Communication Procedures & Protocols Flashcards
7 cards from real VTS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Communication Procedures & Protocols flashcards as text
Under FCC regulations, what identification is required at the end of each VHF radio communication session?
Answer: Vessel name and call sign
FCC rules require vessels to identify by vessel name and call sign at the end of each communication session.
What does the term 'securite' (spoken three times) signal when broadcast on VHF?
Answer: A navigational or meteorological hazard warning
Securite is the international safety signal used to announce navigational or meteorological hazard warnings.
A VTS operator receives a garbled transmission. What is the correct response?
Answer: Say 'Say again' and request retransmission
The standard procedure is to ask the sender to repeat by using the phrase 'Say again' or 'I say again.'
In the phonetic alphabet, what word represents the letter 'N'?
Answer: November
In the ITU/NATO phonetic alphabet, 'November' represents the letter N.
Which VHF channel is designated as the primary distress, safety, and calling channel for non-commercial vessels in US waters?
Answer: Channel 16
VHF Channel 16 is the international distress, safety, and calling channel that all vessels must monitor.
What is the purpose of a VTS 'traffic image'?
Answer: A compiled picture of all vessel movements within the VTS area
The VTS traffic image is the operator's composite picture of all vessel positions, identities, and intentions within the service area.
When a vessel calls VTS for a position report, what is the standard order of information provided?
Answer: Position, course, speed, destination
Standard VTS position reports follow the sequence: position, course, speed, and destination/intentions.