Title 47—Telecommunication--Volume 1
PART 80—STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES
§ 80.275   Technical Requirements for Class A Automatic Identification System (AIS) equipment.
(a) Prior to submitting a certification application for a Class A AIS device, the following information must be submitted in duplicate to the Commandant (G-PSE), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 2nd Street, SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001:
(1) The name of the manufacturer or grantee and the model number of the AIS device;
(2) Copies of the test report and test data obtained from the test facility showing that the device complies with the environmental and operational requirements identified in § 80.1101.
(b) After reviewing the information described in paragraph (a) of this section, the U.S. Coast Guard will issue a letter stating whether the AIS device satisfies all of the requirements specified in § 80.1101.
(c) A certification application for an AIS device submitted to the Commission must contain a copy of the U.S. Coast Guard letter stating that the device satisfies all of the requirements specified in § 80.1101, a copy of the technical test data, and the instruction manual(s).
§ 80.277   Ship Security Alert System (SSAS).
(a) Vessels equipped with a Ship Security Alert System pursuant to the Safety Convention or 33 CFR 101.310 may utilize:
(1) Equipment that complies with RTCM 11020 (incorporated by reference, § 80.7); or
(2) INMARSAT D + equipment; or
(3) Equipment that complies with the technical specifications found in this subpart.
(b) [Reserved]
§ 80.288   Direction finding and homing equipment.
Each compulsory ship of 1,600 gross tons or over whose keel was laid:
(a) Prior to May 25, 1980, must be equipped with radio direction finding apparatus in operating condition and approved by the Commission during an inspection.
(b) On or after May 25, 1980, must be equipped with radio direction finding apparatus having a homing capability in accordance with § 80.824.
§ 80.289   Requirements for radio direction finder.
(a) The radio direction finding apparatus must:
(1) Be capable of receiving signals A1A, A2B and R2B emission, on each frequency within the band 285-515 kHz assigned by the Radio Regulations for distress and direction finding and for maritime radio beacons, and be calibrated to take bearings on such signals from which the true bearing and direction may be determined; and
(2) Possess a sensitivity, sufficient to permit the taking of bearings on a signal having a field strength of 50 microvolts per meter.
(b) The calibration of the direction finder must be verified by check bearings or by a further calibration whenever any changes are made in the physical or electrical characteristics or the position of any antennas, and whenever any changes are made in the position of any deck structures which might affect the accuracy of the direction finder. In addition, the calibration must be verified by check bearings at yearly intervals. A record of the calibrations, and of the check bearings made of their accuracy and the accuracy of the check bearings must be kept on board the ship for a period of not less than 1 year.
§ 80.290   Auxiliary receiving antenna.
An auxiliary receiving antenna must be provided when necessary to avoid unauthorized interruption or reduced efficiency of the required watch because the normal receiving antenna is not available because a radio direction finder on board the vessel is operated.
§ 80.291   Installation of direction finder.
(a) The direction finder must be located to minimize interference from noise.
(b) The direction finder antenna system must be erected so that the determination of bearings will not be hindered by the proximity of other antennas, cranes, wire halyards, or large metal objects.
§ 80.292   Contingent acceptance of direction finder calibration.
When the required calibration can not be made before departure from a harbor or port for a voyage in the open sea, the direction finder may be tentatively approved on condition that the master certifies in writing that the direction finder will be calibrated by a competent technician.
§ 80.293   Check bearings by authorized ship personnel.
The requirement for calibration by check bearings is met if:
(a) The required verification by check bearings are made not more than 90 days prior to the date of the annual detailed inspection of the radiotelegraph station;
(b) The verification consists of a comparison of simultaneous visual and radio direction finder bearings. At least one comparison bearing must be taken in each quadrant, within plus or minus 20 degrees from the following bearings relative to the ship's heading: 45 degrees; 135 degrees; 225 degrees; 315 degrees;
(c) The verification shows the visual bearing relative to the ship's heading and the difference between the visual and radio direction finder bearing, and the date each check bearing is taken.
§ 80.301   Watch requirements.
(a) Each public coast station licensed to operate in the band 1605-3500 kHz must monitor such frequency(s) as are used for working or, at the licensee's discretion, maintain a watch on 2182 kHz.
(b) Except for distress, urgency or safety messages, coast stations must not transmit on 2182 kHz during the silence periods for three minutes twice each hour beginning at x h.00 and x h.30 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
(c) Each public coast station must provide assistance for distress communications when requested by the Coast Guard.
§ 80.302   Notice of discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of service involving a distress watch.
(a) When changes occur in the operation of a public coast station which include discontinuance, relocation, reduction or suspension of a watch required to be maintained on 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz, notification must be made by the licensee to the nearest district office of the U.S. Coast Guard as soon as practicable. The notification must include the estimated or known resumption time of the watch.
(b) [Reserved]
§ 80.303   Watch on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16).
(a) During its hours of operation, each coast station operating in the 156-162 MHz band and serving rivers, bays and inland lakes except the Great Lakes, must maintain a safety watch on the frequency 156.800 MHz except when transmitting on 156.800 MHz.
(b) A coast station is exempt from compliance with the watch requirement when Federal, State, or Local Government stations maintain a watch on 156.800 MHz over 95% of the coast station's service area. Each licensee exempted by rule must notify the nearest district office of the U.S. Coast Guard at least thirty days prior to discontinuing the watch, or in the case of new stations, at least thirty days prior to commencing service. The Coast Guard may require any coast station to maintain the watch temporarily or permanently. The Coast Guard may also require any coast station to remain capable of either immediately resuming the watch or providing the Coast Guard direct dial-up access to the necessary 156.800 MHz transceiver at no charge so that the Coast Guard can maintain the watch.
(c) If the government station(s) providing the 156.800 MHz watch over the service area of an exempt station temporarily discontinues that watch, the exempt coast station upon receiving notice of this condition must maintain the watch on 156.800 HMz during the discontinuance. Automated maritime communications systems' compliance with this requirement is limited to the use of existing facilities.
§ 80.304   Watch requirement during silence periods.
Each ship station operating on telephony on frequencies in the band 1605-3500 kHz must maintain a watch on the frequency 2182 kHz. This watch must be maintained at least twice each hour for 3 minutes commencing at x h.00 and x h.30 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) using either a loudspeaker or headphone. Except for distress, urgency or safety messages, ship stations must not transmit during the silence periods on 2182 kHz.
§ 80.305   Watch requirements of the Communications Act and the Safety Convention.
(a) Each ship of the United States which is equipped with a radiotelegraph station for compliance with part II of title III of the Communications Act or chapter IV of the Safety Convention must:
(1) If it is not carrying MF-DSC radio equipment, keep a continuous and efficient watch on the radiotelephone distress frequency 2182 kHz from the principal radio operating position or the room from which the vessel is normally steered while being navigated in the open sea outside a harbor or port.
(2) Keep a continuous and efficient watch on the VHF distress frequency 156.800 MHz from the room from which the vessel is normally steered while in the open sea outside a harbor or port. The watch must be maintained by a designated member of the crew who may perform other duties, relating to the operation or navigation of the vessel, provided such other duties do not interfere with the effectiveness of the watch. Use of a properly adjusted squelch or brief interruptions due to other nearby VHF transmissions are not considered to adversely affect the continuity or efficiency of the required watch on the VHF distress frequency. This watch need not be maintained by vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act and participating in a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system as required or recommended by the U.S. Coast Guard, when an efficient listening watch is maintained on both the bridge-to-bridge frequency and a separate assigned VTS frequency.
(b) Each cargo ship of the United States which is equipped with a radiotelephone station for compliance with part II of title III of the Communications Act or chapter IV of the Safety Convention must while being navigated outside of a harbor or port:
(1) If it is not carrying MF-DSC radio equipment, keep a continuous watch on 2182 kHz in the room from which the vessel is normally steered while at sea, whenever such station is not being used for authorized traffic. Such watch must be maintained by at least one officer or crewmember who may perform other duties relating to the operation or navigation of the vessel, provided such other duties do not interfere with the watch.
(2) Keep a continuous watch on 156.800 MHz from the room from which the vessel is normally steered. The watch must be maintained by a crewmember who may perform other duties, relating to the operation or navigation of the vessel, provided such other duties do not interfere with the watch. Use of properly adjusted squelch of brief interruptions due to other nearby VHF transmissions are not considered to adversely affect the watch. This watch need not be maintained by vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act and participating in a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system when a watch is maintained on both the bridge-to-bridge frequency and a VTS frequency.
(c) Each vessel of the United States transporting more than six passengers for hire, which is equipped with a radiotelephone station for compliance with 47 U.S.C. 381-386 but which is not carrying MF-DSC radio equipment, must, while being navigated in the open sea or any tidewater within the jurisdiction of the United States adjacent or contiguous to the open sea, keep a continuous watch on 2182 kHz while the vessel is beyond VHF communication range of the nearest VHF coast station, whenever the radiotelephone station is not being used for authorized traffic. A VHF watch must be kept on 156.800 MHz whenever such station is not being used for authorized traffic. The VHF watch must be maintained at the vessel's steering station actually in use by the qualified operator as defined by § 80.157 or by a crewmember who may perform other duties relating to the operation or navigation of the vessel, provided such other duties do not interfere with the watch. The use of a properly adjusted squelch is not considered to adversely affect the watch. The VHF watch need not be maintained by vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act and participating in a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system when an efficient listening watch is maintained on both the bridge-to-bridge frequency and a VTS frequency.
