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Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

Click here to review the new question databank from the NMC.

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  The subject of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System consists of  300 questions for ELEMENT-7A and 600 questions for ELEMENT-EL-7 which can be taken as 6 question quizzes or all at once. If you are studying for your GMDSS exam you should continue working through all of these quizzes until you are scoring 70% or better on all of them. 

If you are currently a user of the New Online Study, any downloads and purchases made through your old online study account can be rolled over to the new software based on the New Online Study Database.

Listed below is a table of contents of the questions on this subject as they appear in the new online study. If you arrived on this page by doing an internet search on this subject then you need to proceed to the Enter Online Testing Site link above and Register to create an account and get the full benefits of using this site. The latest multiple choice questions on this topic can be downloaded and installed to your computer by creating an account in the online study and installing the latest version of the "Betabox Software". 

  • UNDER GMDSS

    • GMDSS:
      • STCW-ROC-FCC-ELEMENT-7A:  Jan.2006
        • FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS:
        • EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS:
        • SEA AREAS:
        • FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
        • EQUIPMENT CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS:
        • MAINTENANCE OPTIONS:
        • RADIO SPECTRUM:
        • INSPECTIONS AND EXEMPTIONS:
        • REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS:
        • MAINTENANCE:
        • LICENSE AND PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS:
        • RESERVE ENERGY & EQUIPMENT TESTING:
        • WATCH and LOG KEEPING REQUIREMENTS:
        • MMSI:
          • MID and SHIP I.D. NUMBERS:
          • GROUP and COAST STATION I.D. NUMBERS:
        • DSC
          • FORMAT, INFO SENT:
          • DSC OPERATIONS:
        • SENDING A DISTRESS ALERT:
        • FOLLOW-ON VOICE TRANSMISSION:
        • RESPONSE TO A DISTRESS ALERT:
        • DISTRESS RELAYS:
        • ACTION TO TAKE AFTER SENDING A FALSE DISTRESS ALERT:
        • RADIO SILENCE & RESUMPTION OF NORMAL TRAFFIC:
        • URGENCY TRAFFIC:
        • SAFETY TRAFFIC:
        • OTHER PROCEDURES:
        • SART:
          • ACTIVATION & SURVIVAL CRAFT OPERATIONS:
          • SAR PROCEDURES & RADAR PRESENTATION:
          • FREQUENCY & OPERATIONS: 
          • TESTING PROCEDURES & BATTERY PARAMETERS:
        • EPIRB:
          • SYSTEM STRUCTURE & OPERATION:
          • ALERTING & FEATURES:
          • HOMING & LOCATING SIGNALS:
        • SURVIVAL CRAFT TRANSCEIVER:
        • SAR/MCC/RCC: SYSTEMS & PROCEDURES:
        • ON SCENE COMMUNICATIONS:
        • NAVTEX
          • -1: OPERATIONS:
          • -2: PROGRAMMING: 
          • -3: MESSAGE FORMAT: 
        • SAFETYNET
          • OPERATIONS:
          • INFORMATION: 
        • EGC:
        • VHF:
          • CONTROLS, VOLUME, SQUELCH, DW and SCAN:
          • POWER and RANGE:
          • CHANNEL SYSTEM, USAGE:
          • SIMPLEX-DUPLEX, USA-INT:
            • DSC CALLS:
              • DISTRESS, URGENCY and SAFETY:
              • ROUTINE, SHIP-TO-SHIP:
              • DSC FUNCTIONS-1:
              • DSC FUNCTIONS-2:
              •  
  • UNDER GMDSS

    • GMDSS:

