IEC 61097-1:2007 specifies the performance standards and type testing of marine radar transponders used in search and rescue operations at sea (SART), as required by Regulation 6.2.2 of Chapter III, and 7.1.3 and 8.3.1 of Chapter IV of the 1988 amendments to the 1974 International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and which is associated with IEC 60936 (Shipborne radar) and IEC 60945 (General requirements).
This standard incorporates the performance standards of IMO Resolutions A.530 (13) and A.802 (19) (Survival craft radar transponders for use in search and rescue operations) and the technical characteristics for such transponders contained in ITU-R Recommendation M.628-4, and takes account of the general requirements contained in IMO Resolution A.694 (17).
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 1992. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
The main changes with respect to the previous edition are listed below:
- some amendments to bring the standard up to date with newer IMO resolutions and ITU recommendations. In particular, in 1995, the IMO adopted new performance standards for the SART in resolution A.802(19) which replaced those of resolution A.697(17). This new resolution introduced a new requirement for the SART to be provided with a pole arrangement. In 2006, the ITU-R revised recommendation M.628 to permit the optional use of circular polarisation with the SART;
- the Introduction has been deleted as it was of historical interest only;
- Annex A, which contained details of the parts of the IEC 61097 series of standards, has been deleted as this information is now available from this Foreword;
- Annex B which contained a Bibliography has been deleted and the information moved into the normative references.