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GOC FOR GMDSS QUESTIONNAIRES

COMPETENCY 2: Provide radio services in emergency

KUP: Abandonship

1. For "On-scene" communications, vessels in Distress and SAR Aircraft should use?
a.) VHF Ch.16, 4125 khz, J3E, 3023 khz J3E
b.) VHF Ch.16, 4125 khz, F1B, 3023 khz J3E
c.) VHF Ch.70, 4125 khz. 5680 khz J3E
d.) None of the Above

2. In which frequency band does a search and rescue transponder operate?

a.) 9 GHz.
b.) 3 GHz.
c.) 406 MHz.
d.) S-band.

3. What equipment is programmed to initiate transmission of distress alerts and calls to individual
stations?
a.) DSC Controller
b.) GPS
c.) Scanning watch receiver
d.) NAVTEX

4. With what other stations may portable survival craft transceivers communicate?
a.) All of the above
b.) Communication is permitted between survival craft and ship
c.) Communication is permitted between survival craft
d.) Communication is permitted between survival craft and rescue unit

5. What information should be included in a Distress follow on voice transmission?

a.) All of the above
b.) Ship’s name and call sign
c.) Ship’s position
d.) Ship’s MMSI number

6. At what point does a SART begin transmitting?

a.) If it has been placed in the “on” position, it will respond when it has been interrogated by a 9Ghz
radar signal
b.) It must be manually activated
c.) It immediately begins radiating when placed in the “on” position
d.) If it has been placed in the “on” position, it will begin transmitting immediately upon
detecting that it is in the water

7. What part of a satellite EPIRB may function as a visual aid to rescue vessels?
a.) Strobe light
b.) 406 Mhz signal from a satellite EPIRB
c.) Loud beeping tone emitted by the unit, once activated
d.) A 121.6 Mhz emergency transmitter in a satellite EPIRB

8. How should the signal from a Search and Rescue Radar Transponder appear on a RADAR display?
a.) A series of 12 equally spaced dots
b.) A series of dashes
c.) A series of twenty dashes.
d.) A series of spirals all originating from the range and bearing of the SART.
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9. The Urgency Priority should be used for______.

a.) Messages containing information concerning the safety of a mobile unit or person
b.) Messages containing the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
c.) Messages detailing important navigational warning
d.) Messages containing On scene communications

10. In a lifeboat or liferaft, what is a method of maximizing the effectiveness of an SART?

a.) Hold or mount the unit as high as possible
b.) Place the SART in to the sea as soon as possible to begin transmitting
c.) Extend the length of the transmitting antenna
d.) Replaced the internal battery with the AC power adaptor

11. In all cases, the transmit frequency of a MF/HF console DSC Distress alert:
a.) It depends upon operator DSC call set up entries
b.) Will go out first on 2187.5 khz
c.) Will go out on 8 Mhz and one other DSC distress frequency
d.) None of the above

12. How can rescue personnel detect that a SART is transmitting in the immediate vicinity?
a.) The SART’s dot on the PPI will become arcs and eventually become concentric circles
b.) The DSC unit will react to the SART’s signal and respond with the two tone alarm
c.) The SART can provide an approximate location to within a 2 nm mile radius, per IMO
standards
d.) The SART signal will appears as a target which comes and goes

13. You are underway in mid-ocean, when you hear a distress message over the VHF radio.
The position of the sender is 20 miles away. What action should you take?
a.) Immediately acknowledge receipt of the distress message.
b.) Defer acknowledgment for a short interval so that a coast station may acknowledge receipt.
c.) Do not acknowledge receipt until other ships nearer to the distress have acknowledged.
d.) Do not acknowledge because you are too far away to take action.

14. Who is responsible for transmitting a message stating that distress communications have
ceased?
a.) The Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) controlling the distress communications
b.) No formal message must be transmitted as long as no distress-related communications
have
occurred after reasonable time.
c.) The vessel providing the initial communications with the distressed vessel
d.) The Coast Radio Station (CRS) that was first contacted concerning the distress situation

15. The distress message of a ship should include considerable information which might
facilitate the rescue. This information should _____.
a.) be transmitted as a series of short messages, if time allows
b.) include the vessel's draft
c.) always be included in the initial distress message
d.) be sent to a Coast Guard station first

16. Which system may be useful for messages, such as local storm warnings or a shore-to-
ship distress alert, for which it is inappropriate to alert all ships in the satellite coverage area?
a.) EGC
b.) AMVER
c.) NAVTEX
d.) DSC
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17. You are in a survival craft broadcasting a distress message. What information would be
essential to your rescuers?
a.) Your position by latitude and longitude
b.) Your radio call sign
c.) The nature of the distress
d.) The time of day

18. If you log a distress message, it must include the ______.

a.) time of its occurrence
b.) wind direction and velocity
c.) sea state
d.) names of witnesses

19. A vessel in distress should send by radio telephone the two tone alarm signal followed
immediately by the _______.
a.) spoken words "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday"
b.) ship's name
c.) ship's call letters
d.) distress position

20. You are underway in mid-ocean when you hear a distress message. The position of the
sender is 150 miles away. No other vessel has acknowledged the distress. Your maximum
speed is 5 knots and due to the seriousness of the distress, you cannot arrive on scene to
provide effective assistance. What action should you take?
a.) Use the signal MAYDAY RELAY and transmit the distress message.
b.) Transmit a message as though your vessel was in distress.
c.) Send an urgency message about the distress
d.) Do not acknowledge the distress message.

