Subelement N: N – Marine— Topic 87: Survival Craft Equipment: VHF, SARTs & EPIRBs
Question 3-87N4
Element 3 (GROL)Which piece of required GMDSS equipment is the primary source of transmitting locating signals?
Explanation
An EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) is a crucial piece of GMDSS equipment designed to automatically or manually transmit distress alerts. When activated, it sends a signal on 406 MHz to the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system, relaying vital information, including the vessel's identity and position, to rescue coordination centers worldwide. This makes it the primary means for a vessel to transmit its locating signals globally in an emergency.
A Radio Direction Finder (RDF) is a receiver used to *locate* other transmitting signals, not to transmit one's own position. A SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) operates on 9 GHz (X-band radar) and helps rescuers pinpoint a distress scene via radar, but it's not the primary global alert system and does not transmit on 406 MHz. A Survival Craft Transceiver is primarily for voice communication and DSC alerting, not for automatic, satellite-based locating.
Related Questions
3-87N2 How should the signal from a Search And Rescue RADAR Transponder appear on a RADAR display?3-87N3 In which frequency band does a search and rescue transponder operate?3-87N5 Which of the following statements concerning satellite EPIRBs is true?3-87N6 What statement is true regarding 406 MHz EPIRB transmissions?3-88N1 What is facsimile?