Subelement B – Communications Procedures

Question 1

What traffic management service is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard in certain designated water areas to prevent ship collisions, groundings and environmental harm?

A. Water Safety Management Bureau (WSMB).

B. Vessel Traffic Service (VTS).

C. Ship Movement and Safety Agency (SMSA).

D. Interdepartmental Harbor and Port Patrol (IHPP).

Answer 1

B. Vessel Traffic Service (VTS).

Question 2

What is a bridge-to-bridge station?

A. An internal communications system linking the wheel house with the ship’s primary radio operating position and other integral ship control points.

B. An inland waterways and coastal radio station serving ship stations operating within the United States.

C. A portable ship station necessary to eliminate frequent application to operate a ship station on board different vessels.

D. A VHF radio station located on a ship’s navigational bridge or main control station that is used only for navigational communications.

Answer 2

D. A VHF radio station located on a ship’s navigational bridge or main control station that is used only for navigational communications.

Question 3

When may a bridge-to-bridge transmission be more than 1 watt?

A. When broadcasting a distress message and rounding a bend in a river or traveling in a blind spot.

B. When broadcasting a distress message.

C. When rounding a bend in a river or traveling in a blind spot.

D. When calling the Coast Guard.

Answer 3

A. When broadcasting a distress message and rounding a bend in a river or traveling in a blind spot.

Question 4

When is it legal to transmit high power on Channel 13?

A. Failure of vessel being called to respond.

B. In a blind situation such as rounding a bend in a
river.

C. During an emergency.

D. All of these.

Answer 4

D. All of these.

Question 5

A ship station using VHF bridge-to-bridge Channel 13:

A. May be identified by the name of the ship in lieu of call sign.

B. May be identified by call sign and country of origin.

C. Must be identified by call sign and name of vessel.

D. Does not need to identify itself within 100 miles from shore.

Answer 5

A. May be identified by the name of the ship in lieu of call sign.

Question 6

The primary purpose of bridge-to-bridge communications is:

A. Search and rescue emergency calls only.

B. All short-range transmission aboard ship.

C. Navigational communications.

D. Transmission of Captain’s orders from the bridge.

Answer 6

C. Navigational communications.

Question 7

What is the best way for a radio operator to minimize or prevent interference to other stations?

A. By using an omni-directional antenna pointed away from other stations.

B. Reducing power to a level that will not affect other on-frequency communications.

C. Determine that a frequency is not in use by monitoring the frequency before transmitting.

D. By changing frequency when notified that a radiocommunication causes interference.

Answer 7

C. Determine that a frequency is not in use by monitoring the frequency before transmitting.

Question 8

Under what circumstances may a coast station using telephony transmit a general call to a group of vessels?

A. Under no circumstances.

B. When announcing or preceding the transmission of Distress, Urgency, Safety or other important messages.

C. When the vessels are located in international waters beyond 12 miles.

D. When identical traffic is destined for multiple mobile stations within range.

Answer 8

B. When announcing or preceding the transmission of Distress, Urgency, Safety or other important messages.

Question 9

Who determines when a ship station may transmit routine traffic destined for a coast or government station in the maritime mobile service?

A. Shipboard radio officers may transmit traffic when it will not interfere with ongoing radiocommunications.

B. The order and time of transmission and permissible type of message traffic is decided by the licensed on-duty operator.

C. Ship stations must comply with instructions given by the coast or government station.

D. The precedence of conventional radiocommunications is determined by FCC and international regulation.

Answer 9

C. Ship stations must comply with instructions given by the coast or government station.

Question 10

What is required of a ship station which has established initial contact with another station on 2182 kHz or Ch-16?

A. The stations must change to an authorized working frequency for the transmission of messages.

B. The stations must check the radio channel for Distress, Urgency and Safety calls at least once every ten minutes.

C. Radiated power must be minimized so as not to interfere with other stations needing to use the channel.

D. To expedite safety communications, the vessels must observe radio silence for two out of every fifteen minutes.

Answer 10

A. The stations must change to an authorized working frequency for the transmission of messages.

Question 11

How does a coast station notify a ship that it has a message for the ship?

A. By making a directed transmission on 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz.

B. The coast station changes to the vessel’s known working frequency.

C. By establishing communications using the eight-digit maritime mobile service identification.

D. The coast station may transmit, at intervals, lists of call signs in alphabetical order for which they have traffic.

Answer 11

D. The coast station may transmit, at intervals, lists of call signs in alphabetical order for which they have traffic.

Question 12

What is the priority of communications?