      • STCW-GOC-FCC-ELEMENT-EL-7:  Jan.2006
        • FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS:
        • EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS:
        • SEA AREAS:
        • FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
        • EQUIPMENT CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS:
        • MAINTENANCE OPTIONS:
        • RADIO SPECTRUM:
        • FREQUENCY BANDS:
        • MODULATION-DEMODULATION, AM & FM:
        • CARRIER & SIDEBANDS:
        • CHANNEL SPACING:
        • ANTENNAS:
        • INSPECTIONS & EXEMPTIONS:
        • REQUIRED DOCUMENTS & PUBLICATIONS:
        •  MAINTENANCE:
        • LICENSE & PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS:
        • RESERVE SOURCE OF ENERGY:
        • EQUIPMENT TESTING:
        • WATCHKEEPING:
        • LOGKEEPING:
        • CALL SIGNS & SELCALLS:
        • MMSI:
          • MID & SHIP STATION I.D. NUMBERS:
          • GROUP & COAST STATION I.D. NUMBERS:
        • Inmarsat
          • Mobile Numbers for B Terminals:
          • Mobile Numbers for C terminals:
        • DSC
          • FORMAT & INFO SENT:
          • OPERATIONS:
          • FREQUENCIES:
        • SENDING A DISTRESS ALERT:
        • FOLLOW-ON VOICE TRANSMISSION:
        • RESPONSE TO A DISTRESS ALERT:
        • DISTRESS RELAYS:
        • ACTION TO TAKE AFTER SENDING A FALSE DISTRESS ALERT:
        • RADIO SILENCE & RESUMPTION OF NORMAL TRAFFIC:
        • URGENCY TRAFFIC:
        • SAFETY TRAFFIC:
        • FREQUENCIES:
        • OTHER PROCEDURES:
        • SART:
          • ACTIVATION & SURVIVAL CRAFT OPERATIONS:
          • SAR PROCEDURES & RADAR PRESENTATION:
          • FREQUENCY & OPERATIONS: 
          • TESTING PROCEDURES & BATTERY PARAMETERS:
        • EPIRB:
          • SYSTEM STRUCTURE & OPERATION:
          • ALERTING & FEATURES:
          • HOMING & LOCATING SIGNALS:
        • SURVIVAL CRAFT TRANSCEIVER:
        • SAR/MCC/RCC: SYSTEMS & PROCEDURES:
        • ON SCENE COMMUNICATIONS:
        • VHF:
          • CONTROLS, VOLUME, SQUELCH, POWER, RANGE:
          • CHANNEL SYSTEM, USAGE, & U.S.-INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS:
        • NAVTEX
          • OPERATIONS:
          • PROGRAMMING: 
          • MESSAGE FORMAT: 
        • SAFETYNET
          • OPERATIONS:
          • INFORMATION: 
        • EGC:
        • HF MSI:
        • NAVAREAS:
        • INMARSAT:
          • SELECTING AN INMARSAT OCEAN REGION:
          • LOG-IN & LOG-OUT:
          • GENERAL SYSTEM OPERATIONS:
          • GENERAL SYSTEM OPERATIONS:
          • COMPARE & DIFFERENTIATE "B" & "C" TERMINALS: 
          • DISTRESS COMMUNICATIONS: 
          • EQUIPMENT FAULTS AND MAINTENANCE
        • INMARSAT-B
          • EQUIPMENT AND OPERATIONS:
          • ADDRESSING, DIALING SEQUENCE & VOICE:
          • ADDRESSING/DIALING SEQUENCE TELEX:
        • INMARSAT-C
          • POWER UP, SELF-TEST, CONTROLS AND INDICATOR LAMPS:
          • EQUIPMENT AND OPERATIONS: 
          • EQUIPMENT & OPERATIONS: 
          • ADDRESSING: TO SHIP TELEX:
          • ADDRESSING TO A LAND TELEX TERMINAL:
          • ADDRESSING TO A SHORE (OR SHIP) FAX
        • SELECTING C.E.S. & C.E.S. ID #:
        • TWO DIGIT OPERATING CODES:
        • EGC:
        • MF-HF CONTROLS: VOLUME, SQUELCH, POWER, FREQUENCY & MODE:
        • MF-HF
          • FREQUENCIES: SIMPLEX, DUPLEX & HALF-DUPLEX:
          • ITU CHANNELS:
          • VOICE & TELEX CHANNEL SEPARATION:
          • MODULATION, BANDWIDTH & EMISSIONS:
          • VOICE OPERATIONS: CALLING A COAST STATION
          • DSC CONTROLLER CALL PROGRAMMING:
          • SITOR-NBDP
            • #1: DEFINITIONS:
            • #2: TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
          • ARQ OPERATION
            • #1: CALLING A COAST STATION:
            • #2: ANSWERBACKS:
            • #3: OPERATING CODES & PROCEDURES: 
            • #4: OPERATING CODES & PROCEDURES:
            • #5: TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
          • ADDRESSING MODES: DIRTLX, STORE-FORWARD, ETC: 
          • FEC OPERATION #1:
          • FEC OPERATION #2:
          • PROPAGATION #1: DAYTIME, NIGHT TIME, WINTER & SUMMER
          • PROPAGATION #2: DAYTIME, NIGHT TIME, WINTER & SUMMER:
          • DSC CONTROLLER ALERT/CALL RESPONSE:
          • EQUIPMENT FAULTS & TESTING:
          •  
        • BATTERIES:

 

GMDSS Radio Operator's License (DO)

Description

The DO qualifies the holder to operate, and make some basic equipment adjustments to, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) radio installations. It also confers the operating authority of the MP.