§ 80.307   Compulsory use of radiotelegraph auto alarm.
The radiotelegraph auto alarm required on a cargo ship subject to the radiotelegraph provisions of part II of title III of the Communications Act or the Safety Convention must be in operation, connected to the main antenna and adjusted for optimum efficiency at all times while the ship is being navigated in the open sea when a radio officer is not listening on the frequency 500 kHz, except under the circumstances as set forth in § 80.306(b).
§ 80.308   Watch required for subpart T vessels on the Great Lakes.
(a) Each ship of the United States that is equipped with a radiotelephone station for compliance with subpart T of this part must when underway keep a watch on:
(1) 156.800 MHz on board a vessel 20 meters (65 feet) and over in length, a vessel engaged in towing (See § 80.951(b)), or a vessel carrying more than 6 passengers for hire. This watch must be maintained whenever the station is not being used for authorized traffic. However, a watch on 156.800 MHz need not be maintained by a vessel maintaining a watch on the bridge-to-bridge frequency 156.650 MHz and participating in a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system and maintaining a watch on the specified VTS frequency.
(2) 156.650 MHz on board a vessel 38 meters (124 feet) and over in length, a vessel engaged in towing (See § 80.951(b)), or a vessel carrying more than six passengers for hire. This watch must be maintained continuously and effectively. Sequential monitoring is not sufficient. Portable VHF equipment may be used to meet this requirement. Vessels are exempted from this requirement while transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway and complying with the Joint Regulations of the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority and St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation between the lower exit of St. Lambert Lock at Montreal and Crossover Island, New York and in the Welland Canal and approaches between Calling in Point No. 15 and No. 16.
(b) The watch must be maintained by the master, or person designated by the master, who may perform other duties provided they do not interfere with the effectiveness of the watch.
§ 80.309   Watch required by the Bridge-to-Bridge Act.
In addition to the watch requirement contained in § 80.148, all vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must keep a watch on the designated navigational frequency. The watch must be maintained by the master or person in charge of the vessel or the person designated by the master or person in charge to pilot or direct the movement of the vessel. The person standing watch may perform other duties provided such other duties do not interfere with the watch.
§ 80.310   Watch required by voluntary vessels.
Voluntary vessels not equipped with DSC must maintain a watch on 2182 kHz and on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16) whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Noncommercial vessels, such as recreational boats, may alternatively maintain a watch on 156.450 MHz (Channel 9) in lieu of VHF Channel 16 for call and reply purposes. Voluntary vessels equipped with VHF-DSC equipment must maintain a watch on 2182 kHz and on either 156.525 MHz (Channel 70) or VHF Channel 16 aurally whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Voluntary vessels equipped with MF-HF DSC equipment must have the radio turned on and set to an appropriate DSC distress calling channel or one of the radiotelephone distress channels whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Voluntary vessels equipped with a GMDSS-approved Inmarsat system must have the unit turned on and set to receive calls whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate.
§ 80.311   Authority for distress transmission.
A mobile station in distress may use any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its position, and obtain help. A distress call and message, however, must be transmitted only on the authority of the master or person responsible for the mobile station. No person shall knowingly transmit, or cause to be transmitted, any false or fraudulent signal of distress or related communication.
§ 80.312   Priority of distress transmissions.
The distress call has absolute priority over all other transmissions. All stations which hear it must immediately cease any transmission capable of interfering with the distress traffic and must continue to listen on the frequency used for the emission of the distress call. This call must not be addressed to a particular station. Acknowledgement of receipt must not be given before the distress message which follows it is sent.
§ 80.313   Frequencies for use in distress.
The frequencies specified in the bands below are for use by mobile stations in distress. The conventional emission is shown. When a ship station cannot transmit on the designated frequency or the conventional emission, it may use any available frequency or emission. Frequencies for distress and safety calling using digital selective calling techniques are listed in § 80.359(b). Distress and safety NB-DP frequencies are indicated by footnote 2 in § 80.361(b).
The maximum transmitter power obtainable may be used.
§ 80.314   Distress communications.
(a) The international radiotelephone distress signal consists of the word MAYDAY, pronounced as the French expression “m'aider”.
(b) These distress signals indicate that a mobile station is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance.
(c) The radiotelephone distress call consists of:
(1) The distress signal MAYDAY spoken three times;
(2) The words THIS IS;
(3) The call sign (or name, if no call sign assigned) of the mobile station in distress, spoken three times;
(4) Particulars of the station's position;
(5) The nature of the distress;
(6) The kind of assistance desired; and
(7) Any other information which might facilitate rescue, for example, the length, color, and type of vessel, or number of persons on board.
(d) The procedures for canceling false distress alerts are contained in § 80.335.
§ 80.317   Radiotelegraph and radiotelephone alarm signals.
(a) The international radiotelegraph alarm signal consists of a series of twelve dashes sent in one minute, the duration of each dash being four seconds and the duration of the interval between consecutive dashes one second. The purpose of this special signal is the actuation of automatic devices giving the alarm to attract the attention of the operator when there is no listening watch on the distress frequency.
(b) The international radiotelephone alarm signal consists of two substantially sinusoidal audio frequency tones transmitted alternately. One tone must have a frequency of 2200 Hertz and the other a frequency of 1300 Hertz, the duration of each tone being 250 milliseconds. When generated by automatic means, the radiotelephone alarm signal must be transmitted continuously for a period of at least 30 seconds, but not exceeding one minute; when generated by other means, the signal must be transmitted as continuously as practicable over a period of approximately one minute. The purpose of this special signal is to attract the attention of the person on watch or to actuate automatic devices giving the alarm.
§ 80.318   Use of alarm signals.
(a) The radiotelegraph or radiotelephone alarm signal, as appropriate, must only be used to announce:
(1) That a distress call or message is about to follow;
(2) The transmission of an urgent cyclone warning. In this case the alarm signal may only be used by coast stations authorized by the Commission to do so; or
(3) The loss of a person or persons overboard. In this case the alarm signal may only be used when the assistance of other ships is required and cannot be satisfactorily obtained by the use of the urgency signal only, but the alarm signal must not be repeated by other stations. The message must be preceded by the urgency signal.
(b) In cases described in paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) of this section, the transmission of the warning or message by radiotelegraphy must not begin until two minutes after the end of the radiotelegraph alarm signal.
§ 80.319   Radiotelegraph distress call and message transmission procedure.
(a) The radiotelegraph distress procedure consists of the following six steps: however, when time is vital, the first and second steps may be omitted. These two steps of the distress procedure may also be omitted in circumstances when transmission of the alarm signal is considered unnecessary:
(1) The radiotelegraph alarm signal;
(2) The distress call and an interval of two minutes;
(3) The distress call;
(4) The distress message;
(5) Two dashes of ten to fifteen seconds each;
(6) The call sign of the mobile station in distress.
(b) The radiotelegraph distress transmissions must be sent by means of the international Morse code at a speed not exceeding 16 words per minute nor less than 8 words per minute.
(c) The distress message, preceded by the distress call, must be repeated at intervals until an answer is received. The radiotelegraph alarm signal may also be repeated, if necessary.
(d) The transmissions under paragraphs (a) (5) and (6) of this section, which are to permit direction finding stations to determine the position of the station in distress, may be repeated at frequent intervals if necessary.
(e) When the mobile station in distress receives no answer to a distress message transmitted on the distress frequency, the message may be repeated on any other available frequency on which attention might be attracted.
§ 80.320   Radiotelephone distress call and message transmission procedure.
(a) The radiotelephone distress procedure consists of:
(1) The radiotelephone alarm signal (whenever possible);
(2) The distress call;
(3) The distress message.
(b) The DSC distress procedure consists of:
(1) Transmission by a mobile unit in distress;
(2) Reception;
(3) Acknowledgement of distress calls;
(4) Distress relays.
(c) Radiotelephone distress transmissions must be made slowly and distinctly, each word being clearly pronounced to facilitate transcription.
(d) After the transmission by radiotelephony of its distress message, the mobile station may be requested to transmit suitable signals followed by its call sign or name, to permit direction-finding stations to determine its position. This request may be repeated at frequent intervals if necessary.
(e) The distress message, preceded by the distress call, must be repeated at intervals until an answer is received. This repetition must be preceded by the radiotelephone alarm signal whenever possible.
(f) When the mobile station in distress receives no answer to a distress message transmitted on the distress frequency, the message may be repeated on any other available frequency on which attention might be attracted.
§ 80.321   Acknowledgement of receipt of distress message.
(a) Stations of the maritime mobile service which receive a distress message from a mobile station which is beyond any possible doubt in their vicinity must immediately acknowledge receipt. However, in areas where reliable communication with one or more coast stations is practicable, ship stations may defer this acknowledgement for a short interval so that a coast station may acknowledge receipt.
(b) Stations of the maritime mobile service which receive a distress message from a mobile station which beyond any possible doubt is not in their vicinity, must allow a short interval of time to elapse before acknowledging receipt of the message in order to permit stations nearer to the mobile station in distress to acknowledge receipt without interference.
§ 80.322   Form of acknowledgement.
