Question 11B5

The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) involves specific requirements enforced by the FCC regarding personnel, functional capabilities, and equipment. Let's break down why option B is correct: * **"Equipment carriage based on intended sea area of operations"**: This is a fundamental GMDSS requirement. The type and amount of radio equipment a vessel must carry are determined by the sea areas (A1, A2, A3, A4) in which it operates, with more extensive equipment required for operations further offshore. * **"Distress alerting and response"**: This is a core functional requirement of the GMDSS. Vessels must be equipped and staffed to initiate and receive distress alerts and engage in subsequent communications. * **"and two FCC"**: While slightly truncated, this refers to the requirement for personnel. For vessels operating in sea areas A3 and A4, the FCC requires at least two FCC licensed GMDSS Radio Operators on board. Now, let's look at why the other options are incorrect: * **A) One FCC licensed GMDSS radio operator in sea areas A1 & A2, two FCC licensed GMDSS radio operators**: While these are correct personnel requirements, the option only lists personnel and does not include functional or equipment requirements, making it incomplete. * **C) Distress alerting and response, two USCG STCW GMDSS watchstanders, equipment carriage based on**: The mention of "USCG STCW GMDSS watchstanders" is incorrect in the context of *FCC* requirements. While STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) is an international convention related to personnel qualifications, the FCC's direct requirement is for *FCC licensed GMDSS Radio Operators* for operation and maintenance, not specifically STCW watchstanders. * **D) Equipment carriage reduced for sea areas A3 & A4, Distress alerting and response and two FCC licensed**: The statement "Equipment carriage reduced for sea areas A3 & A4" is incorrect. Equipment requirements *increase* for sea areas A3 and A4 because these areas are further from shore and require more robust and diverse communication methods (e.g., HF and Inmarsat).