Abstract: A communications system includes remote stations coupled to a central station by a network. The system includes the network, the central station establishes a list of information about available network resources and publishes the list for the remote station. The system includes the remote stations, which identify a set of said published resources needed to establish the connection, notify the central station about the identified resources, and seize the set of identified resources to thereby establish the connection. The central station updates the list of available resources to thereby reflect the seizing of the set, and communicates the updated list to the remote stations.

Abstract: A communications system includes remote stations coupled to a central station by a network. The system includes the network, the central station establishes a list of information about available network resources and publishes the list for the remote station. The system includes the remote stations, which identify a set of said published resources needed to establish the connection, notify the central station about the identified resources, and seize the set of identified resources to thereby establish the connection. The central station updates the list of available resources to thereby reflect the seizing of the set, and communicates the updated list to the remote stations.

Abstract: A system for communicating data among a plurality of ships is disclosed. The system comprises means for sending an inbound message from one of said plurality ships (501), via at least one geostationary satellite (503) and base station (505) to a control center (507). Spatial information obtained from the control messages is consolidated by the control center (507) to reduce traffic volume of outbound messages associated with inbound messages. Consolidated messages are then sent via base station (505) and at least one geostationary satellite (503), to a sub-set of said plurality of ships, wherein sub-set of ships are in at least one of the same (a) geographic region, and (b) adjacent region(s), as said one ship.

Abstract: An antenna element is disclosed, having a ground plane (106), a helix (104) disposed above the ground plane (106), the helix (104) being connectable to a communications apparatus at a helix end (214) located near the ground plane (106), and a spiral (102) substantially centred on the axis (100) of the helix (104) the spiral (102) having an outer end thereof connected to the other helix end, said spiral (102) thereby terminating the antenna.