(a) The acknowledgement of receipt of a radiotelegraph distress message is transmitted in the following form:
(1) The distress signal SOS;
(2) The call sign of the station sending the distress message, sent three times;
(3) The word DE;
(4) The call sign of the station acknowledging receipt, sent three times;
(5) The group RRR;
(6) The message signal SOS.
(b) The acknowledgement of receipt of a radiotelephone distress message is transmitted in the following form:
(1) The distress signal MAYDAY;
(2) The call sign or other identification of the station sending the distress message, spoken three times;
(3) The words THIS IS;
(4) The call sign or other identification of the station acknowledging receipt, spoken three times;
(5) The word RECEIVED;
(6) The distress signal MAYDAY.
§ 80.323   Information furnished by an acknowledging station.
(a) Every mobile station which acknowledges receipt of a distress message must on the order of the master or person responsible for the ship, aircraft, or other vehicle carrying such mobile station, transmit as soon as possible the following information in the order shown:
(1) Its identifier;
(2) Its position;
(3) The speed at which it is proceeding towards, and the approximate time it will take to reach the mobile station in distress.
(b) Before sending this message, the station must ensure that it will not interfere with the emissions of other stations better situated to render immediate assistance to the station in distress.
§ 80.324   Transmission of distress message by station not itself in distress.
(a) A mobile station or a land station which learns that a mobile station is in distress must transmit a distress message in any of the following cases:
(1) When the station in distress cannot transmit the distress message.
(2) When the master or person responsible for the ship, aircraft, or other vehicle not in distress, or for the land station, believes that further help is necessary.
(3) When, although not in a position to assist, it has heard a distress message which has not been acknowledged. When a mobile station transmits such a distress message, it must notify the authorities who may be able to assist.
(b) Transmission must be made on the international distress frequencies or on any other available frequency on which attention might be attracted.
(c) Transmission of the distress message must always be preceded by the call indicated below, which must itself be preceded whenever possible by the radiotelegraph or radiotelephone alarm signal. This call consists of:
(1) When radiotelegraphy is used:
(i) The signal DDD SOS SOS SOS DDD:
(ii) The word DE;
(iii) The call sign of the transmitting station, sent three times.
(2) When radiotelephony is used:
(i) The signal MAYDAY RELAY, spoken three times;
(ii) The words THIS IS;
(iii) The call sign or other identification of the transmitting station, spoken three times.
(d) When the radiotelegraph alarm signal is used, an interval of two minutes must be allowed, whenever this is considered necessary, before the transmission of the call mentioned in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
§ 80.325   Control of distress traffic.
(a) Distress traffic consists of all messages relating to the immediate assistance required by the mobile station in distress. In distress traffic, the distress signal must be sent before the call and at the beginning of the preamble of any radiotelegram.
(b) The control of distress traffic is the responsibility of the mobile station in distress or of the station which has sent the distress message. These stations may delegate the control of the distress traffic to another station.
(c) The station in distress or the station in control of distress traffic may impose silence either on all stations of the mobile service in the area or on any station which interferes with the distress traffic. It must address these instructions “to all stations” or to one station only, according to circumstances. In either case, it must use one of the following signals which are reserved for use by the mobile station in distress and for the station controlling distress traffic:
(1) In radiotelegraphy, the abbreviation QRT, followed by the distress signal SOS.
(2) In radiotelephony, the signal SEELONCE MAYDAY.
(d) If essential, any station of the mobile service near the ship, aircraft, or other vehicle in distress may also impose silence. It must use for this purpose:
(1) In radiotelegraphy, the abbreviation QRT, followed by the word DISTRESS and its own call sign;
(2) In radiotelephony, the word SEELONCE, followed by the word DISTRESS and its own call sign or other identification.
§ 80.326   Notification of resumption of normal working.
(a) When distress traffic has ceased, or when complete silence is no longer necessary on a frequency which has been used for distress traffic, the station which has controlled this traffic must transmit on that frequency a message addressed “to all stations” indicating that normal working may be resumed.
(1) In radiotelegraphy, this message consists of:
(i) The distress signal SOS;
(ii) The call “to all stations” (CQ), sent three times;
(iii) The word DE;
(iv) The call sign of the station sending the message;
(v) The time of handing in the message;
(vi) The name and call sign of the mobile station which was in distress;
(vii) The service abbreviation QUM.
(2) In radiotelephony, this message consists of:
(i) The distress signal MAYDAY;
(ii) The call “Hello all stations”, spoken three times;
(iii) The words THIS IS;
(iv) The call sign or other identification of the station sending the message;
(v) The time of handing in of the message;
(vi) The name and call sign of the mobile station which was in distress;
(vii) The words SEELONCE FEENEE OR PRU-DONCE.
(b) Until they receive the foregoing message indicating that normal or limited working may be resumed, all stations which are aware of the distress traffic, and which are not taking part in it, are forbidden to transmit on the frequencies on which the distress traffic is taking place.
§ 80.327   Urgency signals and messages.
(a) The urgency signal indicates that the calling station has a very urgent message to transmit concerning the safety of a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle, or the safety of a person. The urgency signal must be sent only on the authority of the master or person responsible for the mobile station.
(b) In radiotelegraphy, the urgency signal consists of three repetitions of the group XXX, sent with the individual letters of each group, and the successive groups clearly separated from each other. It must be transmitted before the call.
(c) In radiotelephony, the urgency signal consists of three oral repetitions of the group of words PAN PAN transmitted before the call.
(d) The urgency signal has priority over all other communications except distress. All mobile and land stations which hear it must not interfere with the transmission of the message which follows the urgency signal.
(e) The urgency signal and call, and the message following it, must be sent on one of the international distress frequencies. Stations which cannot transmit on a distress frequency may use any other available frequency on which attention might be attracted.
(f) Mobile stations which hear the urgency signal must continue to listen for at least three minutes. At the end of this period, if no urgency message has been heard, they may resume their normal service. However, land and mobile stations which are in communication on frequencies other than those used for the transmission of the urgency signal and of the call which follows it may continue their normal work without interruption provided the urgency message is not addressed “to all stations”.
(g) When the urgency signal has been sent before transmitting a message “to all stations” which calls for action by the stations receiving the message, the station responsible for its transmission must cancel it as soon as it knows that action is no longer necessary. This message of cancellation must likewise be addressed “to all stations”.
§ 80.329   Safety signals and messages.
(a) The safety signal indicates that the station is about to transmit a message concerning the safety of navigation or giving important meteorological warnings.
(b) In radiotelegraphy, the safety signal consists of three repetitions of the group TTT, sent with the individual letters of each group, and the successive groups clearly separated from each other. It must be sent before the call.
(c) In radiotelephony, the safety signal consists of the word SECURITE, pronounced as in French, spoken three times and transmitted before the call.
(d) The safety signal and call must be sent on one of the international distress frequencies (2182 kHz or 156.8 MHz radiotelephone). Stations which cannot transmit on a distress frequency may use any other available frequency on which attention might be attracted.
(e) The safety signal and call must be followed by the safety message. Where practicable, the safety message should be sent on a working frequency, and a suitable announcement to this effect must be made at the end of the call.
(f) Messages about meteorological warnings, of cyclones, dangerous ice, dangerous wrecks, or any other imminent danger to marine navigation must be preceded by the safety signal.
(g) Stations hearing the safety signal must not make any transmission likely to interfere with the message.
§ 80.331   Bridge-to-bridge communication procedure.
(a) Vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act transmitting on the designated navigational frequency must conduct communications in a format similar to those given below:
(1) This is the (name of vessel). My position is (give readily identifiable position, course and speed) about to (describe contemplated action). Out.
(2) Vessel off (give a readily identifiable position). This is (name of vessel) off (give a readily identifiable position). I plan to (give proposed course of action). Over.
(3) (Coast station), this is (vessel's name) off (give readily identifiable position). I plan to (give proposed course of action). Over.
(b) Vessels acknowledging receipt must answer “(Name of vessel calling). This is (Name of vessel answering). Received your call,” and follow with an indication of their intentions. Communications must terminate when each ship is satisfied that the other no longer poses a threat to its safety and is ended with “Out”.
(c) Use of power greater than 1 watt in a bridge-to-bridge station shall be limited to the following three situations:
(1) Emergency.
(2) Failure of the vessel being called to respond to a second call at low power.
(3) A broadcast call as in paragraph (a)(1) of this section in a blind situation, e.g., rounding a bend in a river.
§ 80.332   Equipment to aid search and rescue operations.
(a) Survival craft stations may transmit distress, urgency and safety signals, calls and messages.
(b) EPIRB's may transmit only in accordance with the requirements of subparts V and X of this part.
§ 80.333   Stations in the maritime mobile-satellite service.
The provisions of §§ 80.311 and 80.324 apply to the operations of ship earth stations in the maritime mobile-satellite service.
§ 80.334   False distress alerts.
A distress alert is false if it was transmitted without any indication that a mobile unit or person was in distress and required immediate assistance. Transmitting a false distress alert is prohibited and may be subject to the provisions of part 1, subpart A of this chapter if that alert:
(a) Was transmitted intentionally;
(b) Was not cancelled in accordance with § 80.335;
(c) Could not be verified as a result of either the ship's failure to keep watch on appropriate frequencies in accordance with § 80.1123 or subpart G of this part, or its failure to respond to calls from the U.S. Coast Guard;
(d) Was repeated; or
(e) Was transmitted using a false identity.
