SIGNALLING QUESTION BANK

General
1. How many languages used for published INTERCO ?
Ans : Seven language(English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and
Norwegian)
2. What is the purpose of International code of signals?
Ans: The purpose of the International code of signal is to provide ways and means of
communication in situations related essentially to safety navigation and person,
especially when language difficulties arries.
3. Why single letter signal is used?
Ans: Single letter signals allocated to significations which are very urgent, important, or
of very common use.
4. Why two letter signal is used?
Ans: Two letter signals used for the General section.
5. Why three letter signals is used?
Ans: Three letter signals beginning with “M” used for the medical section.

FLAG SIGNALLING

6. What is hoist?
Ans: A hoist consists of one or more groups displayed from a single halyard.
7. What is the dip?
Ans: A hoist or signal is said to be at the dip when it is hosted about half of the full
extent of the halyards.
8. What is Close up?
Ans: A hoist or signal is said to be Close up when it is hosted to the full extent of the
halyards.
9. What is tack line?
Ans: Tack line is a lenth of halyard about 2 meters long used separate each group of
flags.
10. How many methods of signalling?
Ans: There are seven methods of signalling; are as follows:
1) Flag signaling
2) Flashing light signaling
 3) Sound signaling
4) Voice over loud Hailer.
5) Radiotelegraphy
6) Radiotelephony
7) Morse signaling by hands flags or arms.
11.How many flags and pendants used in marine vessel?
Ans:Total 40 flags and pendants used in marine vessel
A – Z = 26
0 – 9 = 10
Sub = 3
Ans = 1
12. How many times Each hoist or group of hoist should be kept in flying?
Ans: Until it has been answered by the receiving station.
13.When more than one groups are shown on the same halyard, how you will hoist?
Ans: I will hoist more than one group in the same halyard separated by a Tackline.
14.Where the transmitting station always hoist the flag signal?
Ans: Transmitting station should always hoist the signal where it can be most easily seen
by the receiving station. In such position that the flags will blow out clear and be free
from the smoke.
15. If more than one ship in the anchorage/vicinity, you have a message for specific ship
how you will hoist?
Ans: The identity signal of the station addressed is to be hosted with the signal.
16. If no identiysignal is hoisted with the hoist what dose it means?
Ans: If no identy signal is hoisted it will be understood that the the signal is addressed to
all stations within visual signaling distance.
17. How to answer a flag signal?
Ans: Hoist answering pendant at the dip as soon as they see each hoist and close up
immediately they understand.
18. How to complete a flag signal?
Ans: The transmitting station is to hoist the answering pendant singly after the last hoist
of the signal to indicate that the signal is completed.
19.If you are not clearly distinguish any flag signal what you will do?
Ans: If the receiving station cannot clearly distinguish the signal made to it, it is to keep
the answering pendant at the dip.
20. How many substitute used in marine vessel?
Ans: There are three substitute used in marine vessel.
1) First substitute.
2) Second Substitute
 3) Third Substitute
21. Why substitute are used?
Ans: The use of Substititute is to enable the same signal flag – either alphabetical or
numerical pendant- to be repeated one or more times in the same group, incase only one
set of flag on board.
22.Can you use substitute more than once time in the same group?
Ans: NO.
23.Say various use of ANSWER pendant.
Ans: 1) A decimal point between numeral indicate by inserting Answer pendant to
express decimal point.
2) To answer any flag signal by receiving station use ANSWER pendant for
acknowledgement.
24.How to show mark of respect to war vessel in foreign port?
Ans: Traditionally to show the mark of respect to war vessel By dipping ownmarne
ensignfor peaceful and lawful trade.
25.Why courtesy flag shall be flown?
Ans: It is general practice for merchant ship to fly the colours of the country the vessel is
visiting as a mark of respect to the host nation.
26. In which side courtesy flag shall be flown?
Ans: Nowdays courtesy flag is flown from the starboard yard arm.
27. Where the ships flag are normally stowed?
Ans: Ships flag are normally stowed on the bridge or near the bridge area in an easily
accessible flag locker.
28. Constructedly How many parts of a flag?
Ans: There are four parts of a flag: are as follows:
1. Uper hoisting
2. Uper flying
3. Lower hoisting
4. Lower Flying.
29. What is the name of the clip which attached with signal halyard for connecting/hoisting
flag?
Ans: Inglefield clip.
30. If a number of flag hoist in the mast simultanously, in which sequence you will read it?
Ans: Sequence of reading flag hoist are as follows:
1. Signal at masthead
2. Signal at triatic stay
3. Signal at starboard yard arm(Outer and Inner if several hoist same side)
4. signal at port yard arm(Outer and Inner if several hoist same side)
31. When a war ship wishes to communicate with merchant vessel what pendant she will
hoist?
Ans: war vessel will hoist a Answer pendant in her conspicous position, and keep it
flying during the whole of the time the signal is being made.