A. Safety, Distress, Urgency and radio direction-finding.

B. Distress, Urgency and Safety.

C. Distress, Safety, radio direction-finding, search and
rescue.

D. Radio direction-finding, Distress and Safety.

Answer 12

B. Distress, Urgency and Safety.

Question 13

Under what circumstances may a ship or aircraft station interfere with a public coast station?

A. In cases of distress.

B. Under no circumstances during on-going radiocommunications.

C. During periods of government priority traffic handling.

D. When it is necessary to transmit a message concerning the safety of navigation or important meteorological warnings.

Answer 13

A. In cases of distress.

Question 14

Ordinarily, how often would a station using a telephony emission identify?

A. At least every 10 minutes.

B. At the beginning and end of each transmission and at 15-minute intervals.

C. At 15-minute intervals, unless public correspondence is in progress.

D. At 20-minute intervals.

Answer 14

B. At the beginning and end of each transmission and at 15-minute intervals.

Question 15

When using a SSB station on 2182 kHz or VHF-FM on channel 16:

A. Preliminary call must not exceed 30 seconds.

B. If contact is not made, you must wait at least 2 minutes before repeating the call.

C. Once contact is established, you must switch to a working frequency.

D. All of these.

Answer 15

D. All of these.

Question 16

What should a station operator do before making a transmission?

A. Except for the transmission of distress calls, determine that the frequency is not in use by monitoring the frequency before transmitting.

B. Transmit a general notification that the operator wishes to utilize the channel.

C. Check transmitting equipment to be certain it is properly calibrated.

D. Ask if the frequency is in use.

Answer 16

A. Except for the transmission of distress calls, determine that the frequency is not in use by monitoring the frequency before transmitting.

Question 17

On what frequency should a ship station normally call a coast station when using a radiotelephony emission?

A. On a vacant radio channel determined by the licensed radio officer.

B. Calls should be initiated on the appropriate ship-to-shore working frequency of the coast station.

C. On any calling frequency internationally approved for use within ITU Region 2.

D. On 2182 kHz or Ch-16 at any time.

Answer 17

B. Calls should be initiated on the appropriate ship-to-shore working frequency of the coast station.

Question 18

In the International Phonetic Alphabet, the letters E, M, and S are represented by the words:

A. Echo, Michigan, Sonar.

B. Equator, Mike, Sonar.

C. Echo, Mike, Sierra

D. Element, Mister, Scooter

Answer 18

C. Echo, Mike, Sierra

Question 19

What information must be included in a Distress message?

A. Name of vessel.

B. Location.

C. Type of distress and specifics of help requested.

D. All of the above.

Answer 19

D. All of the above.

Question 20

What are the highest priority communications from ships at sea?

A. All critical message traffic authorized by the ship’s master.

B. Navigation and meteorological warnings.

C. Distress calls are highest and then communications preceded by Urgency and then Safety signals.

D. Authorized government communications for which priority right has been claimed.

Answer 20

C. Distress calls are highest and then communications preceded by Urgency and then Safety signals.

Question 21

What is a Distress communication?

A. Communications indicating that the calling station has a very urgent message concerning safety.

B. An internationally recognized communication indicating that the sender is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance.

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.

Answer 21

B. An internationally recognized communication indicating that the sender is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance.

Question 22

What is the order of priority of radiotelephone communications in the maritime services?

A. Alarm and health and welfare communications.

B. Navigation hazards, meteorological warnings, priority traffic.

C. Distress calls and signals, followed by communications preceded by Urgency and Safety signals and all other communications.

D. Government precedence, messages concerning safety of life and protection of property, and traffic concerning grave and imminent danger.

Answer 22

C. Distress calls and signals, followed by communications preceded by Urgency and Safety signals and all other communications.

Question 23

The radiotelephone Distress call and message consists of:

A. MAYDAY spoken three times, followed by the name of the vessel and the call sign in phonetics spoken three times.

B. Particulars of its position, latitude and longitude, and other information which might facilitate rescue, such as length, color and type of vessel, and number of persons on board.

C. Nature of distress and kind of assistance required.

D. All of the above.

Answer 23

D. All of the above.

Question 24

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. In radiotelephony, the speaking of the word, “Mayday.”