§ 80.335   Procedures for canceling false distress alerts.
If a distress alert is inadvertently transmitted, the following steps shall be taken to cancel the distress alert.
(a) VHF Digital Selective Calling.
(1) Reset the equipment immediately;
(2) Immediately cancel the distress alert orally over the telephony distress traffic channel associated with each DSC channel on which the distress alert was transmitted;
(3) Set to Channel 16; and
(4) Transmit a broadcast message to “All stations” giving the ship's name, call sign or registration number, and MMSI, and cancel the false distress alert.
(b) MF Digital Selective Calling.
(1) Reset the equipment immediately;
(2) Immediately cancel the distress alert orally over the telephony distress traffic channel associated with each DSC channel on which the distress alert was transmitted; and
(3) Tune for radiotelephony transmission on 2182 kHz; and
(4) Transmit a broadcast message to “All stations” giving the ship's name, call sign or registration number, and MMSI, and cancel the false distress alert.
(c) HF Digital Selective Calling;
(1) Reset the equipment immediately;
(2) Immediately cancel the distress alert orally over the telephony distress traffic channel associated with each DSC channel on which the distress alert was transmitted;
(3) Tune for radiotelephony on the distress and safety frequency in each band in which a false distress alert was transmitted; and
(4) Transmit a broadcast message to “All stations” giving the ship's name, call sign or registration number, and MMSI, and cancel the false distress alert frequency in each band in which a false distress alert was transmitted.
(d) INMARSAT ship earth station. Immediately notify the appropriate rescue coordination center that the alert is cancelled by sending a distress priority message by way of the same land earth station through which the false distress alert was sent. Provide ship name, call sign or registration number, and INMARSAT identity with the cancelled alert message.
(e) EPIRB. If for any reason an EPIRB is activated inadvertently, immediately contact the nearest U.S. Coast Guard unit or appropriate rescue coordination center by telephone, radio or ship earth station and cancel the distress alert.
(f) General and other distress alerting systems. Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section, ships may use additional appropriate means available to them to inform the nearest appropriate U.S. Coast Guard rescue coordination center that a false distress alert has been transmitted and should be cancelled.
§ 80.351   Scope.
The following sections describe the carrier frequencies and general uses of radiotelegraphy and data transmission with respect to the following:
(a) Distress, urgency, safety, call and reply.
(b) Working.
(c) Digital selective calling (DSC).
(d) Narrow-band direct-printing (NB-DP).
(e) Facsimile.
(f) VHF-FM digital small message services (VDSMS).
§ 80.353   [Reserved]
§ 80.355   Distress, urgency, safety, call and reply Morse code frequencies.
This section describes the distress, urgency, safety, call and reply carrier frequencies assignable to stations for Morse code radiotelegraphy.
(a) Frequencies in the 100-160 kHz band. The international calling frequency in the 100-160 kHz band is 143 kHz using A1A or J2A emission. When a ship station operating in the 100-160 kHz band desires to communicate with a coast station, it must call on the frequency 143 kHz unless the International List of Coast Stations provides otherwise. Coast stations must reply on their normal working frequency in this band. Only individual calls, replies to such calls, and transmission of signals preparatory to traffic may be transmitted on 143 kHz.
(b) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band —(1) Ship station frequencies. The following table describes the calling frequencies in the 4000-27500 kHz band which are available for use by authorized ship stations equipped with crystal-controlled oscillators for A1A, J2A, J2B, or J2D radiotelegraphy. There are two series of frequencies for worldwide use and two series of frequencies for each geographic region. Ship stations with synthesized transmitters may operate on every full 100 Hz increment in the 0.5 kHz channel for the frequencies listed, except for 100 Hz above and below those designated for worldwide use. During normal business hours when not communicating on other frequencies, all U.S. coast radiotelegraph stations must monitor the worldwide frequencies and the initial calling frequencies for the region in which it is located. The specific frequencies which must be monitored by a coast station will vary with propagation conditions. The calling frequencies which are routinely monitored by specific coast stations can be determined by reference to the ITU publication entitled “List of Coast Stations.” Initial calls by ship stations must be made on the appropriate initial calling frequency first. Calls on the worldwide frequencies may be made only after calls on the appropriate initial calling frequency are unsuccessful.
Ship Morse Calling Frequencies (kHz)
(2) Coast Station frequencies. Coast stations may use any working carrier frequency for distress, safety and calling listed in § 80.357(b)(1) which is not identified with a specific use.
(c) Frequencies in the VHF bands. (1) Survival craft stations using 121.500 MHz may be assigned A3N emission for radiobeacon purposes.
(2) EPIRB stations may be assigned 121.500 MHz and 243 MHz using A3E, A3X and NON emission or 406.0-406.1 MHz using G1D emission to aid search and rescue operations. See subpart V of this part.
§ 80.357   Working frequencies for Morse code and data transmission.
This section describes the working frequencies assignable to maritime stations for A1A, J2A, J2B (2000-27500 kHz band only), or J2D (2000-27500 kHz band only) radiotelegraphy.
(a) Ship station frequencies —(1) Frequencies in the 100-160 kHz band. The following table describes the working carrier frequencies in the 100-160 kHz band which are assignable to ship stations. A ship station may also transmit on a radiotelegraphy working channel of a coast station within the 100-160 kHz band when directed to do so by the coast station provided interference is not caused to any land, fixed, broadcast, or radiolocation station.
(2) Frequencies in the 405-525 kHz band. The following table describes the working carrier frequencies in the 405-525 kHz band which are assignable to ship stations. A ship station may transmit on a radiotelegraphy working channel of a coast station in the 415-490 kHz band when directed to do so by the coast station.
1 The frequency 410 kHz may be used on a secondary basis for the transmission of radiodetermination information and for transmitting by radiotelegraph radiodetermination related messages to direction-finding stations.
2 The frequency 512 kHz may be used as a supplementary calling frequency when 500 kHz is used for distress, safety and urgency communications. The use of the 512 kHz as a working frequency is prohibited in areas where it is used as a supplementary calling frequency when 500 kHz is used for distress, safety, and urgency communications.
3 The frequency 518 kHz is a receive only frequency by ship stations. It is used by U.S. Coast Guard coast stations for NB-DP transmissions of meteorological and navigational warnings to ships.
(3) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band. This paragraph describes the working frequencies and Channel Series in the 2000-27500 kHz band which are assignable to ship stations.
(i) Two Channel Series will be assigned for routine use to each ship station. Frequencies from any other Channel Series may be used if the frequencies in the assigned Channel Series are not adequate for communications.
Ship Morse Working Frequencies (kHz)
(ii) If the frequencies listed in paragraph (3)(i) of this section are not adequate for communications, ship stations may use any of the non-paired narrow-band direct-printing frequencies listed in § 80.361(b) of this part for A1A or J2A radiotelegraphy.
(b) Coast station frequencies —(1) Frequencies in the 100-27500 kHz band. The following table describes the working carrier frequencies in the 100-27500 kHz band which are assignable to coast stations located in the designated geographical areas. The exclusive maritime mobile HF bands listed in the table contained in § 80.363(a)(2) of this chapter are also available for assignment to public coast stations for A1A, J2A, J2B, or J2D radiotelegraphy following coordination with government users.
1 All frequencies in this table are shown in kilohertz. The use of frequencies in the 472-479 kHz band is restricted to public coast stations that were licensed on or before July 14, 2017.
(2) Conditions of use. The following conditions are applicable to these frequencies:
(i) Frequencies in the 100-160 kHz band are assignable to coast stations for high seas communications only;
(ii) Frequencies above 5 MHz may be assigned primarily to stations serving the high seas and secondarily to stations serving inland waters of the United States, including the Great Lakes, under the condition that interference will not be caused to any coast station serving the high seas.
(iii) The frequency 410 kHz may be used on a secondary basis for the transmission of radiodetermination information and for transmitting by radiotelegraph radiodetermination messages to direction-finding stations; and
§ 80.359   Frequencies for digital selective calling (DSC).
(a) General purpose calling. The following table describes the calling frequencies for use by authorized ship and coast stations for general purpose DSC. There are three series of paried frequencies. One series is for worldwide use; the other two series are for regional use. The “Series A” designation includes coast stations along, and ship stations in, the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. The “Series B” designation includes stations in any remaining areas. Stations must initiate contact on the appropriate regional frequency depending upon the location of the called station and propagation conditions. Acknowledgement is made on the paired frequency. The worldwide frequencies may be used for international calling, if calls on the appropriate regional frequencies are unsuccessful, or the regional series does not contain the appropriate band (e.g., 2 MHz). During normal working hours, all public coast stations capable of DSC operations must monitor the worldwide and regional frequencies appropriate for its location. The specific frequencies to be monitored will vary with propagation conditions.
General Purpose DSC
[In kHz unless otherwise noted]
1 The frequency 2177.0 kHzs is also available to ship stations for intership calling and acknowledgement of such calls only.
2 MHz.
(b) Distress and safety calling. The frequencies 2187.5 kHz, 4207.5 kHz, 6312.0 kHz, 8414.5 kHz, 12577.0 kHz, 16804.5 kHz and 156.525 MHz may be used for DSC by coast and ship stations on a simplex basis for distress and safety purposes, and may also be used for routine ship-to-ship communications provided that priority is accorded to distress and safety communications. The provisions and procedures for distress and safety calling are contained in ITU-R M.541-9 (incorporated by reference, see § 80.7), and § 80.103(c).