FLASHING LIGHT SIGNALLING

32. How many parts of flashing light signalling? what are those?
Ans: There are four parts of flashing light signalling; are as follows:
1. The Call
2. The identity
3. The text
4. The ending.
33. Signal for flashing light transmission are as follows:
1) AA AA AA etc = Call for unkown station or general call.
2) EEEEEE etc = Erase signal
3) AAA = Full stop or decimal point.
4) TTTT etc = Answering signal.
5) T = Word or group received.
6) AR = Ending signal or End of transmission.
7) AS = Waiting signal or Period.
8) R = Received or I have received your last signal.
34. What is the duration of a dot?
Ans: A dot is taken as the Unit.
35. What is the duration of a Dash?
Ans: A dash is equivalent to three units.
36. What is the space of time between any two elements of the symbol?
Ans: The space of time between any two elements of the symbol is equivalent to one
unit.
37. What is the space/ duration between two complete symbols?
Ans: The space/ duration between two complete symbols is equivalent to three units.
38. What is the space/ duration between two words or groups?
Ans: The space/ duration between two words or groups is equivalent to seven units.
39. What is the standard rate of signalling by flashing light ?
Ans: The standard rate of signalling by flashing light is to be regarded as forty letters per
minutes.
40. How to signal numerical numbers by flashing light signalling?
 Ans: Numerical numbers by flashing light usally signalled by the numerals in the morse
code or they may also be spelt out.

DISTRESS, URGENCY AND SAFETY SIGNAL

41. Define Distress

Ans: Distress: A vessel is in distress only when it is in grave and immenent danger and
requires immediate assistance.
42. What is the marker word to identify distress message?
Ans: Mayday Mayday Mayday.
43. Who is the authority to pass the distress message?
Ans: Master/Captain or person resposible for the vessel is the authority to pass the
distress message .
44. Give an example of distress
Ans: When the vessel is sinking or on Fire with the lives of all onboard threatend.
45. How many distress frequency used for passing distress message?
Ans: There are five distress frequency used for passing distress message; are as follows:
2182 Khz – International voice distress, safety and calling.(MF)
8364 Khz – International CW/MCW life boat, life raft and survival craft.(HF)
121.5 Mhz – International Air distress frequency.
156.8 Mhz – International voice safety and calling marine vhf ch-16.
243.0 Mhz – Joint/combined military voice aeronautical emergency.

46. Pass a distress message in case of fire:

Ans:

-MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY

-THIS IS
-M V PROTTASHA M V PROTTASHA M V PROTTASHA
-MAYDAY
-CALLSIGN SG53T
-POSITION: LAT.............
LONG...........
-MAJOR FIRE IN MAIN ENGINE ROOM. FIRE NOT UNDER CONTRL.
15 PERSONNEL ONBOARD.

-REQUEST IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.

