🔍 Key Concepts

• 47 CFR Part 80 rules for station logs and GMDSS requirements • Difference between traditional radio logs and GMDSS recordkeeping • Purpose of keeping logs on board vs. sending them to the licensee

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: Is the retention period usually measured in months, days, or years for official radio logs that could be needed in an investigation? • Consider why authorities or the licensee might need access to older entries—does that suggest a longer or shorter minimum time? • Think about whether GMDSS safety and distress records are treated as more or less important than ordinary operational records.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify what minimum period is specified in FCC/Coast Guard guidance for retaining GMDSS radio logs on board. • Confirm whether the requirement is tied to the date of the last entry in the log, not the start date. • Make sure you distinguish between how long the log is kept on board and how long it may be archived ashore afterward.