🔍 Key Concepts

• EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) purpose and why regular testing matters • Difference between monthly checks/inspections and more detailed surveys or services • SOLAS / GMDSS guidance on how often crew should test equipment on board

💭 Think About

• Think about how critical an EPIRB is in an emergency and how quickly a problem with it must be discovered. Would that suggest a shorter or longer interval between tests? • Compare how often you test other life-saving appliances on board (like GMDSS radios, GMDSS console checks). Which option best matches that routine? • Ask yourself which interval is common for simple on‑board tests (using the test button) versus professional shore-based servicing (like battery replacement and hydrostatic release).

✅ Before You Answer

• Check your memory of the standard GMDSS daily/weekly/monthly test pattern and where the EPIRB fits into that schedule. • Be sure you are thinking about the crew-operated self-test schedule, not the interval for shore-based maintenance or annual surveys. • Eliminate any answers that seem either too frequent for practical shipboard routines or too infrequent for such a critical distress device.