What is the fundamental concept of the GMDSS?
A. GMDSS utilizes automated systems and satellite technology to improve emergency communications for the world’s shipping industry.
B. It is intended to automate and improve existing digital selective calling procedures and techniques.
C. It is intended to provide more effective but lower cost commercial communications.
D. It is intended to provide compulsory vessels with a collision avoidance system when they are operating in waters that are also occupied by non-compulsory vessels.
The Sea Area you are in is determined by:
A. The vessel’s distance from shore.
B. The types of maintenance available to your vessel.
C. Whether the ship station is in range of a VHF-DSC, MF-DSC, HF-DSC Coast Station or Inmarsat coverage.
D. Whether the ship only makes domestic/coastal voyages or it goes international.
Which of the following is a functional or carriage requirement for compulsory vessels?
A. A compulsory vessel must carry at least two (2) FCC licensed GMDSS Radio Operators in all sea areas as well as a GMDSS Maintainer in sea areas A3 & A4.
B. A compulsory vessel must satisfy certain equipment carriage requirements based on the intended sea area of operation.
C. A compulsory vessel must be able to transmit and respond to Distress alerts and carry only one (1) FCC licensed GMDSS Radio Operator in sea areas A1 & A2.
D. None of these answers are correct.
Which statement is true regarding a vessel equipped with GMDSS equipment that will remain in Sea Area A1 at all times?
A. The vessel must be provided with a radio installation capable of initiating the transmission of ship-to-shore Distress alerting from the position from which the ship is normally navigated.
B. VHF DSC alerting may be the sole means of Distress alerting.
C. HF or MF DSC may satisfy the equipment requirement.
D. HF SSB with 2182 kHz automatic alarm generator may satisfy the equipment requirement.
Which of the following statements concerning maintenance requirements is false?
A. Compulsory vessels sailing in Sea Areas A1 and A2 must provide any one of the three maintenance options which are duplication of equipment, shore-based, or at-sea maintenance capability.
B. Compulsory vessels sailing in Sea Areas A3 and A4 must provide any two of the three maintenance options which are duplication of equipment, shore-based, or at-sea maintenance capability.
C. Equipment warranties do not satisfy GMDSS maintenance requirements.
D. If shore-based maintenance is used, maintenance services do not have to be completed or performance verified unless the vessel will be sailing to a non-US port.
Which of the following references should be consulted for information on the proper setup and use of GMDSS equipment?
A. The manufacturer's operating manuals.
B. 47 CFR Part 80 Subpart W.
C. Instructions are available through the Maritime Safety Information (MSI) system.
D. ITU List of Equipment Operations.
Which of the following maintenance functions is not the responsibility of the GMDSS Radio Operator?
A. Visual inspection of equipment, including the antenna and associated components.
B. Perform on-the-air verification checks.
C. Perform scheduled testing of the battery's charged condition.
D. Aligning the power output stage for maximum power.
Which FCC license meets the requirement to serve as a GMDSS operator?
A. General Radiotelephone Operator’s License.
B. Marine Radio Operator’s Permit.
C. GMDSS Radio Operator’s License
D. GMDSS Radio Maintainer’s License.
Proper watchkeeping includes the following:
A. After silencing an alarm all displays and/or printouts are read, monitoring all required frequencies in the proper mode, notifying the Master of any Distress alerts.
B. Monitoring all required frequencies in the proper mode, setting the DSC scanner to 2 MHz, 4 MHZ and 8 MHz for ships in the vicinity, notifying the Master of any Distress alerts.
C. Notifying the Master of any Distress alerts, setting the DSC scanner to 2 MHz, 4 MHZ and 8 MHz for ships in the vicinity, monitoring all required frequencies in the proper mode.
D. Setting the DSC scanner only to the mandatory 2 MHz & 8 MHz, maintain continuous watch on 2182.0 kHz or 4125.0 kHz, notify the Master of any Distress traffic heard.
A Ch-70 DSC Distress alert is received. What action should be taken?
A. Silence the alarm, review the message and set up watch on Ch-16 to listen for Mayday communications.
B. Silence the alarm and immediately call the master for further instructions.
C. Review the incoming message information but take no action unless requested to do so by the RCC.
D. Use DSC to immediately notify the vessel their Distress has been received.
A VHF-DSC “Distress Hot Key” alert always transmits what information if connected to GPS?
A. Distress designation and follow on communications channel.
B. A “Nature of Distress” category and Distress priority specifier code.
C. Position, UTC time of position update and Ch-70 for voice follow-on.
D. Position, time of position update, MMSI number programmed and Distress priority specifier.
Which statement is true regarding the receipt and acknowledgement of Distress alerts by ship stations?
A. Ship stations in receipt of a Distress alert should acknowledge it immediately to assist the coast station in responding to the Distress alert.
B. A ship station that receives a Distress alert must, as soon as possible, inform the Master or person responsible for the ship of the contents of the Distress alert.
