GMDSS. FCC Test 19

What is the proper procedure to be followed upon receipt of a distress alert transmitted by use of Digital Selective Calling techniques?

Set a continuous watch on VHF-FM Channel 13, 16 and DSC on Channel 70.
Set watch on the DSC alerting frequency in the band of frequencies the alert was received.
Set watch on the radiotelephone distress and safety frequency associated with the distress and safety calling frequency on which the distress alert was received.
Ship stations equipped with narrow-band direct-printing equipment should respond to the distress alert as soon as practicable by this means.

Which statement is true regarding the receipt and acknowledgement of distress alerts by ship stations and ship earth stations (SES)?

Alerts concerning navigational hazards are second only to safety traffic.
Ship stations operating in areas where reliable communications with a coast station are not practicable, that receive a distress alert from a vessel in their vicinity, must either acknowledge receipt of and inform the Rescue Coordination Center or, if received by HF, wait for 3 minutes for a coast station acknowledgement before performing any relay of the distress alert.
A ship or ship earth station that receives a distress alert must, as soon as possible, inform the Master or person responsible for the ship of the contents of the distress alert.
Ship stations in receipt of distress alert should not defer acknowledgement for a short interval, so that receipt may be acknowledged by the coast station.

What action should be taken on receipt of a distress alert?

Your ship received a distress relay from the U.S. Coast Guard on DSC freq. 2187.5 kHz. You would acknowledge by radiotelephony on what frequency?

Under what conditions would you relay a DSC distress alert?

Answers a
You should never relay such an alert -- the Coast Station & RCC will do that.
If no Coast Station/Mobile Unit acknowledgement is observed.
If the mobile unit in distress is incapable of further Distress Alert communications.

The relay of DSC Distress Alerts:

All of the above
Is no longer the preferred method for passing Distress message traffic to an RCC or Coast Station.
Has completely overburdened the GMDSS system with improperly formatted or inappropriately relayed DSC calls.
Was originally an intended function of the GMDSS system.

What action should be taken if a distress alert is received on the 12 MHz DSC frequency?

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