(c) Working frequencies. Coast and ship stations may use DSC techniques for general calling purposes on their assigned working frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band and on those frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band which are allocated for maritime control, commercial, non-commercial and public correspondence communications.
§ 80.361   Frequencies for narrow-band direct-printing (NBDP), radioprinter and data transmissions.
(a) Paired channels. The following frequencies are available for assignment to public coast stations for narrow-band direct-printing (NBDP) and data transmissions. The paired ship frequencies are available for use by authorized ship stations for NBDP and data transmissions.
(b) The following table describes the frequencies and Channel Series with F1B, J2B, or J2D emission which are assignable to ship stations for NBDP and data transmissions with other ship stations and public coast stations. Public coast stations may receive only on these frequencies.
Non-Paired NBDP Channels (kHz)
(c) Distress and calling. The frequencies 2174.5 kHz, 4177.5 kHz, 6268.0 kHz, 8376.5 kHz, 12520.0 kHz, and 16695.0 kHz may be used for NBDP and data transmissions by coast and ship stations on a simplex basis for distress and safety purposes.
(d) The frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band available for assignment to public coast stations that are contained in § 80.371(c) of this part are also available for radioprinter and data communications between ship and coast stations using F1B, F2B, F1D, or F2D emission.
§ 80.363   Frequencies for facsimile.
(a) The non-paired frequencies with F1C, F3C, J2C or J3C emission which are assignable to ship and public coast stations for facsimile are as follows:
(1) Ship station frequencies. The following frequencies are available for use by authorized ship stations for facsimile.
Assignable Ship Frequencies for Facsimile (kHz)
(2) Coast station frequencies. The following table describes the exclusive maritime mobile HF frequency bands that are available for assignment to coast stations using 3 kHz channels for facsimile. However, any frequency in the 2000-27500 kHz bands listed in part 2 of the Commission's Rules as available for shared use by the maritime mobile service and other radio services, except for the 4000-4063 kHz and the 8100-8195 kHz bands, is available for assignment to coast stations for facsimile. Frequency assignments are subject to coordination with government users.
Frequency Bands for Coast Facsimile (kHz)
(b) The frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band available for assignment to public coast stations that are contained in § 80.371(c) of this part are also available for facsimile communications between ship and coast stations using F2C or F3C emission.
(c) The frequency 156.425 MHz is assigned by rule to private coast stations and ship stations in Alaska for ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship facsimile transmissions using F2C or F3C emissions.
§ 80.364   Frequencies for VHF digital small message services (VDSMS).
Frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band may be used for VHF digital small message services (VDSMS) complying with RTCM 12301 (incorporated by reference, see § 80.7), except as follows
VHF-FM Channels Not Available for Digital Small Message Service
§ 80.365   Scope.
The following sections describe the carrier frequencies and general conditions of use for the following types of radiotelephony:
—Distress, urgency, safety, call and reply.
—Working.
—Public.
—Private.
§ 80.367   General uses—radiotelephony.
(a) Ship stations communicating with foreign coast stations may operate on any frequency designated by that coast station.
(b) Radiotelephony stations communicating with a Government station may transmit on a Government frequency when authorized to do so by the Government station or agency if the emission, bandwidth and frequency tolerance of the maritime station are within the same limits as the Government station.
(c) Frequencies assigned to Government radio stations are assignable to non-Government maritime stations for radiotelephony communications with other non-Government stations in connection with activities performed in coordination with or on behalf of the Government.
(d) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band will be authorized only to ship stations that in addition are authorized to use frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band.
(e) Frequencies in the 2000-2850 kHz band will be authorized to private coast stations that in addition are authorized to use frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band.
(f) Ship and coast stations authorized to use frequencies in both the 2000-27500 kHz and 156-162 MHz bands must not use frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band for communications with any other station which is within the VHF service range.
(g) Coast and ship station radiotelephone working frequencies are available for DSC general purpose calling under the provisions of § 80.207(a).
(h) Digital selective calling techniques are not authorized on the frequencies 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz.
§ 80.369   Distress, urgency, safety, call and reply frequencies.
This section describes the general uses and frequencies assignable to maritime stations for distress, urgency, safety, call and reply radiotelephony communications.
(a) In the 1605-3500 kHz band, the frequency 2182 is an international radiotelephony distress, urgency and safety frequency for ship stations, public and private coast stations, and survival craft stations. It is also used for call and reply by ship stations on a primary basis and by public coast stations on a secondary basis. The carrier frequency 2191 kHz may be used as a supplementary calling frequency in areas of heavy usage of 2182 kHz. All stations must use J3E emission when operating on 2182 and 2191 kHz, except that:
(1) H3E emission may be used on 2182 kHz for communications with foreign coast and ship stations; or,
(2) A3E emission may be used on 2182 kHz by portable survival craft stations, or transmitters authorized for use prior to January 1, 1972. See § 80.203(c).
(b) The frequencies 4125.0 kHz, 6215 kHz, 8291 kHz, 12290 kHz, and 16420 kHz may be used by coast and ship stations on a simplex basis for distress and safety communications. The frequency 4125.0 kHz may also be used for distress and safety communications between aircraft and maritime mobile stations.
(c) The frequency 5167.5 kHz is available to any station for emergency communications in the State of Alaska. Peak envelope power of stations operating on this frequency must not exceed 150 watts. This frequency may also be used by Alaska private fixed stations for calling and listening, but only for establishing communication.
(d) In the 4000-27500 kHz band, the following coast frequencies are available for assignment to public coast stations for call and reply communications. The paired ship frequencies are available for use by authorized ship stations.
Call and Reply Frequency Pairs in the 4000-27500 kHz
1 The frequencies 4125 kHz, 4417 kHz, and 6516 kHz are also available on a simplex basis for private communications, see § 80.373(c) of this part.
2 The frequencies of 4125 kHz and 6215 kHz are also available on a simplex basis to ship and coast stations for call and reply, provided that the peak envelope power does not exceed 1 kW.
3 The frequencies 4125 kHz, 6215 kHz, 8291 kHz, 12290 kHz, and 16420 kHz are also available on a simplex basis for distress and safety traffic, see paragraph (b) of this section.
(e) In the 120-156 MHz band the following frequencies are used as indicated:
(1) The frequencies 121.500 MHz and 123.100 MHz using A3E emission are available for scene of action search and rescue operations to ship, coast and aircraft stations. Communications in support of search and rescue operations must employ the frequency 121.500 MHz only when communications on 123.100 MHz or other VHF frequencies is not practicable. Ship, coast and aircraft stations engaged in such communications on 121.500 MHz must shift to 123.100 MHz as soon as possible.
(2) The frequency 156.525 MHz is available for intership, ship and coast general purpose, distress and safety DSC calls.
(3) The frequency 156.800 MHz is the international radiotelephone distress, urgency, safety, call and reply frequency for ship, public and private coast stations. Stations operating on 156.800 MHz must be able to transmit and receive using G3E emission.
(4) The frequency 156.450 MHz (channel 9) is available for intership, ship and coast station general purpose calling by noncommercial vessels, such as recreational boats. Distress, urgency and safety calls should initially be made on 156.800 MHz (channel 16) or, if equipped with DSC, on 156.525 MHz (channel 70).
§ 80.371   Public correspondence frequencies.
This section describes the radiotelephony working frequencies assignable to ship and public coast stations.
(a) Working frequencies in the 2000-4000 kHz band. The following table describes the working carrier frequency pairs in the 2000-4000 kHz band.
1 Unlimited hours of use from December 15 to April 1 and day only from April 1 to December 15. Harmful interference must not be caused to any station in the Great Lakes region.
2 In the Great Lakes region 2206 kHz is not available for transmission to U.S. ships except in the case of distress. U.S. coast stations in the Great Lakes area may use 2514, 2550 and 2582 kHz on a shared basis with coast stations of Canada. Except in the case of distress, the frequency 2550 kHz must not be used for transmission to ship stations of Canada since the associated ship station transmit frequency 2158 kHz is not available to Canadian ship stations for transmission and 2582 kHz must not be used for public correspondence transmissions to U.S. ship stations since the associated ship transmit frequency 2206 kHz is not available to U.S. ship stations for transmissions except in the case of distress.
3 Limited to a peak envelope power of 150 watts.
4 Harmful interference must not be caused to any coast station in the Caribbean region.
5 But see section 80.373(c)(3) of this chapter.
(b) Working frequencies in the 4000-27500 kHz band. This paragraph describes the working carrier frequencies in the 4000-27500 kHz band. With respect to frequencies that are assignable in more than one geographical area, once the frequency is assigned to one licensee, any subsequent license will be authorized on a secondary, non-interference basis with respect to the incumbent license's existing operation. If the first licensee later seeks authorization to operate in an additional geographic area, such authorization will be on a secondary, non-interference basis to other co-channel licensees.
(1) The following table specifies the carrier frequencies available for assignment to public coast stations. The paired ship frequencies are available for use by authorized ship stations. The specific frequency assignment available to public coast stations for a particular geographic area is indicated by an “x” under the appropriate column. The allotment areas are in accordance with the “Standard Defined Areas” as identified in the International Radio Regulations, Appendix 25 Planning System, and indicated in the preface to the International Frequency List (IFL).
