CMRT CMRT Regulatory Compliance & Type Approval 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under U.S. regulations, who is authorized to perform maintenance that involves opening the radar's magnetron or transmitter assembly?
- An FCC-licensed General Radiotelephone Operator (GROL) or qualified service technician (Correct answer)
- Any credentialed USCG officer
- The ship's captain
- An unlicensed technician supervised by the captain
Correct answer: An FCC-licensed General Radiotelephone Operator (GROL) or qualified service technician
U.S. FCC rules require that internal transmitter repairs on marine radar be performed by or under the supervision of an FCC GROL licensee.
Question 2: Which USCG Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) provides guidance on the maintenance and testing of radar on inspected vessels?
- NVIC 01-00 (or its successor) on electronic navigation equipment maintenance (Correct answer)
- NVIC 03-97 on stability letters
- NVIC 07-10 on ballast water management
- NVIC 05-86 on fire protection
Correct answer: NVIC 01-00 (or its successor) on electronic navigation equipment maintenance
USCG NVICs on electronic navigation equipment address maintenance intervals, testing procedures, and documentation requirements for radar aboard inspected vessels.
Question 3: What ITU frequency band is allocated for conventional X-band marine navigation radar in the United States?
- 9.2–9.5 GHz (Correct answer)
- 3.0–3.1 GHz
- 5.47–5.65 GHz
- 13.25–13.4 GHz
Correct answer: 9.2–9.5 GHz
X-band marine radar operates in the 9.2–9.5 GHz frequency range as allocated by the ITU Radio Regulations and reflected in U.S. FCC rules.
Question 4: What ITU frequency band is used by S-band marine navigation radar?
- 2.9–3.1 GHz (Correct answer)
- 9.2–9.5 GHz
- 5.47–5.65 GHz
- 1.215–1.35 GHz
Correct answer: 2.9–3.1 GHz
S-band marine radar operates in the 2.9–3.1 GHz range, providing longer range and better performance in rain and fog than X-band.
Question 5: Why must a CMRT technician consult the equipment's type-approval certificate before performing a software update on a certified marine radar?
- Unauthorized software updates can void type approval and render the equipment non-compliant with SOLAS carriage requirements (Correct answer)
- Software updates always require an FCC filing fee
- Type-approval certificates list approved screen resolutions only
- Software updates require a USCG port state inspection
Correct answer: Unauthorized software updates can void type approval and render the equipment non-compliant with SOLAS carriage requirements
Type approval is tied to the hardware-software configuration tested; an unapproved software version may invalidate certification and the vessel's Safety Radio Certificate.
Question 6: Which organization issues the international GMDSS type-approval recognized for radar systems on SOLAS vessels?
- Flag state administrations or their delegated recognized organizations (classification societies) (Correct answer)
- The International Maritime Organization (IMO) directly
- The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
Correct answer: Flag state administrations or their delegated recognized organizations (classification societies)
Type approval for SOLAS equipment is granted by each vessel's flag state administration or a recognized organization (e.g., classification society) it delegates.
CMRT CMRT Regulatory Compliance & Type Approval 2
Under U.S. regulations, who is authorized to perform maintenance that involves opening the radar's magnetron or transmitter assembly?