For Inmarsat C to be working properly, all units of the Inmarsat C device must be switched on. In the first stage the Inmarsat C device will check for proper functioning of all parameters and the connected pieces of equipment. After that it will automatically start to Log in. This process consists of the transmission of a short notification (announcing that the terminal is switched on and will be available) to the NCS of the preferred Ocean Region. In the transceiver one of the four Inmarsat Satellite regions will be set as default. This default satellite region is the region the terminal will log in to. When this default satellite is not in sight, the terminal will choose another one. Normally the position will be updated via the built-in GPS receiver in the Inmarsat terminal. When the terminal is logged in on the satellite, its region and signal strength will be displayed on the top of the screen.
Only when the terminal is used for the first time, a commissioning test will be performed (description of this procedure can be found in the terminal user manual). When the test has been completed successfully, the terminal can be used within the Imarsat C system.

Practise on the Inmarsat C simulator

Switch on the terminal:

• Message Terminal Turn on the power to have the start-up screen presented.
• Wait for start-up screen to disappear within 5 seconds and the Capsat window to be shown. The upper left corner of the screen (Status Field) will show “Transceiver not connected”.
• Switch the Power button to "on" at the back of the transceiver and wait approximately 25 seconds until the power-on sequence has been completed. The upper left corner of the screen the "status field" shows "log in", this will change later to the name of the Ocean Region the satellite is logged in on.
• The GPS mode will show its status on top of the screen.
• The Inmarsat signal status will be shown on the top of the screen, more boxes mean a stronger signal (at least 3 boxes have to be shown for a reliable signal).
• The system clock will be shown on top of the screen.
• When the terminal has completed the log-in process it will show a window on the screen (login successful) which has to be confirmed by pressing the "ESC" bar.
• The terminal will now be ready for use.