GNSS radiobeacon service availability study: The SISPELSAT

Abstract

SIStem PELayaran SATelit (SISPELSAT), a National DGPS system was installed in January 2003. SISPELSAT is the primary navigational-aid for vessels navigating within the shore of Peninsular Malaysia, operated and managed by the Marine Department of Peninsular Malaysia. The system consisted of two beacon stations, located at Lumut and Kuantan, which are transmitting GPS differential corrections to area within 250 km radius. One Master Station set-up at the Marine Department Headquarters at Port Klang, functions as the main monitoring station for the system, while another station at Langkawi acted as the secondary monitoring station. This paper presents results of a study conducted in August 2003 to evaluate on the service availability and coverage of SISPELSAT beacon at Kuantan for the service area around the South China Sea. Results have found that within the intended service coverage area of 250 km, signal strength varies erratically. Initial study has suggested that interferences to the radio wave propagation as the main factor.