-OVER
47. Define Urgency
Ans: The people onoard or a vessel require urgent help, but are not in immediate danger.
Example: Engine disable, Dragging anchor, Man overboard, Medical assistance required.
48. What is the marker word for Urgency?
Ans: PAN-PAN PAN-PAN PAN-PAN
49.Define Safety
Ans: The safety signal indicates that a message concerning the safety of navigation will
follow.
50.Who can originate safety message?
Ans: Usally safety message originate by ashore authority but it can also initiate by ships
ate sea to report a navigational hazard. Example – Drifting Light buoy, a wreak or gale
warning.

SOUND SIGNALLING

51. If your vessel wants turn STBD side, what types of sound signal you produce?
Ans: Sound two short blast.
52.If your vessel wants turn PORT side, what types of sound signal you produce?
Ans: Sound one short blast.
53.If your vessel wants astern propulsion, what types of sound signal you produce?
Ans: Sound three short blast.
54.If a man falls overboard from your vessel, what types of sound signal you produce?
Ans: Sound at least six short blast.

Radio telephony

55. What is radio?

Ans: Radio or wireless is an electronic equipment by which a message (or signal) can be
transmitted or received from a distance place witthout wire or any physical connection.
56. Define Antenna and Microphone
Ans: Antenna: An antenna/Aerial is a device that converts eletric signal into
electromagnetic wave and spread out in the space and receive electromagnetic wave from
the space.

Microphone: Microphone is a device which converts audio signal into electrical signal.
57. Radio frequency spectrum: radio frequency bands internationally accepted and used by
different communication systems extend from very low frequencies to extra high
frequencies as tabulated below along with their acronym abbreviations:
Band Description Freq. Rang Purpose
ELF Extremely Low Frequency 0 – 3 Khz
VLF Very Low Frequency 3 – 30 Khz Long rane submarine broadcast
LF Low Frequency 30 – 300 Khz Ships broadcast
MF Medium Frequency 300 Khz – 3 Mhz
HF High Frequency 3 – 30 Mhz Long range comm.
VHF Very High Frequency 30 – 300 Mhz Short range commercial comm.
distress and aeronautical traffic
UHF Ultra High Frequency 300 Mhz – 3 Ghz Satellite comm, Ship to air comm.
SHF Super High Frequency 3 – 30 Ghz Radar and satellite comm,
EHF Extremely High Frequency 30 – 300 Ghz Radar.

58. What types frequency suitable for short range marine communication?
Ans: Very High Frequency (VHF)
59. What types frequency suitable for long range marine communication?
Ans: High Frequency(HF).

60. Say general principle of VHF radio:

Ans:
1) Do not make unnecessary transmission.
2) Always follow the recommended VHF procedure.
3) Speak slower than in normal conversation.
4) Speak more slowly if the addressee is writing down your message.
5) Maintain a constant voice level.
6) Pronounce each clearly.

61. Before transmitting in VHF radio what is your action?

Ans:
1) Make sure that your call is really necessary.
2) Plan what you want say before transmitting.
3) Check that the VHF set is switched to the correct VHF channel.
4) Do not interrupted another station’s transmission.

62. What is the distance should be maintained from mouth to microphone?

Ans: Keep the microphone about 3cm from mouth when speaking.
63. What is the order for priority of transmit message?
Ans: 1) Distress call, distress message.
2) Urgency
3) Safety
4) Other message

65. What is the readability code for radio communication.

Ans:
One – Unreadable
Two – Poor
Three – Fair
Four – Good
Five – Excellent.

64. Abbreviations:

AC – Alternating current
AM – Amplitude Modulation
DC – Direct Current.
DF – Direction Finding
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD – Estimated Time of Departure.
HF – High Frequency
VHF – Very High Frequency
RT – Radio Telephony
WT – Wireless telegraphy
UHF – Ultra High Frequency.
UTC- Co-ordinated Universal Times
SATCOM- Satellite Communication.