21. If you are transmitting a distress message by radiotelephone you shoul___.

a.) use English language
b.) follow the transmission with the radio alarm signal
c.) always use the International Code
d.) preface it by the word "Interco"

22. Which of the following steps should be taken, if possible, when the vessel must be
abandoned because of a distress situation?
a.) Place the SART and EPIRB in the “ON” position and secure them to the survival craft.
b.) No additional steps are needed as the SART and EPIRB will both automatically float free
and
operate properly
c.) Alert the Coast Guard by using the Survival craft’s portable INMARSAT unit
d.) Program the SART and EPIRB to transmit the vessel’s location and Position

23. The Radio Telephone distress message consist of:

a.) All of these
b.) MAYDAY spoken three times, call sign and name of vessel in distress
c.) Nature of distress and kind of assistance desired
d.) Particulars of its position, latitude and longitude, and other information which might
facilitate rescue,
such as length, color and type of vessel.

24. What is a Distress communication?

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a.) An internationally recognized communication indicating that the sender is threatened by grave and
imminent danger and requests immediate assistance.
b.) Communications indicating that the calling station has a very urgent message concerning safety.
c.) Radio communications which, if delayed, will adversely affect the safety of life or property.
d.) An official radio communication notification of approaching navigational or meteorological hazards.

25. Why must all MF-HF Distress, Urgency and Safety communications take place solely on the 6
assigned frequencies and in the simplex operating mode?
a.) Answers b) and c) are both correct
b.) For non-GMDSS ships, to maximize the chances for other vessels to receive those
communications.
c.) For GMDSS or DSC-equipped ships, to maximize the chances for other vessels to receive those
communications following the transmission of a DSC call of the correct priority.
d.) To enable an RCC or Coast station to only hear communications from the vessel actually in
distress.

26. What emission must be used when operating on the MF distress and calling voice frequency?
a.) J3E – Single sideband telephony
b.) A1A – On-off keying without modulation by an audio frequency
c.) F3E – Frequency modulation telephony
d.) A3E – Amplitude modulation telephony, double sideband

27. What are the highest priority communications from ships at sea?
a.) Distress calls are highest and then communications preceded by Urgency and then Safety signals.
b.) Authorized government communications for which priority right has been claimed.
c.) Navigation and meteorological warnings.
d.) All critical message traffic authorized by the ship’s master.

28. Your vessel is in distress and you have made radiotelephone contact with a U.S. Coast
Guard vessel. The Coast Guard vessel requests that you give him a long count. This indicates
that
a.) the Coast Guard vessel is taking a radio direction finder bearing on your vessel
b.) your radio transmitter is not working properly
c.) the Coast Guard vessel is requesting your position in latitude and longitude
d.) the Coast Guard vessel is testing its receiver

29. How can a SART’s effective range be maximized?

a.) The SART should be held as high as possible.
b.) Switch the SART into the “high” power position.
c.) If possible, the SART should be mounted horizontally so that its signal matches that of the
searching RADAR signal.
d.) The SART should be placed in water immediately upon activation.

30. Which frequencies and modes are allocated for distress alerting in GMDSS?
a.) All of the above
b.) Channel 70 DSC plus six (6) MF/HF DSC frequencies
c.) 406 MHz via EPIRB
d.) 1626.5-1645.5 MHz via I NMARSAT

31. What is Distress traffic?

a.) All messages relative to the immediate assistance required by a ship, aircraft or other vehicle
threatened by grave or imminent danger, such as life and safety of persons on board, or man
overboard.
b.) Health and welfare messages concerning property and the safety of a vessel.
c.) Internationally recognized communications relating to important situations.
d.) In radiotelephony, the speaking of the word, “Mayday.”
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32. How long should station logs be retained when there are entries relating to distress or disaster
situations?
a.) For a period of three years from the last date of entry, unless notified by the FCC.
b.) For a period of one year from the last date of entry.
c.) Until authorized by the Commission in writing to destroy them.
d.) Indefinitely, or until destruction is specifically authorized by the U.S. Coast Guard.

