 23
5.5.2 Operation and maintenance manual . 24
5.5.3 Information for use by an investigation authority . 24
5.6 Bridge audio specifications . 24
5.6.1 Input interface . 24
5.6.2 Reference signal . 24
5.6.3 Audio frequency response . 25
5.6.4 Quality index . 25
5.6.5 Signal noise level – Signal to noise and distortion . 25
5.6.6 Ability to handle complex signals . 25
5.6.7 Suppression of low frequency out band noise . 26
5.6.8 Microphones . 26
5.7 Communications audio. 26
5.7.1 Input interfaces . 26
5.7.2 Reference signal . 26
5.7.3 Audio frequency response . 26
5.7.4 Quality index . 26
5.7.5 Audio noise level – Signal to no signal . 27
5.7.6 Signal noise level – Signal to noise and distortion (SINAD) . 27
5.8 Screen image capture . 27
5.8.1 Input interface . 27
5.8.2 Image outputs . 28
5.9 Radar data – Post-display selection . 28
5.10 ECDIS data . 28
5.11 Configuration data . 29
5.11.1 Distribution of data in final recording media . 29
5.11.2 Protection . 29
5.11.3 Synchronisation of sensor and configuration data . 29
5.12 Operational performance test . 29
5.13 Bridge alert management system . 29
6 Methods of testing and required test results . 29
6.1 General . 29
6.1.1 Test setup . 29
6.1.2 Download and playback equipment . 30
6.1.3 Sequence of tests . 31
6.1.4 Requirements to be checked by inspection only . 31

– 4 – 61996-1 © IEC:2013(E)
6.1.5 Environmental test conditions for normal operation . 31
6.1.6 Recording duration . 32
6.1.7 Reserve power source . 32
6.1.8 Recharging of reserve source of power . 33
6.1.9 Brief interruption of electrical power . 33
6.1.10 Recording integrity . 33
6.1.11 Maintenance of sequential records . 34
6.1.12 Co-relation in date and time . 34
6.1.13 Design and construction of the fixed protective capsule . 34
6.1.14 Design and construction of the float-free capsule . 36
6.1.15 Operational performance test . 37
6.1.16 Power source . 38
6.2 Data items to be recorded . 38
6.2.1 Date/time – Ship’s position – Speed – Heading. 38
6.2.2 Bridge audio . 38
6.2.3 Communications audio . 44
6.2.4 Radar data, post-display selection and ECDIS . 47
6.2.5 Other items . 55
6.2.6 Electronic logbook . 56
6.3 Interfaces . 56
Annex A (normative) IEC 61162 sentence formats . 57
Annex B (informative) Mandatory alarms . 58
Annex C (normative) Download and playback equipment for investigating authorities . 61
Annex D (informative) Requirement/test – Cross-references . 65
Annex E (normative) LAN image protocol . 67
Annex F (informative) Network for image transmission . 71
Annex G (normative) ECDIS display source information . 74
Bibliography . 79

Figure 1 – Insertion of Morse letter “V” in homing transmission . 22
Figure 2 – Test set-up block diagram . 49
Figure 3 – Comparison of images . 53
Figure F.1 – Network with a switch . 71
Figure F.2 – Network with direct connections . 72
Figure F.3 – Network for a ship with an extensive bridge. 73

Table 1 – Bridge audio, signal to no signal measurements . 41
Table 2 – Bridge audio, signal to noise and distortion (SINAD) measurements . 42
Table 3 – Complex signals . 43
Table 4 – Communications audio, signal to no-signal measurements . 46
Table 5 – Communications audio, signal to noise and distortion (SINAD) measurements . 47
Table 6 – Intersection colours of test images 1 and 2 . 51
Table A.1 – References in this standard . 57
Table B.1 – Mandatory alarms on the bridge . 58
Table D.1 – Subject list and subclauses (1 of 2) . 65
Table E.1 – Default values for transmitting equipment . 70

61996-1 © IEC:2013(E) – 5 –
Table E.2 – Default values for receiving equipment . 70
Table G.1 – Required chart information . 75
Table G.2 – Additional chart information . 75

– 6 – 61996-1 © IEC:2013(E)
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
MARITIME NAVIGATION AND RADIOCOMMUNICATION
EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS –
SHIPBORNE VOYAGE DATA RECORDER (VDR) –

Part 1: Performance requirements,
methods of testing and required test results

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61996-1 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 80:
Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2007 and constitutes a
technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition.
a) The description of the protective capsule in 4.3.4 has been changed in line with the
requirements of the new IMO performance standards given in Resolution MSC.333(90)
which now require a final recording medium comprising three parts; fixed, float-free and
long-term.
b) A new requirement for a performance test has been added in 4.3.6.