Working Carrier Frequency Pairs in the 4000-27500 kHz Band
(2) The following table specifies the non-paired carrier frequencies that are available for assignment to public coast stations for simplex operations. These frequencies are available for use by authorized ship stations for transmissions to coast stations (simplex operations). Assignments on these frequencies must accept interference. They are shared with government users and are considered “common use” frequencies under the international Radio Regulations. They cannot be notified for inclusion in the Master International Frequency Register, which provides stations with interference protection, but may be listed in the international List of Coast Stations. ( See Radio Regulation No. 1220 and Recommendation 304.)
Public Correspondence Simplex
[Non-paired radiotelephony frequencies in the 4000-27500 kHz Band 1 Carrier Frequencies (kHz)]
1 Coast stations limited to a maximum transmitter power of 1 kW (PEP).
2 The alternative carrier frequency 16537 kHz may be used by ship stations and coast stations for calling on a simplex basis, provided that the peak envelope power does not exceed 1 kW.
(c) Working frequencies in the marine VHF 156-162 MHz band. (1)(i) The frequency pairs listed in this paragraph are available for assignment to public coast stations for communications with ship stations and units on land.
Working Carrier Frequency Pairs in the 156-162 MHz Band 1
1 For special assignment of frequencies in this band in certain areas of Washington State, the Great Lakes and the east coast of the United States pursuant to arrangements between the United States and Canada, see subpart B of this part.
2 The frequency pair 157.275/161.875 MHz is available on a primary basis to ship and public coast stations. In Alaska it is also available on a secondary basis to private mobile repeater stations.
3 The frequency 161.975 MHz is available only for Automatic Identification System communications. In VPCSAs 10-42, site-based stations licensed to operate on frequency 161.975 MHz prior to March 2, 2009 may continue to operate on a co-primary basis on that frequency until March 2, 2024.
4 The frequency 162.025 MHz is available only for Automatic Identification System communications. One hundred twenty kilometers (75 miles) from the United States/Canada border, the frequency 157.425 MHz is available for intership and commercial communications. Outside the Puget Sound area and its approaches and the Great Lakes, 157.425 MHz is available for communications between commercial fishing vessels and associated aircraft while engaged in commercial fishing activities.
5 In VPCSAs 10-42, the working carrier frequency pair 157.250/161.850 MHz (Channel 25) is not available for assignment under part 80.
(ii) Service areas in the marine VHF 156-162 MHz band are VHF Public Coast Service Areas (VPCSAs). As listed in the table in this paragraph (c)(1)(ii), VPCSAs are based on, and composed of one or more of, the U.S. Department of Commerce's 172 Economic Areas (EAs). See 60 FR 13114 (March 10, 1995). In addition, the Commission shall treat Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Gulf of Mexico as EA-like areas, and has assigned them EA numbers 173-176, respectively. Maps of the EAs and VPCSAs are available for public inspection through the Federal Communications Commission's Reference Information Center, Tel: 1-888-225-5322. In addition to the EAs listed in the table in this paragraph (c)(1)(ii), each VPCSA also includes the adjacent waters under the jurisdiction of the United States. In VPCSAs 10-42, the working carrier frequency pair 157.250 MHz/161.850 MHz (Channel 25) is not available for assignment under this part.
(iii) Subject to paragraph (c)(3) of this section, each licensee may also operate on 12.5 kHz offset frequencies in areas where the licensee is authorized on both frequencies adjacent to the offset frequency, and in areas where the licensee on the other side of the offset frequency consents to the licensee's use of the adjacent offset frequency. Coordination with Canada is required for offset operations under any circumstance in which operations on either adjoining 25 kHz channel would require such coordination. See § 80.57 of this part.
(2) Any recovered channel pairs will revert automatically to the holder of the VPCSA license within which such channels are included, except the channel pairs listed in the table in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section. Those channel pairs, and any channel pairs recovered where there is no VPCSA licensee, will be retained by the Commission for future licensing.
(e) Canada/U.S.A. channeling arrangement frequencies. The VHF frequencies assignable to ship and coast stations in the State of Washington and their usage limitations pursuant to the Canada/U.S.A. channeling arrangement are described in subpart B of this part.
(4) Subject to the requirements of § 1.924 of this chapter and § 80.21, each VPCSA licensee may place stations anywhere within its region without obtaining prior Commission approval provided:
(i) It provides to co-channel coast station incumbent licensees, and incumbent Private Land Mobile Radio licensees authorized under part 90 of this chapter on a primary basis, protection as defined in subpart P of this part. VPCSA licensees that share a common border may either distribute the available frequencies upon mutual agreement or request that the Commission assign frequencies along the common border.
(ii) The locations and/or technical parameters of the transmitters are such that individual coordination of the channel assignment(s) with a foreign administration, under applicable international agreements and rules in this part, is not required.
(iii) For any construction or alteration that would exceed the requirements of § 17.7 of this chapter, licensees must notify the appropriate Regional Office of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA Form 7460-1) and file a request for antenna height clearance and obstruction marking and lighting specifications (FCC Form 854) with the FCC, Attn: Information Processing Branch, 1270 Fairfield Rd., Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.
(iv) The transmitters must not have a significant environmental effect as defined by §§ 1.1301 through 1.1319 of this chapter.
(d) Working frequencies in the Mississippi River System. The Mississippi River System includes the Mississippi River and connecting navigable waters other than the Great Lakes. The following simplex frequencies are available for assignment to public coast stations serving the Mississippi River System for radiotelephony communications. These simplex frequencies also are available for use by authorized ship stations within communication service range, whether or not the ship is operating within the confines of the Mississippi River System.
Mississippi River System Working Frequencies; Carrier Frequencies (kHz)
1 Limited to a maximum transmitter output of 150 watts (PEP).
(e) Canada/U.S.A. channeling arrangement frequencies. The VHF frequencies assignable to ship and coast stations in the State of washington and their usage limitations purusant to the Canada/U.S.A. channeling arrangement are described in subpart B of this part.
§ 80.373   Private communications frequencies.
This section describes the carrier frequencies assignable for ship-to-ship and ship-to-coast private communications.
(a) Special requirements for private coast stations. Assignment to private coast stations of radiotelephony frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band are subject to the following:
(1) Private coast stations must use J3E emission.
(2) On 2182 kHz, private coast stations must be capable of receiving J3E and H3E emissions.
(3) Except in the Mississippi River System and Great Lakes, private coast stations serving lakes or rivers are not authorized on the 2000-2850 kHz band.
(4) Private coast stations may use DSC for calling on their assigned frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band and on those frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band which are allocated for maritime control, commercial and non-commercial communications.
(b) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band for intership safety and other communications. This paragraph describes the geographic areas of operation and the frequencies and limitations in the band available for assignment for intership safety and operational simplex radiotelephone communications.
(1) Frequencies avaiable.
1 Limited to a peak envelope power of 150 watts.
2 Available on a secondary basis for intership communications by ships involved in non-commercial fishing.
(2) Except for 2093.0 kHz and 2214.0 kHz the frequencies shown in paragraph (b)(1) of this section are authorized primarily for intership safety communications in the indicated geographic area.
(3) Except for the frequencies 2093.0 kHz, 2214.0 kHz and 2670.0 kHz, the frequencies shown in paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be used on a non-interference basis to safety communications, for operational communications and, in the case of commercial transport ships and ships of municipal and state governments, for business communications.
(4) Ship stations may communicate with government coast stations on 2003.0 kHz about passage of vessels. Interference must not be caused to communications on the St. Lawrence Seaway and on the St. Mary's River.
(5) Ship stations may use 2670.0 kHz for communications with coast and ship stations of the U.S. Coast Guard. When a ship is not equipped to transmit on 2670.0 kHz or in the band 156-162 MHz the frequency 2003.0 kHz may be used on the Great Lakes for communications must not cause harmful interference to intership safety, operational and business communications.
(6) Navigational communications between ships and private coast stations may be exchanged on 2738.0 kHz and 2830.0 kHz. The frequencies 2214.0 kHz, 2738.0 kHz and 2830.0 kHz are assignable to private coast stations upon a showing that they need to communicate with commercial transport or Government ships. Private coast station applicants must show that public coast stations do not provide the required communications and harmful interference will not be caused to the intership use of these frequencies. The transmitter power must not exceed 150 watts. If 2214.0 kHz is authorized for ships, intership communication is also authorized. The geographic limitations to the frequencies 2738.0 kHz and 2830.0 kHz do not prohibit intership communication of less than 320 km (200 statute miles) when only one of the ship stations is within a permitted use geographic area.
(7) Private aircraft stations may communicate with ship stations on 2738.0 kHz and 2830.0 kHz if:
(i) The communications are limited to business or operational needs of the vessel while it is engaged in commercial fishing activities in the open sea or adjacent waters;
(ii) Harmful interference must not be caused to intership communications;
(iii) The maximum output power used for such communication must not exceed 25 watts;
(c) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz bands for business and operational communications. (1) The following simplex frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band are available for assignment to private coast stations for business and operational radiotelephone communications. These simplex frequencies also are available for use by authorized ship stations for business and operational radiotelephone communications.
Business and Operational Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz Band; Carrier Frequencies (kHz)
1 Limited to peak envelope power of 150 watts.
2 The frequency 4125 kHz is also available for distress and safety, and calling and reply, see § 80.369 (b) and (d) of this part.
