NAVTEX transmissions typically cover approximately what distance?

• A. 1000-1500 nautical miles
• B. 200-400 nautical miles
• C. 50-100 nautical miles
• D. 400-800 nautical miles

Answer: (B)

NAVTEX is a one-way weather and navigational warning broadcast transmitted on a low-frequency channel from coast stations to ships at sea. The signal propagates mainly as a surface (ground) wave, and with typical transmitter power and antenna heights, reliable reception is achieved within a few hundred miles of the transmitting station. That places its practical coverage around the 200 to 400 nautical miles range. Distances much farther, like 1000–1500 nautical miles, are not typical for a single NAVTEX transmission, and much shorter ranges (50–100 nautical miles) wouldn’t meet the service’s near-coast purpose, while 400–800 nautical miles would be unusually long for standard NAVTEX reach. So the best approximate coverage is 200–400 nautical miles.