61996-1 © IEC:2013(E) – 7 –
c) Further data items to be recorded have been added to 4.6 for ECDIS, AIS, rolling motion
and electronic logbooks.
d) Clause 5 contains new technical requirements for configuration data, operational
performance test and bridge alert management system. In addition, further technical
requirements have been added to 5.6 for bridge audio and to 5.8 for radar and ECDIS
images.
e) References to “alarm” requirements in the previous edition have been substituted by
references to “cautions” in line with current IMO recommendations. The test methods in
Clause 6 have been updated to reflect the new requirements.
f) New Annexes E, F and G concerning protocols for interfacing images using a Local Area
Network have been added.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
80/690/FDIS 80/699/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts of the IEC 61996 series, under the general title Maritime navigation and
radiocommunication equipment and systems – Shipborne voyage data recorder (VDR), can
be found on the IEC website.
NOTE All text of this standard, whose wording is identical to that of IMO Resolution MSC.333(90), is printed in
italics, and the Resolution and associated performance standard paragraph numbers are indicated in brackets.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.
The contents of the corrigendum of February 2014 have been included in this copy.

– 8 – 61996-1 © IEC:2013(E)
MARITIME NAVIGATION AND RADIOCOMMUNICATION
EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS –
SHIPBORNE VOYAGE DATA RECORDER (VDR) –

Part 1: Performance requirements,
methods of testing and required test results

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61996 specifies the minimum performance requirements, technical
characteristics, methods of testing and required test results, for shipborne voyage data
recorder (VDR) installations as required by Chapter V of the International Convention for Safety
of Life at Sea (SOLAS), as amended. It takes account of IMO resolution A.694(17) and is
associated with IEC 60945. When a requirement in this standard is different from IEC 60945,
the requirement in this standard takes precedence.
This standard incorporates the applicable parts of the performance standards included in IMO
Resolution MSC.333(90).
NOTE All text of this standard, whose wording is identical to that of IMO Resolution MSC.333(90), is printed in
italics, and the Resolution and associated performance standard paragraph numbers are indicated in brackets.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments)
applies.
IEC 60068-2-27:2008, Environmental testing – Part 2-27: Tests – Test Ea and guidance:
Shock
IEC 60268-16, Sound system equipment – Part 16: Objective rating of speech intelligibility by
speech transmission index
IEC 60945, Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – General
requirements – Methods of testing and required test results
IEC 61097-2, Global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) – Part 2: COSPAS-
SARSAT EPIRB – Satellite emergency position indicating radio beacon operating on 406 MHz –
Operational and performance requirements, methods of testing and required test results
IEC 61097-7:1996, Global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) – Part 7: Shipborne
VHF radiotelephone transmitter and receiver – Operational and performance requirements,
methods of testing and required test results
IEC 61162 (all parts), Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems –
Digital interfaces
IEC 61162-450:2011, Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems –
Digital interfaces – Part 450: Multiple talkers and multiple listeners – Ethernet interconnection

61996-1 © IEC:2013(E) – 9 –
IEC 61174, Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – Electronic
chart display and information system (ECDIS) – Operational and performance requirements,
methods of testing and required test results
IEC 61260:1995, Electroacoustics – Octave-band and fractional-octave-band filters
Amendment 1:2001
IEC 61672-1:2002, Electroacoustics – Sound level meters – Part 1: Specifications
IEC 62388:2007, Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems –
Shipborne radar – Performance requirements, methods of testing and required test results
IMO A.658(16), Use and fitting of retro-reflective materials on life-saving appliances
IMO A.662(16), Performance standards for float-free release and activation arrangements for
emergency radio equipment
IMO A.694(17), General requirements for shipborne radio equipment forming part of the
Global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) and for electronic navigational aids
IMO A.810(19), Performance standards for float-free satellite emergency position-indicating
radio beacons (EPIRBs) operating on 406 MHz
IMO A.1021(26), Code on alerts and indicators
IMO MSC.333(90):2012, Performance standards for shipborne Voyage Data Recorders
(VDRs)
EUROCAE ED-112:2003, Minimum operational performance specification (MOPS) for crash
protected airborne recorder systems
VESA:2007, Video electronics standards association – VESA and industry standards and
guidelines for computer display monitor timing (DMT), Version 1.0, Revision 0.11
SAE AS8045A:2011, Engineering Society for advancing mobility land sea air and space –
Minimum performance standard for underwater locating devices – Acoustic, self-powered
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1.1
alert
announcement of abnormal situations and conditions requiring attention. Alerts are divided in
four priorities: emergency alarms, alarms, warnings and cautions.
Note 1 to entry: See (A.1021(26)/3).

