FCC GMDSS study plan

Rank the four GMDSS distress priority levels and state, for each, when it may be used and which signals (DSC, R/T, Inmarsat) are authorized

Recite the full Mayday call and the DSC distress alert content field by field, including position, nature of distress, and time

Distinguish distress from urgency and safety traffic by writing three borderline scenarios and justifying the correct priority for each

Map the distress traffic flow (alert, acknowledgement, distress message, distress traffic, silence, cancellation) onto a single timeline you draw yourself

Operate a DSC controller sequence for a distress alert with and without position/time input, narrating each keypress

Explain the role of the distress button cover, the 5-second transmission delay, and the abort procedure

Identify which DSC frequencies carry distress, urgency, and safety alerts in each band and state their purpose

Draft the follow-on R/T distress message and the 'seelonce mayday' / 'seelonce feenee' control phrases

Define Sea Areas A1 through A4 by equipment and coverage criteria and assign the minimum carriage equipment for each

Explain the functional requirements of GMDSS (alerting, SAR coordination, locating, MSI, general comms) and name the subsystem that satisfies each

Describe DSC watchkeeping requirements, including dedicated watch on the distress frequency and the role of the watch receiver

Trace how a distress alert reaches an RCC, including the shore station and coast earth station paths

Compare Inmarsat services used in GMDSS and state which are approved for distress and SAR coordination

Explain the Enhanced Group Call system and distinguish SafetyNET from Fleet Safety and from NAVTEX coverage

Describe how a vessel selects the correct MSI broadcast area and what happens outside NAVTEX coverage

Outline satellite EPIRB operation, activation methods, and the 406 MHz registration requirement

Demonstrate correct radiotelephony procedure: call-up, reply, channel change, and termination for routine, urgency, and safety traffic

Explain simplex versus duplex operation and the correct use of the distress, calling, and working frequencies

Describe NBDP/telex operating procedure including the ARQ and FEC modes and when each is used

Explain how MSI messages are received and logged, and how to verify reception of a scheduled broadcast

Summarize FCC licensing requirements for ship stations, operator authority, and the station license posting rules

List the key ITU Radio Regulations obligations: identification, interference avoidance, secrecy of communications, and false alert prohibition

Explain the rules on false distress alerts, including notification duties and the obligation to cancel

Describe inspection, log-keeping, and battery/maintenance record requirements for GMDSS equipment

Run full distress scenarios end to end, choosing the correct subsystem and priority without prompting

Practice urgency and safety traffic for medical, meteorological, and navigational hazards

Identify and correct common procedural errors such as wrong priority, missing position, and failure to cancel

Rehearse distress relay and distress relay acknowledgement procedures

Take two full-length practice exams under time pressure and record domain-level scores

Re-study only the two weakest domains using your own week 1-6 deliverables

Memorize the exact wording of distress, urgency, and safety phrases and the DSC alert content fields

Review Sea Area equipment tables and rule citations one final time