MARS 55007 - Visual Communications

Course Description

This course is in accordance with the requirement of 46 CFR 11.309(a)(4)(vi) and 11.319(a)(4)(vi) must pass a practical signaling exam (flashing light) in Table A-II/1 for officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 gross tonnage or more to transmit and receive information by visual signaling as found in the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code as amended. The course includes written or practical assessments of students’ ability to use the International Code of Signals and practical assessments of ability to receive by Morse Light the distress signal “SOS” and single-letter signals. Practical assessment should be conducted at a transmission speed of at least 4 words per minute. Students are permitted to use scrap paper to record dots and dashes during transmission. This course does not have a minimum length, but all students must pass all exercises, assessments, and tests before they can be considered to have completed the course and dismissed.