C. Ship stations that receive a Distress alert from a vessel in their vicinity must immediately send a DSC relay to inform the RCC.
D. Alerts concerning navigational hazards are second only to Safety traffic.
A DSC Distress Relay should always be made under the following circumstances
A. When a DSC response to a Distress alert from a Coast/Ship Station hasn’t been received and the Master approves.
B. When the MMSI of the vessel in Distress cannot be determined.
C. After there is an acknowledgement from a coast station.
D. DSC Distress Relays do not need to be made if your vessel is too far away to assist.
What action should you take after sending a false Distress alert on VHF?
A. Send a DSC cancellation message on Ch-70.
B. Make a voice announcement to cancel the alert on Ch-13.
C. Make a voice announcement to cancel the alert on Ch-22A.
D. Make a voice announcement to cancel the alert on Ch-16.
What is the fundamental purpose for imposing radio silence?
A. To ensure that interference to proprietary communications is minimized.
B. To ensure that only voice communications can be effected on the Distress frequency or channel.
C. To mitigate the risk of interference on a frequency or channel being used for emergency communications.
D. To ensure that a Distressed vessel will have a "window" twice each hour for transmitting routine messages.
When the GMDSS Radio Operator on watch hears "Securite" spoken three times, he can expect to receive the following information:
A. A message concerning the Safety of navigation.
B. The safety of vessel or person is in jeopardy.
C. A vessel is in need of immediate assistance.
D. A Coast Station sending an important traffic list.
Which of the following steps should be taken, if possible, when the vessel must be abandoned because of a Distress situation?
A. Alert the U.S. Coast Guard by using the survival craft's portable Inmarsat unit.
B. Program the SART and EPIRB to transmit the vessel's location and situation.
C. No additional steps are needed as the SART and EPIRB will both automatically float free and operate properly.
D. Secure the EPIRB to the survival craft and mount the SART in a position to maximize its elevation.
What indication is given to the personnel in a survival craft of the approach of SAR craft?
A. The Satellite EPIRB will change its strobe light pattern to indicate radar interrogation.
B. The SART informs survivors when the SART switches to the "standby" mode.
C. The SART may provide a visual or audible indication of interrogation by a 3-cm radar.
D. The AIS SART will alarm to indicate that SAR craft with radars are getting close.
How does the searching vessel's radar interrogate a survival craft SART?
A. Activate the IFF interrogation system.
B. The SART responds automatically and transmits the 12-blip signal when it detects the search craft or other vessels' X-Band radar signal.
C. Maintains watch on VHF-FM Ch-70 for the SART's unique identifier.
D. The SART responds automatically when it detects the search craft or other vessel's 10-cm radar signal.
Which of the following statements concerning testing and maintenance of SARTs is true?
A. Testing a SART should be done in a consistent manner & location to ensure a baseline history of proper results.
B. Testing of the SART should never be done in port to prevent interference to other vessel’s radars.
C. A SART's battery must be replaced within ninety (90) days after the expiration date imprinted on the unit.
D. An at-sea GMDSS maintainer is not able to test a SART because it is hermetically sealed.
Which is not a function of a satellite under COSPAS-SARSAT using satellite EPIRBs?
A. Relayed satellite message includes the EPIRB ID number which provides a reference for retrieval of vessel information from the shore database.
B. Doppler shift of EPIRB signal is measured and the EPIRB’s position is calculated.
C. Information received from EPIRBs is time-tagged and transmitted to any Local User Terminal in the satellite's view.
D. After the EPIRB’s position is calculated using the Doppler shift COSPAS-SARSAT satellites provide follow-on SAR communications.
What features may be found on GMDSS satellite EPIRB units?
A. Strobe light, Distress homing transmission on 406 MHz, float-free release bracket.
B. Emergency transmission on 406 MHz, hydrostatic release, AIS homing frequency.
C. Float-free release bracket, strobe light & Distress alert transmission on 406 MHz.
D. Hydrostatic release, Distress alert transmission on 121.5 MHz, strobe light.
With what other stations may portable survival craft transceivers not communicate?
A. Communication between the ship and survival craft transceivers ashore.
B. Communication between the ship and its survival craft.
C. Communication between rescue units and survival craft.
D. Communication between multiple survival craft and with aircraft.
The “On Scene Coordinator” may be which of the following?
A. The vessel in Distress will always be the “On Scene Coordinator” for itself.
B. The first search vessel to arrive on the scene is always designated as the OSC.
C. Only shore authorities, Coast Station or RCC’s can be the “On Scene Coordinator.”
D. Any involved vessel so designated by the Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator.
Which action should the GMDSS radio operator take in a Distress situation when embarking in survival craft?
A. EPIRB and SART switched on manually prior to embarking; remain aboard vessel in Distress.
B. Notify RCC (Rescue Coordination Center) through VHF DSC in portable equipment.
C. Switch on EPIRB and SART immediately and leave on.
D. Communicate via Inmarsat-C from the survival craft.
What actions should the GMDSS radio operator take prior to any potential Distress situation?