– 10 – 61996-1 © IEC:2013(E)
3.1.2
alarm
high priority of an alert. A condition requiring immediate attention and action, to maintain the
safe navigation and operation of the ship.
Note 1 to entry: See (A.1021(26)/3).
3.1.3
bridge work station
position at which a person is expected to be when performing one of the normal bridge duties
at, for example, the following work stations:
• centre line conning;
• bridge wing(s);
• main radar;
• chart table;
• helmsman;
• communication
3.1.4
caution
lowest priority of an alert. A condition which does not warrant an alarm or warning condition,
but still requires attention and out of the ordinary consideration of the situation or of given
information
Note 1 to entry: A caution is indicated by a steady visual indication with a message of sufficient detail to enable
the bridge team to identify and address the caution condition. No acknowledgement is required and the caution
should be automatically removed after the condition is rectified.
Note 2 to entry: See (A.1021(26)/3).
3.1.5
combined EPIRB/VDR capsule
single unit which meets all the requirements of a satellite EPIRB (as required by the carriage
requirements of SOLAS IV) and all the requirements of a VDR (as required by the carriage
requirements of SOLAS V)
Note 1 to entry: Combined EPIRB/VDR capsule was defined by IMO COMSAR 8.
3.1.6
configuration data
describes the vessel's equipment, its installation on the vessel and its relation to the VDR. The
storage and playback software uses this data to store the data record and to convert the data
record into information that assists casualty investigation during playback
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.10).
3.1.7
data
any item of information received by the VDR for recording, including numerical values, text and
audio or radar signals and including all configuration data, except where specifically stated or
where the context dictates otherwise
3.1.8
dedicated reserve power source
a battery, with suitable automatic charging arrangements, dedicated solely to the VDR, of
sufficient capacity to operate it as required by 5.4.2.
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.9).

61996-1 © IEC:2013(E) – 11 –
3.1.9
final recording medium
the items of hardware on which the data is recorded such that access to any one of them would
enable the data to be recovered and played back by use of suitable equipment. The
combination of a fixed recording medium and float-free recording medium and long-term
recording medium, together, is recognized as the final recording medium.
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.3).
3.1.10
fixed recording medium
part of the Final Recording Medium which is protected against fire, shock, penetration and a
prolonged period on the ocean floor. It is expected to be recovered from the deck of the vessel
that has sunk. It has a means of indicating location.
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.4).
3.1.11
float-free recording medium
part of the Final Recording Medium which should float-free after a sinking. It has a means of
indicating location.
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.5).
3.1.12
long-term recording medium
permanently installed part of the Final Recording Medium. It provides the longest record
duration and has a readily accessible interface for downloading the stored data.
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.6).
3.1.13
playback equipment
any data medium with the playback software, the operational instructions and any special parts
required for connecting a commercial-off-the-shelf laptop computer to the VDR
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.7).
3.1.14
playback software
copy of the software program to provide the capability to download the stored data and play
back the information. The software should be compatible with an operating system available
with commercial-off-the-shelf laptop computers and where non-standard or proprietary formats
are used for storing the data in the VDR, the software should convert the stored data into open
industry standard formats.
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.8).
3.1.15 playback system
system including the playback equipment that is capable of downloading and playing back the
recorded data
3.1.16
recorder
VDR
complete system, including any items required to interface with the sources of input signals,
their processing and encoding, the final recording medium, the playback equipment, the power
supply and dedicated reserve power source
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.1).

– 12 – 61996-1 © IEC:2013(E)
3.1.17
resolution
smallest detectable increment between two values
3.1.18
signal source
any sensor or device external to the VDR, to which the VDR is connected and from which it
obtains signals and data to be recorded
Note 1 to entry: See (MSC.333(90)/4.2).
3.2 Abbreviations
EPFS Electronic position-fixing system
EUT Equipment under test
FFT Fast Fourier Transform
GMDSS Global maritime distress and safety system
IMO International Maritime Organization
INS Integrated navigation system
ITU International Telecommunication Union
LAN Local area network
ROV Remotely operated vehicle
SAR Search and
...