GMDSS GENERAL OPERATOR'S CERTIFICATE
The General Operator's Certificate of Competence for use in the GMDSS will be awarded to applicants who have, by means of satisfactorily completing to the appropriate standard written and practical tests, demonstrated their knowledge and ability in the following areas:
Knowledge of the general principles and basic features of:
- The Maritime Mobile Service
- The Maritime Mobile-Satellite Service
Detailed practical knowledge and ability to use the basic equipment of a ship station:
- Use in practice the equipment of a ship station
- Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
- General principles of Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP) and Telex Over Radio (TOR) systems. Use maritime NBDP and TOR equipment in practice
- Usage of Inmarsat systems. Use Inmarsat equipment or simulator in practice
- Fault locating
Operational procedures and detailed practical operation of GMDSS systems and subsystems:
- Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
- Inmarsat
- Navtex
- Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs)
- Search and Rescue Radar Transponder (SART)
- Distress, urgency and safety communication procedures in the GMDSS
- Search and Rescue operation (SAR)
Miscellaneous skills and operational procedures for general communications:
- Ability to use English language, both written and spoken, for the satisfactory exchange of communications relevant to the safety of life at sea
- Obligatory procedures and practices
- Practical and theoretical knowledge of general communication procedures