facsimile, daily at 1330 Greenwich mean time on 5320 and 8502 kc/s, 

 from 6 March to 21 June. 



The general format of the broadcast included the limits of all known 

 ice in the Grand Banks area, the limits of any berg concentrations and 

 the locations of pertinent bergs or growlers between both limits. 

 Ships were requested to report all ice sighted and to report sea water 

 temperatures, position, course, speed, visibility and surface weather 

 every four hours when between the latitudes of 39° N. and 49° N. and 

 longitudes 42° W. and 60° W. The importance of these reports which 

 are a valuable source of oceanographic and meteorological data cannot 

 be overemphasized. All sea water temperatures are plotted, and a 

 surface isotherm chart is drawn up twice monthly during the season. 

 For this year's isotherm charts, see figures 1-7. The isotherm chart is 

 valuable to the Ice Patrol as general features of the Laborador and 

 Atlantic Currents are indicated. Also ice deterioration rates can be 

 more accurately estimated from the isotherm chart. The meteoro- 

 logical data are important in ice drift forecasts and flight planning. 

 A plot of all reporting ships is also maintained. Thus, the Ice Patrol 

 receives valuable information not otherwise available and the report- 

 ing ship receives maximum protection. Commander, International 

 Ice Patrol wishes to thank the reporting merchant ships for their 

 wonderful cooperation. 



Ice Patrol radio station NIK worked merchant vessels transmitting 

 on 427, 6477.5, 8734 or 12718.5 kc/s. A total of 9877 ice information 

 messages were sent or received and the Coast Guard communications 

 facilities, including the branch teletype station from the Naval tele- 

 type relay at Argentia, handled a total of 41,125 messages of all types. 

 The statistics concerning ship reports is given below: 



Number of ice reports received from vessels 1, 103 



Number of vessels making ice reports 252 



Number of sea temperature reports 7, 916 



Number of vessels making sea temperature reports 570 



Number of requests for special ice reports 131 



Total number of vessels worked (not including relays) 655 



The percentage distribution of reporting vessels by nationality was 

 as follov^s: 



Country 



United Kingdom 

 United States.. . 



Germany. 



Norway.. 



Netherlands 



Sweden.. 



Liberia 



Greece... 



France 



Italy.... 



Canada 



Panama.. 



Belgium 



Denmark 



Finland 



Japan... 



Country 



Israel 



Switzerland 



Ireland 



Poland 



Iceland 



Spain 



United Arab Republic... 

 Union of Soviet Socialist 



Republics 



Yugo.slavia 



Chile. - 



El Salvador 



Sudan.. 



Yemen 



28 Nations 



Number of 



reporting 



ships 



620 



Percentage 

 of total 



100.0 