33. Relays of Distress Alerts using DSC may still be done. However, it is now recommended
that such relays be done:
a.) By any of the below methods which will be effectively provide distress communications to
an RCC or coast station without further activations of other mobile units DSC controllers
b.) Only by inmarsat C telex with distress priority
c.) Only by inmarsat B voice or telex with distress priority
d.) Preferably by MF/HF voice or telex directly to RCC

34. What is a typical Urgency transmission?

a.) A request for medical assistance that does not rise to the level of a Distress or a critical
weather
transmission higher than Safety.
b.) A radio Distress transmission affecting the security of humans or property
c.) Health and welfare traffic which impacts the protection of on-board personnel.
d.) A communications alert that important personal messages must be transmitted.

35. Which device provides the main means in the GMDSS for locating ships in Distress, or
their survival craft?
a.) Sattelite EPIRB’s
b.) Radio Direction Finder
c.) VHF homing device
d.) MF/HF DSC

36. How is a Distress priority message ordinarily initiated on board the vessel?
a.) By pressing one or more dedicated distress key on the equipment
b.) By contacting the CES operator and announcing a distress condition is in existence
c.) By contacting the CES operator using the radiotelephone distress procedure “Mayday” etc.
d.) By dialing the correct code on the telephone remote unit

37. How many HF frequencies are available in DSC distress related calls?
a.) Five
b.) Two
c.) Three
d.) One

38. The correct form for an RT Distress Message following a DSC Distress Alert is ______.
a.) MAYDAY, name, call sign and MMSI, position, nature of distress, assistance required,
further
relevant information
b.) MAYDAY, nature of distress, assistance required, further relevant information
c.) MAYDAY, name, call sign and MMSI, position nature of distress, name of Master
d.) MAYDAY, name, call sign and MMSI assistance required, position

39. What is the order of priority of radiotelephone communications in the maritime services?
a.) Distress calls and signals, followed by communications preceded by Urgency and Safety signals
and all other communications.
b.) Government precedence, messages concerning safety of life and protection of property, and traffic
concerning grave and imminent danger.
c.) Navigation hazards, meteorological warnings, priority traffic.
d.) Alarm and health and welfare communications
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40. You are in GMDSS Sea Area A2 and have received a MF DSC Distress Alert you should _____.
a.) You should wait a short period, then acknowledge by RT on 2182 kHz.  
b.) You should wait a short period, then acknowledge by RT on 2188.5 kHz.  
c.) Acknowledge immediately by RT on 2182 khz
d.) Acknowledge immediately by RT on 2187.5 khz

41. After transmitting a DSC Distress Alert Relay on Ch. 70, you should switch to_____.
a.) Ch. 16
b.) Ch. 70
c.) Ch. 06
d.) Ch. 13

42. Your vessel has sighted a hazard to shipping in GMDSS Sea Area A1. Your initial announcement to
other vessels should be a Ch70 DSC:
a.) Safety call addressed to all stations
b.) Distress alert relay
c.) Urgency call addressed to all stations
d.) Routine call addressed to all stations

43. The correct DSC call prior to requesting Medical Evacuation is ______.
a.) Urgency
b.) Pan Pan
c.) Distress
d.) Mayday

44. The correct DSC Alert, Call or Announcement to be used before sending a Distress Message on behalf
of another vessel is _____.
a.) Distress alert relay
b.) Mayday Relay
c.) Distress
d.) Urgency

45. A distress alert from an Inmarsat-EPIRB, is received in the coverage area of a satellite by ground
station within:
a.) two minutes
b.) 60 to 90 minutes
c.) 20-60 minutes
d.) ten minutes

46. A DSC distress alert single frequency call attempt is awaiting acknowledgement:
a.) automatically repeated after 3 and a half to four and a half minutes
b.) not repeated automatically
c.) automatically repeated after 1 to 1 and a half minutes
d.) all of the above

47. A vessel in distress should send by radio telephone the two tone alarm signal followed immediately
by the:
a.) spoken words "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday"
b.) distress position
c.) ship's name
d.) ship's call letters

48. How is a distress message normally initiated through INMARSAT?

a.) Certain INMARSAT units have a dedicated key that can be pressed for immediate action, while
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other systems provide menu driven features

b.) By adding the word "DISTRESS" in the first line of the message's preamble
c.) By transmitting the distress message on the U.S. Coast Guard's dedicated monitoring channel.
d.) All INMARSAT units have a dedicated key that can be pressed for immediate action.

49. Which equipment is not a source of locating signals?

a.) Survival craft VHF transceivers that provide a beacon on 121.5 MHz
b.) EPIRB's that transmit on 406 MHz
c.) COSPAS-SARSAT EPIRBs
d.) SARTs operating on 9 GHz

50. Which step should be taken, if possible, when the vessel must be abandoned because of a
distress situation?
a.) Place the SART and EPIRB in the "ON" position and secure them to the survival craft.
b.) Alert the U.S. Coast Guard by using the survival craft's portable INMARSAT unit.
c.) Place the SART and EPIRB in the "ON" position and secure them to the survival craft.
d.) No additional steps are needed as the SART and EPIRB will both automatically float free and
operate properly.