🔍 Key Concepts

• Digital Selective Calling (DSC) operation on VHF radios • What information is permanently programmed into a DSC radio versus what comes from GPS or manual entry • Minimum required data elements for a valid DSC Distress alert

💭 Think About

• Think about which information is ALWAYS available to the radio the instant you press the distress key, even if GPS is not connected or nature of distress has not been entered. • Ask yourself: what identifying information must shore stations and other ships receive to know who is in distress, even if they don’t yet know where or why? • Consider which items in the choices could sometimes be missing or wrong if external connections (like GPS) fail, versus what is guaranteed once the radio is correctly set up.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which choice contains information that is permanently stored in the radio once programmed by the user or installer. • Eliminate any answers that depend on external inputs (like GPS) or on the operator typing information at the moment of distress. • Confirm which answer describes the core, mandatory content of a DSC Distress alert, needed to uniquely identify the vessel and the priority of the message.