FCC Exam Question: 6A3

Which of the following is a GMDSS requirement for all vessels over 300 gross tons operating within range of a MF-DSC equipped shore station?

A. Ship's Master or radio officer must be on watch at all times.
B. Only one of the three maintenance options is required.
C. MF communications must be handled by the holder of a General Radiotelephone Operator’s License.
D. Only FCC required spare parts and a maintenance kit for repairs are required.
Correct Answer: B

Explanation: GMDSS regulations for vessels over 300 gross tons operating within range of MF-DSC shore stations (Sea Area A2) mandate that GMDSS equipment be maintained to a certain standard. However, the regulations provide flexibility by offering three distinct maintenance options, of which a vessel needs to implement only one: 1. **Duplication of equipment:** Having redundant critical equipment. 2. **On-board maintenance:** Having a qualified GMDSS Radio Maintainer and appropriate spare parts/test equipment on board. 3. **Shore-based maintenance:** Arranging for service from an approved shore-based maintenance provider. Therefore, only one of these three options is required, making option B correct. Regarding the incorrect options: A) While GMDSS requires continuous watchkeeping on designated distress frequencies (often automated by DSC), it doesn't necessitate the ship's Master or a radio officer to be *manually* on watch at all times. A qualified GMDSS operator must be readily available to handle communications. C) GMDSS communications are typically handled by operators holding a GMDSS Radio Operator's License (GMDSS-RL) or a GMDSS Radio Maintainer's License (GMDSS-RM) with an operator endorsement. While a General Radiotelephone Operator's License (GROL) allows for some GMDSS operation, it is not the *only* or primary required license for all GMDSS functions. D) This statement is too restrictive. If a vessel chooses the duplication or shore-based maintenance options, a comprehensive set of spare parts and a maintenance kit for *all* repairs might not be required on board. It is only specifically mandated for the on-board maintenance option.

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Includes Elements 1, 3, 6, 7R, 8, and 9.