3 The frequencies 2065.0 kHz and 2079.0 kHz must be coordinated with Canada.
4 The frequencies 3023.0 kHz and 5680.0 kHz are available to private coast stations licensed to state and local governments and any scene-of-action ships for the purpose of search and rescue scene-of-action coordination including communications with any scene-of-action aircraft.
5 The frequency 6516 kHz is limited to daytime operations. The frequencies 4417 kHz and 6516 kHz are also available for calling and reply, see § 80.369(d) of this part.
6 The alternative carrier frequency 12359 kHz may be used by ship stations and coast stations for calling on a simplex basis, provided that the peak envelope power does not exceed 1 kW.
(2) Assignment of these frequencies is subject to the following general limitations:
(i) These frequencies are shared and are not available for the exclusive use of any station. No more than one frequency from each of the frequency bands will be authorized to a private station without justification;
(ii) The emissions must be J3E or J2D except that when DSC is used the emission must be F1B or J2B; and
(iii) Maximum transmitter output power is limited to 1 kW except as noted.
(3) In addition to the frequencies shown in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the following coast transmit frequencies listed in the table in § 80.371(a) of this chapter are available for assignment to private coast stations and authorized ship stations for simplex business and operational radiotelephone communications: in the East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast regions, 2482 kHz; in the Alaska region, 2309 kHz. These frequencies shall not be assigned to public coast stations before July 25, 2002. After that date, only the above frequencies in the above regions that have been assigned to at least one private coast station shall continue to be available for assignment to private coast stations. If, by that date, in any of the above regions, any of the above frequencies has not been assigned to a private coast station, that frequency in that region shall be available for assignment only to public coast stations.
(d) Radioprinter frequencies. (1) The following table describes the bands available for radioprinter simplex communications between ship and private coast stations:
1 After April 1, 2007, use of the sub-bands 5900-5950 kHz and 7300-7350 kHz shall be on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to HF broadcasting.
(2) Ship stations may conduct radioprinter communications with private coast stations on frequencies within these bands which are assigned to their associated private coast stations;
(3) Any alphanumeric code may be used; and
(4) The bandwidth of radioprinter communications on frequencies within these bands must not exceed 300 Hz.
(e) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band for medical advisory communications. (1) Private coast stations may be authorized to use any frequencies within the 2030-27500 kHz band that are allocated to Government and non-Government fixed or fixed and mobile radio services shown in the Commission's Table of Frequency Allocations contained in § 2.106 of this chapter for communications with ship stations to provide medical treatment information or advice. Assignment of these frequencies is subject to the following limitations:
(2) No protection is provided from harmful interference caused by foreign stations; and
(3) A private coast station must cease operations on a frequency that causes harmful interference to a foreign station.
(f) Frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band. The following tables describe the carrier frequencies available in the 156-162 MHz band for radiotelephone communications between ship and private coast stations. ( Note: the letter “A” following the channel designator indicates simplex operation on a channel designated internationally as a duplex channel.)
Frequencies in the 156-162 MHz Band
1 156.050 MHz and 156.175 MHz are available for port operations and commercial communications purposes when used only within the U.S. Coast Guard designated Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) area of New Orleans, on the lower Mississippi River from the various pass entrances in the Gulf of Mexico to Devil's Swamp Light at River Mile 242.4 above head of passes near Baton Rouge.
2 156.250 MHz is available for port operations communications use only within the U.S. Coast Guard designated VTS radio protection areas of New Orleans and Houston described in § 80.383. 156.250 MHz is available for intership port operations communications used only within the area of Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors, within a 25-nautical mile radius of Point Fermin, California.
3 156.550 MHz, 156.600 MHz and 156.700 MHz are available in the U.S. Coast Guard designated port areas only for VTS communications and in the Great Lakes available primarily for communications relating to the movement of ships in sectors designated by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation or the U.S. Coast Guard. The use of these frequencies outside VTS and ship movement sector protected areas is permitted provided they cause no interference to VTS and ship movement communications in their respective designated sectors.
4 Use of 156.875 MHz is limited to communications with pilots regarding the movement and docking of ships. Normal output power must not exceed 1 watt.
5 156.375 MHz and 156.650 MHz are available primarily for intership navigational communications. These frequencies are available between coast and ship on a secondary basis when used on or in the vicinity of locks or drawbridges. Normal output power must not exceed 1 watt. Maximum output power must not exceed 10 watts for coast stations or 25 watts for ship stations.
6 On the Great Lakes, in addition to bridge-to-bridge communications, 156.650 MHz is available for vessel control purposes in established vessel traffic systems. 156.650 MHz is not available for use in the Mississippi River from South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy “2” and Southwest Pass entrance Mid-channel Lighted Whistle Buoy to mile 242.4 above Head of Passes near Baton Rouge. Additionally it is not available for use in the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal, and the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal, except to aid the transition from these areas.
7 Use of 156.375 MHz is available for navigational communications only in the Mississippi River from South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy “2” and Southwest Pass entrance Mid-channel Lighted Whistle Buoy to mile 242.4 above Head of Passes near Baton Rouge, and in addition over the full length of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal from entrance to its junction with the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal, and over the full length of the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal from its junction with the Mississippi River to its entry to Lake Pontchartrain at the New Seabrook vehicular bridge.
8 Within that portion of VHF Public Coast Station Areas (VPCSAs) 1 through 9 listed in the table in Section 80.371(c)(1)(ii) within 120 km (75 miles) of the United States/Canada border, in the area of the Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence Seaway, and the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its approaches, Maritime VHF Channel 88A (157.425 MHz) is available for use for public correspondence communications, subject to prior coordination with Canada. Maritime VHF Channel 88B (162.025 MHz) is available only for Automatic Identification System communications. One hundred twenty kilometers (75 miles) from the United States/Canada border, 157.425 MHz is available for intership and commercial communications. Outside the Puget Sound area and its approaches and the Great Lakes, 157.425 MHz is available for communications between commercial fishing vessels and associated aircraft while engaged in commercial fishing activities.
9 When the frequency 156.850 MHz is authorized, it may be used additionally for search and rescue training exercises conducted by state or local governments.
10 The frequency 156.850 MHz is additionally available to coast stations on the Great Lakes for transmission of scheduled Coded Marine Weather Forecasts (MAFOR), Great Lakes Weather Broadcast (LAWEB) and unscheduled Notices to Mariners or Bulletins. F3C and J3C emissions are permitted. Coast stations on the Great Lakes must cease weather broadcasts which cause interference to stations operating on 156.800 MHz until the interference problem is resolved.
11 The frequency 157.100 MHz is authorized for search and rescue training exercises by state or local government in conjunction with U.S. Coast Guard stations. Prior U.S. Coast Guard approval is required. Use must cease immediately on U.S. Coast Guard request.
12 The duplex pair for channel 20 (157.000/161.600 MHz) may be used for ship to coast station communications.
13 Available for assignment to coast stations, the use of which is in accord with an agreed program, for the broadcast of information to ship stations concerning the environmental conditions in which vessels operate, i.e., weather; sea conditions; time signals; notices to mariners; and hazards to navigation.
14 Available only in the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
15 The frequency 156.525 MHz is to be used exclusively for distress, safety and calling using digital selective calling techniques. No other uses are permitted.
16 The frequency 156.450 MHz is available for intership, ship and coast general purpose calling by noncommercial vessels, such as recreational boats and private coast stations.
17 The frequency 156.425 MHz is assigned by rule to private coast stations in Alaska for facsimile transmissions as well as voice communications.
18 156.575 MHz is available for port operations communications use only within the U.S. Coast Guard designated VTS radio protection area of Seattle (Puget Sound) described in § 80.383. Normal output power must not exceed 1 watt. Maximum output power must not exceed 10 watts.
(g)(1) On-board communications: This section describes the carrier frequency pairs assignable for on-board mobile radiotelephony communications. The center of the on-board repeater antenna must not be located more than 3 meters (10 feet) above the ship's working deck. These frequencies are available on a shared basis with stations in the Industrial/Business Radio Pool.
Frequencies for On-Board Communications
1 These frequencies may also be assigned to mobile stations for single frequency simplex operation.
(2) Where needed, equipment designed for 12.5 kHz channel spacing using the additional frequencies 457.5375 MHz, 457.5625 MHz, 467.5375 MHz, and 467.5625 MHz may be introduced for on-board communications.
(h) Repeater frequencies in Alaska. The following frequencies are assignable on a primary basis to public and on a secondary basis to private coast stations in Alaska for maritime repeater operations:
(i) Frequencies in the 1600-5450 kHz band for private communications in Alaska. The following simplex frequencies are available for assignment to private fixed stations located in the State of Alaska for radiotelephony communications with ship stations. These simplex frequencies are available for use by authorized ship stations for radiotelephony communications with private fixed stations located in the State of Alaska.
Private communications in Alaska Carrier frequencies (kHz)
1 Ship stations must limit use of 3261.0 kHz to communications over distances which cannot be reached by the use of frequency below 2700 kHz or above 156.000 MHz.
2 The frequency 5167.5 kHz is available for emergency communications in Alaska. Peak envelope power of stations operating on this frequency must not exceed 150 watts. When a station in Alaska is authorized to use 5167.5 kHz, such station may also use this frequency for calling and listening for the purpose of establishing communications.