C. Health and welfare messages concerning property and the safety of a vessel.

D. Internationally recognized communications relating to important situations.

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

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.

Answer 25

A. A request for medical assistance that does not rise to the level of a Distress or a critical weather transmission higher than Safety.

Question 26

What is the internationally recognized Urgency signal?

A. The letters “TTT” transmitted three times by radiotelegraphy.

B. The words “PAN PAN” spoken three times before the Urgency call.

C. Three oral repetitions of the word “Safety” sent before the call.

D. The pronouncement of the word “Mayday.”

Answer 26

B. The words “PAN PAN” spoken three times before the Urgency call.

Question 27

What is a Safety transmission?

A. A communications transmission which indicates that a station is preparing to transmit an important navigation or weather warning.

B. A radiotelephony warning preceded by the words “PAN PAN.”

C. Health and welfare traffic concerning the protection of human life.

D. A voice call proceeded by the words “Safety Alert.”

Answer 27

A. A communications transmission which indicates that a station is preparing to transmit an important navigation or weather warning.

Question 28

The Urgency signal concerning the safety of a ship, aircraft or person shall be sent only on the authority of:

A. Master of ship.

B. Person responsible for mobile station.

C. Either Master of ship or person responsible for mobile station.

D. An FCC-licensed operator.

Answer 28

C. Either Master of ship or person responsible for mobile station.

Question 29

The Urgency signal has lower priority than:

A. Ship-to-ship routine calls.

B. Distress.

C. Safety.

D. Security.

Answer 29

B. Distress.

Question 30

What safety signal call word is spoken three times, followed by the station call letters spoken three times, to announce a storm warning, danger to navigation, or special aid to navigation?

A. PAN PAN.

B. MAYDAY.

C. SAFETY.

D. SECURITE.

Answer 30

D. SECURITE.

Question 31

What is the fundamental concept of the GMDSS?

A. It is intended to automate and improve existing digital selective calling procedures and techniques.

B. It is intended to provide more effective but lower cost commercial communications.

C. 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.

D. It is intended to automate and improve emergency communications in the maritime industry.

Answer 31

D. It is intended to automate and improve emergency communications in the maritime industry.

Question 32

The primary purpose of the GMDSS is to:

A. Allow more effective control of SAR situations by vessels.

B. Provide additional shipboard systems for more effective company communications.

C. Automate and improve emergency communications for the world’s shipping industry.

D. Provide effective and inexpensive communications.

Answer 32

C. Automate and improve emergency communications for the world’s shipping industry.

Question 33

What is the basic concept of GMDSS?

A. Shoreside authorities and vessels can assist in a coordinated SAR operation with minimum delay.

B. Search and rescue authorities ashore can be alerted to a Distress situation.

C. Shipping in the immediate vicinity of a ship in Distress will be rapidly alerted.

D. All of these.

Answer 33

D. All of these.

Question 34

GMDSS is primarily a system based on?

A. Ship-to-ship Distress communications using MF or HF radiotelephony.

B. VHF digital selective calling from ship to shore.

C. Distress, Urgency and Safety communications carried out by the use of narrow-band direct printing telegraphy.

D. The linking of search and rescue authorities ashore with shipping in the immediate vicinity of a ship in Distress or in need of assistance.

Answer 34

D. The linking of search and rescue authorities ashore with shipping in the immediate vicinity of a ship in Distress or in need of assistance.

Question 35

What is the responsibility of vessels under GMDSS?

A. Vessels over 300 gross tons may be required to render assistance if such assistance does not adversely affect their port schedule.

B. Only that vessel, regardless of size, closest to a vessel in Distress, is required to render assistance.

C. Every ship is able to perform those communications functions that are essential for the Safety of the ship itself and of other ships.

D. Vessels operating under GMDSS, outside of areas effectively serviced by shoreside authorities, operating in sea areas A2, and A4 may be required to render assistance in Distress situations.

Answer 35

C. Every ship is able to perform those communications functions that are essential for the Safety of the ship itself and of other ships.

Question 36

GMDSS is required for which of the following?

A. All vessels capable of international voyages.

B. SOLAS Convention ships of 300 gross tonnage or more.

C. Vessels operating outside of the range of VHF coastal radio stations.

D. Coastal vessels of less than 300 gross tons.

Answer 36

B. SOLAS Convention ships of 300 gross tonnage or more.