An international maritime radio telex system sponsored by IMO and IHO, which automatically receives the broadcast telex information such as navigational, meteorological warnings and search and rescue (SAR) alerts on 24-hour watch basis.
NAVTEX is a method of transmitting navigational warnings and weather forecasts from designed coast radio stations. All English-language transmissions are made on 518 kHz and each station is allocated several time “slots” during the day, when it is permitted to transmit. These are normally emitted at fou-hour intervals. Except for the gale warnings and search and rescue messages which can be transmitted at any time. Reception of NAVTEX is limited to an area of 200-300-mile radius around each transmitting station, although considerably greater ranges are possible at night.