Which pair of frequencies is used by the Auto-Distress Alarm?

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Multiple Choice

Which pair of frequencies is used by the Auto-Distress Alarm?

Explanation:
Two-tone signaling is used to make the Auto-Distress Alarm reliably identifiable even in noisy environments. The system looks for a specific pair of frequencies that must be present together to trigger the alarm, which greatly reduces false activations from ordinary sounds or individual noises. The chosen pair—1300 Hz and 2200 Hz—provides a clear, distinctive spectral signature. Having one tone in the mid range and the other in a higher range creates a wide separation that receivers can easily distinguish, even with common room reverberation and background noise. This combination also fits well within typical alarm and audio equipment response, making detection robust across different devices. When both tones are detected together, the distress signal is activated promptly and unambiguously. Other frequency pairs tend to be less robust: they may be closer together, more easily masked by noise, or fall into ranges where other alarms or sounds are common, increasing the risk of misdetection or false alarms.

Two-tone signaling is used to make the Auto-Distress Alarm reliably identifiable even in noisy environments. The system looks for a specific pair of frequencies that must be present together to trigger the alarm, which greatly reduces false activations from ordinary sounds or individual noises.

The chosen pair—1300 Hz and 2200 Hz—provides a clear, distinctive spectral signature. Having one tone in the mid range and the other in a higher range creates a wide separation that receivers can easily distinguish, even with common room reverberation and background noise. This combination also fits well within typical alarm and audio equipment response, making detection robust across different devices. When both tones are detected together, the distress signal is activated promptly and unambiguously.

Other frequency pairs tend to be less robust: they may be closer together, more easily masked by noise, or fall into ranges where other alarms or sounds are common, increasing the risk of misdetection or false alarms.

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