GOC GMDSS Exam study plan

Classify 30 short scenario cards as distress, urgency or safety, and justify each choice in writing using the correct priority hierarchy

Write out from memory the full DSC distress alert sequence and the follow-up radiotelephony distress message, then verify against your study text and correct every error

Draft a one-page decision flowchart covering distress relay, distress acknowledgement and distress cancellation, and state who transmits each

Demonstrate on a VHF simulator or training set the procedure for transmitting a distress alert on channel 70 and shifting to channel 16 for the distress message

Recite the urgency (PAN PAN) and safety (SECURITE) message formats, including the identification, position and assistance fields, without notes

Explain when a MAYDAY RELAY or distress relay is warranted and who is authorised to send it

Practise MF/HF distress traffic handling, including the use of 2182 kHz and DSC 2187.5 kHz, and describe how a coast station would coordinate a distress net

Answer 40 mixed distress, urgency and safety questions and record the score and error reasons

Map each GMDSS sea area (A1, A2, A3, A4) to the required carriage equipment and the radio services used in each

List the functional requirements of the GMDSS and identify which equipment satisfies each one

Summarise the watchkeeping, licensing and radio record obligations that apply to a GMDSS-equipped vessel, including log entries and certificate validity

Draw the ship's GMDSS equipment layout from memory and label power sources, antennas and control units

Describe NAVTEX message types, frequency, coverage and station identification, and explain how to select and suppress message categories

Explain the EGC SafetyNET concept, including the role of the Inmarsat EGC receiver and how safety areas are set

Describe the operation, registration and testing of an EPIRB, including battery and hydrostatic release checks

Explain the operation of a SART and an AIS-SART, including range, display interpretation and the difference between the two

Identify the Inmarsat services used in the GMDSS and explain which service supports each sea area

Explain the basic principles of radio propagation at VHF, MF and HF, including ground wave, sky wave, skip distance and frequency selection by time of day

Describe antenna types used on board, the importance of grounding and the causes of electromagnetic interference, and list practical mitigation measures

Answer 30 questions on satellite services and propagation and log the reasons for each wrong answer

Explain the GMDSS power supply requirements, including main, emergency and reserve sources, and the purpose of the battery changeover and charger arrangement

Describe routine battery maintenance and testing for lead-acid and other installed batteries, including specific gravity and capacity checks

Outline a systematic fault-finding sequence for a no-transmit or no-receive fault on VHF and MF/HF equipment

Carry out or describe a daily, weekly and monthly GMDSS equipment test routine and record the results in a log format

Work through 20 full scenario exercises that combine distress alerting, MSI reception and record-keeping into a single response sequence

Write the required log entries for a distress incident from first alert to cancellation

Explain the survey, certificate and inspection obligations that affect GMDSS radio records and equipment readiness

Identify and correct weak areas from earlier weeks using your error logs

Complete two full-length timed mock exams under exam conditions and score each against the pass mark

Review every incorrect or guessed answer and write the correct rule or fact beside it

Recite the key distress, urgency and safety formats and the sea area carriage table from memory one final time

List the remaining weak topics and schedule targeted revision for the days before the exam