A. Create a table or chart of all the DSC coast stations that might be used during the vessel’s itinerary.
B. All of these answers are good operational practice and should be consistently done.
C. Prepare a detailed Distress message file on both satellite & MF-HF SITOR (NBDP) equipment containing all information needed in a Distress so it will be available for last-minute editing.
D. Ensure all LES choices are correct and then updated properly as the vessel transits different SAR jurisdictions.
How is mutual interference on 518 kHz among NAVTEX stations avoided?
A. Transmissions scheduled on a time-sharing basis, power limited and station assignment codes are geographically separated.
B. All stations transmit at the same time but stations are limited to daytime operation only to reduce the radius of propagation.
C. Transmitter power is limited, station assignment codes are not shared by other NAVAREAS and stations alternate between daytime and nighttime operations.
D. Station codes are not shared by other NAVAREAS, transmissions scheduled on a time-sharing basis and power is limited.
How is a NAVTEX receiver programmed to reject certain messages?
A. The transmitting station's two-digit identification can be entered to de-select reception of its broadcasts.
B. By entering the SELCAL of the NAVTEX transmitting station.
C. By pressing "00" in the transmitter's ID block.
D. By choosing a message category's single letter (A-Z) identifier and then deselecting or deactivating.
The NAVTEX message header contains the following?
A. A two-digit number (01-99) indicates the NAVTEX message category.
B. Message numbers include a date/time group, along with the transmitting station's numerical ID.
C. The first letter (from A to Z) indicates the NAVTEX transmitting station.
D. None of these answers is correct.
If the Inmarsat-C terminal is inoperative but the vessel remains within NAVTEX coverage -- which of the following message categories should not be disabled by the GMDSS Radio Operator?
A. Navigational warnings, meteorological warnings and metrological forecasts.
B. Search and Rescue information, navigational warnings and other electronic navaid messages.
C. Search and Rescue information, Meteorological warnings and ice reports.
D. Meteorological warnings, Search and Rescue information and Navigational warnings.
What action should a GMDSS Radio Operator take when SafetyNETTM. Distress or Urgency messages are received by the vessel's EGC receiver?
A. No immediate action is required, as an audible tone will be generated at the beginning and end of the transmission and a paper printout of the message will be generated.
B. No immediate action is required by the operator, since the transmission will be automatically acknowledged by the receiving vessel.
C. Aural and/or visual alarms are activated and require manual deactivation.
D. A periodic alarm tone will be heard until the radio operator prints the message from the unit's memory.
What is the purpose of the dedicated EGC receiver for A-1 area GMDSS Vessels?
A. To ensure receipt of MSI in areas without NAVTEX coverage.
B. To allow monitoring of the vessels location for AMVER tracking.
C. Simultaneous receipt and transmission of vessel SafetyNETTM messages.
D. To track which NAVAREA the vessel is currently in for receipt of MSI.
Adjusting the volume control has the following results:
A. The higher the volume control is set the greater the sensitivity.
B. The volume control sets the threshold for receiving signals.
C. Adjusting the volume control has no effect on the sensitivity.
D. The lower the volume control is set the greater the sensitivity.
Which of the following control selections may result in limited receiving range?
A. Setting the squelch control to its minimum level.
B. Setting the squelch control to its maximum level.
C. The power switch is set to the "high" output position, resulting in receiver overloading.
D. Setting the channel selection switch midway between channels 6 and 16.
The nearest Coast Guard station is being called by a vessel on Ch-22. That vessel’s USA-INT switch is set to INT. What will be the results?
A. There should be no problem carrying on communications.
B. The Coast Guard station will not hear the call due to listening on a duplex receiving frequency.
C. Neither station will hear the other’s calls.
D. The Coast Guard station will probably hear the call and respond but the vessel called will not hear the response.
The quickest way to transmit a DSC Distress alert is:
A. Select “Distress” priority from the menu and transmit an “all ships” call.
B. Transmit a “MAYDAY” call on Ch-16.
C. Press the “Distress Hot Key” as specified by the equipment manufacturer.
D. Select “Distress Relay Select” from the menu and transmit the call.
A DSC Urgency priority call is usually set up in the following manner:
A. Such calls are sent first to all coast stations and then later to all ship stations.
B. Such calls are sent to an individual coast station.
C. Such calls are sent to an individual ship station.
D. Such calls are sent simultaneously to “all stations”.
How are Routine calls usually formatted/initiated?
A. By pressing the “Distress Hot Key”.
B. By making the appropriate key strokes to select the appropriate menu choices.
C. By pressing the “Alarm” button and then selecting from various options.
D. Using Ch-70 to make Routine priority DSC calls is not permitted.
The DSC received call directory usually sorts and stores incoming calls in what manner?
A. Received calls are typically divided into two directories distinguished by priority.
B. All received calls are saved in a single category.
C. Received calls are always divided into Distress and Urgency categories.
D. Only received Distress calls are saved.