DWO Maritime Communication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What VHF channel is designated for bridge-to-bridge communication and navigation safety in US waters?
- Channel 6
- Channel 13 (Correct answer)
- Channel 16
- Channel 22A
Correct answer: Channel 13
VHF Channel 13 is designated by the FCC as the primary intership navigation safety channel for bridge-to-bridge communication in US waters.
Question 2: A PAN-PAN medical message should be preceded by which spoken phrase to alert all stations?
- MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
- SECURITE SECURITE SECURITE
- PAN-PAN PAN-PAN PAN-PAN (Correct answer)
- MEDICAL MEDICAL MEDICAL
Correct answer: PAN-PAN PAN-PAN PAN-PAN
PAN-PAN, spoken three times, is the internationally recognized urgency signal used for medical emergencies that do not yet threaten life.
Question 3: Which radio band does NAVTEX use to broadcast navigational warnings and weather forecasts?
- VHF (156–174 MHz)
- UHF (400–512 MHz)
- MF (518 kHz) (Correct answer)
- HF (4–27 MHz)
Correct answer: MF (518 kHz)
International NAVTEX broadcasts on 518 kHz in the medium frequency band, and 490 kHz is used for national language broadcasts.
Question 4: Under the FCC rules, a vessel's radio station license must be kept:
- In the captain's safe
- Posted or available at the operating position (Correct answer)
- Stored ashore with the company
- Filed with the nearest Coast Guard sector
Correct answer: Posted or available at the operating position
FCC regulations require the radio station license to be posted or readily available at the radio operating position.
Question 5: What is the purpose of the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system?
- Automated collision avoidance plotting
- Global ship position tracking to coordinate SAR response (Correct answer)
- Automatic MAYDAY relay via satellite
- Vessel traffic management in port approaches
Correct answer: Global ship position tracking to coordinate SAR response
AMVER is a US Coast Guard-managed voluntary ship reporting system that tracks vessel positions globally to coordinate search and rescue operations.
Question 6: When a vessel completes a MAYDAY situation and normal communications resume, what message cancels the distress traffic?
- SECURITE SECURITE SECURITE
- MAYDAY CANCELLED
- SEELONCE FEENEE (Correct answer)
- PRUDONCE
Correct answer: SEELONCE FEENEE
'SEELONCE FEENEE' (from French 'silence fini') is the phrase used to indicate that distress traffic has ended and normal communications may resume.
Question 7: An EPIRB activates and transmits on which frequencies?
- 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz
- 156.8 MHz and 2182 kHz
- 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz (Correct answer)
- 518 kHz and 490 kHz
Correct answer: 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz
Modern Category I and II EPIRBs transmit on 406 MHz for satellite detection and 121.5 MHz as a homing beacon for SAR units.
DWO Maritime Communication 3
What VHF channel is designated for bridge-to-bridge communication and navigation safety in US waters?