🔍 Key Concepts
• Inmarsat ocean regions (Atlantic East, Atlantic West, Pacific, Indian) and how many control stations are typically assigned to manage traffic in each region
• Role of a Network Coordination Station (NCS) in controlling a specific Inmarsat system (e.g., Inmarsat-A, Inmarsat-B, Inmarsat-C) within its ocean region
• Difference between total NCS’s worldwide and the number that operate in each ocean region per system
💭 Think About
• First, think about whether multiple NCS’s are needed in the same ocean region for a single Inmarsat system, or if only one is designated to coordinate that region
• Consider whether backup or redundancy NCS’s count as separate operating NCS’s in each region, or if the question is focused on the primary coordinating NCS
• Ask yourself: does the exam usually emphasize a simple, fixed number of NCS’s per ocean region for each Inmarsat system, or a variable number depending on traffic?
✅ Before You Answer
• Be clear that the question is asking per ocean region per Inmarsat system, not the total number of NCS’s in the entire Inmarsat network
• Verify whether your study materials describe an NCS as having exclusive control of its ocean region for that system, or shared control with others
• Check diagrams or tables in your GMDSS/Inmarsat notes that show ocean regions and the number of associated NCS’s, focusing on whether they list one primary NCS per region and system or more than one