Communication Procedures & Protocols Flashcards

What does the proword 'WILCO' mean in maritime radio communications?

Answer: Will comply with instructions received

'WILCO' (Will Comply) indicates the operator has received, understood, and will act on the instructions.

A VTS operator needs to relay a message to a vessel that cannot hear the originating station. Which proword introduces the relayed message?

Answer: I RELAY

The proword 'I RELAY' is used to indicate that the following message is being relayed on behalf of another station.

Under IMO guidelines, what minimum information must be included in a VTS Vessel Traffic Report (VTR)?

Answer: Vessel name, position, course, speed, and destination

IMO Resolution A.857(20) specifies vessel name, position, course, speed, and destination as the minimum VTR content.

What action should a VTS operator take when a vessel fails to acknowledge a mandatory report obligation?

Answer: Initiate contact attempts on the designated working channel and log all attempts

The operator should attempt contact on the designated channel and document all attempts before escalating.

In GMDSS terminology, what does 'DSC' stand for?

Answer: Digital Selective Calling

DSC stands for Digital Selective Calling, a system that allows automated distress and safety calls.

A vessel reports its ETA as '1430 local.' How should the VTS operator record this to avoid ambiguity?

Answer: 1430L or convert to UTC and note the zone

VTS logs should record times as either suffixed local (1430L) or converted to UTC to prevent time-zone ambiguity in official records.

What is the correct use of the proword 'BREAK' in a radio message?

Answer: To indicate a pause between the address and the message text

'BREAK' is used to separate the address portion of a message from the message text itself.