Qualifications

To qualify, you must:

  • be a legal resident of (or otherwise eligible for employment in) the United States; and

  • be able to receive and transmit spoken messages in English; and

  • pass a written and/or telegraphy examination(s) as described below under Examinations.

Term of License

A DO is issued for the holder's lifetime. (Prior to March 25, 2008, the license term for a DO was five years. Any holder of a DO that expired prior to March 25, 2008, must still file an application to renew the license within the five-year grace period after expiration.)

How to Obtain a License

Submit FCC Form 605 along with the appropriate Proof of Passing Certificates (for the requisite written examination elements). Use the FCC Form 605 and the FCC Form 159 (fee processing form) to renew a license or to replace a lost, stolen, or mutilated license. Many Commercial Operator License Examination (COLE) Managers file these documents for applicants who test with them. Ask your COLEM if it provides this service to its customers.

Examinations

To obtain an FCC Commercial Operator License, applicants must submit, to the Commission, proof of passing written and/or telegraphy Elements as illustrated in the following:

Element 1 - Basic radio law and operating practice with which every maritime radio operator should be familiar. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least 18 out of 24 questions.

Element 7: GMDSS Radio Operating Practices. GMDSS radio operating procedures and practices sufficient to show detailed practical knowledge of the operation of all GMDSS sub-systems and equipment. The exam consists of questions from the following categories: general information, narrow-band direct-printing, INMARSAT, NAVTEX, digital selective calling, and survival craft. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least at least 75 out of 100 questions.

or

Element 7R: Restricted GMDSS Radio Operating Practices. Fifty questions concerning those GMDSS radio operating procedures and practices that are applicable to ship stations on vessels that sail exclusively in sea area A1, as defined in sections 80.1069 and 80.1081 of the Commission's Rules. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least 38 out of 50 questions.

Other Subjects in the Online Study

General Radiotelephone:

  • Subject: Element 3

Second Class Radiotelegraph Operator's Certificate (T2)

  • Subject: Element 6

Ship Radar Endorsement:

  • Subject: ELEMENT 8
  • Subject: NEW ELEMENT 8 (25 June 2009)

Third Class Radiotelegraph Operator's Certificate:

  • Subject: Element 5

 

 

 

Abbreviations

ADE

Above-Deck Equipment

ALC

Automatic Level Control

   

BDE

Below-Deck Equipment

   

CCIR

International Radio Consultative Committee

CES

Coast Earth Station

CMC

COSPAS Mission Control Centre (Moscow)

COSPAS

Space System For Search Of Distress Vessels

CSS

Co-Ordinator Surface Search

   

DMG

Distress Message Generator

DSC

Digital Selective Calling

   

EGC

Enhanced Group Call

ELT

Emergency Locator Transmitter

EPIRB

Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon

   

GMDSS

Global Maritime Distress And Safety System

   

HF

High Frequency

   

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organization

IF

Intermediate Frequency

IFRB

International Frequency Registration Board

IHO

International Hydrographic Organization

IMO

International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat

International Mobile Satellite Organization

ITU

International Telecommunication Union

ITU-R ITU

Radiocommunication Sector (Former CCIR)

ITU-T ITU

Telecommunication Standardization Sector (Former CCITT)

   

LCD

Liquid-Crystal Display

LUT

Local User Terminal

   

MCC

Mission Control Centre

MF

Medium Frequency

MSI

Maritime Safety Information

   

NBDP

Narrow-Band Direct Printing (Telegraphy)

NCC

Network Control Centre

   

OCC

Operations Control Centre

OSC

On-Scene Commander

   

PLB

Personal Locator Beacon

   

RCC

Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

RF

Radio-Frequency

RR

Radio Regulations

RSC

Rescue Sub-Centre

   
   

SAR

Search And Rescue

SAR

Convention International Convention On Maritime Search And Rescue, 1979

SARSAT S

Earch And Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking

SART

Search And Rescue Radar Transponder

SES

Ship Earth Station

SOLAS

International Convention For The Safety Of Life At Sea, 1974, As Amended

   

VDU

Visual Display Unit

VHF

Very High Frequency

VTS

Vessel Tracking System

   

WARC

World Administrative Radio Conference

WMO

World Meteorological Organization

WRC

World Radiocommunication Conference

WWNWS

World-Wide Navigational Warning Service

 

 

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