How do I become a Merchant Marine Radio Officer?
The Merchant Marine Academy and the State Maritime Academies provide training only for Deck and Engineering. Merchant Marine Radio Officers needed to pass the FCC license exam. They came from the ranks of Amateur Radio Operators, who are largely self-trained in electronics or graduated from electronics schools. Some came from U.S. military services or from Radio Shore Stations. With the demise of Morse code, many ships no longer carry Radio Officers, because the requirement for radio officers on ships was phased out by international agreement.