3 Use of these frequencies is on a secondary basis to Region 2 broadcasting.
(j) Frequencies for portable ship stations. VHF frequencies authorized for stations authorized carrier frequencies in the 156.275 MHz to 157.450 MHz and 161.575 MHz to 162.025 MHz bands may also be authorized as marine utility stations. Marine-utility stations on shore must not cause interference to any Automatic Identification System, VHF or coast station, VHF or UHF land mobile base station, or U.S. Government station.
§ 80.374   Provisions for frequencies in the 4000-4063 and the 8100-8195 kHz bands shared with the fixed service.
Coast station assignments in the 4000-4063 kHz band deviate from international provisions. Coast station assignments in the 4000-4063 kHz band are permitted provided that such stations must not cause interference to, and must accept interference from, stations operated by other countries in accordance with the Radio Regulations.
(a) Frequencies in the 4000-4063 kHz band. (1) The frequencies in the 4000-4063 kHz bands are available to ship and public coast stations for:
(i) Supplementary ship-to-shore duplex operations with coast stations assigned the frequencies described in § 80.371(b) of this part;
(ii) Intership simplex operations and cross-band operations;
(iii) Ship-to-shore or shore-to-ship simplex operations; or
(iv) Duplex operations with coast stations assigned in the band 4438-4650 kHz, as described in § 80.373(d) of this part.
(2) The following table describes the channelization of carrier frequencies in the 4000-4063 kHz band.
Carrier Frequencies (kHz)
(b) Frequencies in the 8100-8195 kHz band. (1) The frequencies in the 8100-8195 kHz bands are available to ship and public coast stations for:
(i) Supplementary ship-to-shore duplex operations with coast stations assigned the frequencies described in § 80.371(b) of this part;
(ii) Intership simplex operations and cross-band operations; or
(iii) Ship-to-shore or shore-to-ship simplex operations.
(2) The following table describes the channelization of carrier frequencies in the 8100-8195 kHz band.
Carrier Frequencies (kHz)
§ 80.375   Radiodetermination frequencies.
This section describes the carrier frequencies assignable to radiodetermination stations. Only direction finding radar stations will be authorized on land.
(a) Direction finding frequencies. The carrier frequencies assignable to ship stations for directional finding operations are:
(b) Radiodetermination frequencies for cable-repair ships. Except in Region 1 the channels in the 285-325 kHz band are assignable to ship stations for cable-repair radiodetermination operations. In Region 1 the channels available for assignment for such operations are limited to the 285-315 kHz band. The conditions of use of these channels are set forth in subpart X of this part. Channel usage must comply with the following requirements:
(1) They are not permitted within the territorial waters of a foreign country;
(2) Their output power must not exceed 15 watts; and
(3) They must not cause interference to any maritime station in the radionavigation service.
(c) Radiodetermination frequencies below 500 MHz. The frequencies 154.585 MHz, 159.480 MHz, 160.725 MHz, 160.785 MHz, 454.000 MHz and 459.000 MHz are authorized for offshore radiolocation and associated telecommand operations under a ship station license provided:
(1) The use of these frequencies is related to the ship's commercial operations;
(2) The station antenna height does not exceed 6 meters (20 feet) above sea level in a buoy station or 6 meters (20 feet) above the mast of the ship in which it is installed.
(d) Radiodetermination frequency bands above 2400 MHz. (1) The radiodetermination frequency bands assignable to ship and shore stations including ship and shore radar and transponder stations are as follows: 2450-2500 MHz; 2900-3100 MHz; 5460-5650 MHz; and 9300-9500 MHz.
(2) Assignment of these bands to ship and coast stations are subject to the following conditions:
(i) The 2450-2500 MHz band may be used only for radiolocation on the condition that harmful interference must not be caused to the fixed and mobile services. No protection is provided from interference caused by emissions from industrial, scientific, or medical equipment;
(ii) The use of the 2900-3100 MHz, 5470-5650 MHz and 9300-9500 MHz bands for radiolocation must not cause harmful interference to the radionavigation and Government radiolocation services. Additionally, the use of the 2900-3000 MHz band for radiolocation must not cause harmful interference to the Government meteorological aids service.
(iii) In the 2920-3100 MHz and 9320-9500 MHz bands the use of fixed-frequency transponders for radionavigation is not permitted;
(iv) Non-Government radiolocation stations may be authorized in the 5460-5470 MHz band on the condition that harmful interference shall not be caused to the aeronautical or maritime radionavigation services or to Government radiolocation service;
(v) The use of the 5460-5650 MHz band for radionavigation is limited to shipborne radar.
(e) Search and rescue radar transponder stations. The technical standards for search and rescue transponder stations are in subpart W of this part.
§ 80.376   Radio buoy operations.
Frequencies in the 1900-2000 kHz band are authorized for radio buoy operations under a ship radio station license provided:
(a) The use of these frequencies is related to commercial fishing operations on the open sea and the Great Lakes; and
(b) The output power does not exceed 8 watts and the station antenna height does not exceed 4.6 meters above sea level in a buoy station or 6 meters above the mast of the ship on which it is installed.
§ 80.377   Frequencies for ship earth stations.
The frequency band 1626.5-1645.5 MHz is assignable for communication operations and radiodetermination and telecommand messages that are associated with the position, orientation and operational functions of maritime satellite equipment. The frequency band 1645.5-1646.5 MHz is reserved for use in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
§ 80.379   Maritime frequencies assignable to aircraft stations.
This section describes the maritime frequencies assignable to aircraft stations for simplex operations:
(a) Available frequencies:
(b) The conditions of use of the carrier frequencies in paragraph (a) of this section, are:
(1) For permissible geographic areas of operation see § 80.373(b)(1). For other limitations see § 80.373(b)(7);
(2) Aircraft and ship stations may use 3023.0 kHz and 5680.0 kHz for search and rescue scene-of-action coordination including communications between these stations and participating land stations. Stations using these frequencies must use J3E emission;
(3) Assignable for distress and safety communications between aircraft and maritime mobile stations;
(4) Assignable for search and rescue between ships and aircraft. Stations using these frequencies must use A3E emission;
(5) These frequencies may be used by aircraft stations when:
(i) The altitude of aircraft stations does not exceed 300 meters (1,000 feet), except for reconnaissance aircraft participating in icebreaking operations where an altitude of 450 meters (1,500 feet) is allowed;
(ii) The mean power of aircraft stations must not exceed five watts;
(iii) Communications are limited to operations in which the maritime mobile stations are primarily involved and where direct communications between the aircraft and the ship or coast station is required;
(iv) Stations may use 156.300 MHz for safety purposes only;
(v) Stations may use 156.800 MHz for distress, safety and calling only; and
(vi) Use of 156.375 MHz by aircraft is not permitted in the New Orleans VTS area specified in § 80.383.
(6) The use of 157.100 MHz is limited to communications with stations of the Department of Interior at Lake Mead, Nevada; and
(7) Commercial fishing vessels and associated aircraft may use 157.425 MHz while engaged in commercial fishing activities except within 120 km (75 miles) of the United States/Canada border and Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its approaches, the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
§ 80.381   Frequencies for operational fixed stations.
The following carrier frequencies in the 72-76 MHz band are assignable to operational fixed stations using vertical polarization, if no harmful interference is caused to TV reception on Channels 4 and 5. These frequencies are shared with the Land Mobile and Aviation Radio Services.
Operational Fixed Frequencies in the 72-76 MHz Band
Carrier frequency in MHz
§ 80.383   Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system frequencies.
This section describes the carrier frequencies available for use in the Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) systems within the designated geographic radio protected areas.
(a) Assigned frequencies:
Vessel Traffic Control Frequencies
1 Private coast station licenses for the use of this frequency will not be renewed beyond November 1, 1997. Continued use until expiration must be on a noninterference basis to Coast Guard VTS communications.
2 Private coast station licenses for the use of this frequency in this area will expire at the end of the current license term or five years after the adopted date of the final rule, whichever comes first. Continued use until expiration must be on a noninterference basis to Coast Guard VTS communications.
(b) The U.S. Coast Guard designated radio protection areas for VTS are as follows:
(1) New York. The rectangle between north latitudes 40 degrees and 42 degrees and west longitudes 71 degrees and 74 degrees 30 minutes;
(2) New Orleans. The rectangle between North latitudes 27 degrees 30 minutes and 31 degrees 30 minutes and West longitudes 87 degrees 30 minutes and 93 degrees;
(3) Houston. The rectangle between north latitudes 28 degrees 30 minutes and 30 degrees 20 minutes and west longitudes 93 degrees 30 minutes and 96 degrees;
(4) Seattle (Puget Sound). The area encompassed between the United States-Canadian border and a line drawn from 49 degrees North 121 degrees West on the United States-Canadian Border, to 46 degrees 30 minutes North 121 degrees West, then to 46 degrees 30 minutes North 125 degrees West, then to 48 degrees 30 minutes North 125 degrees West, and then east to the United States-Canadian Border;
(5) San Francisco. The rectangle between north latitudes 39 degrees and 37 degrees and west longitudes 120 degrees 50 minutes and 123 degrees 20 minutes; and
(6) Prince William Sound. The rectangle between North latitudes 61 degrees 17 minutes and 59 degrees 22 minutes and West longitudes 149 degrees 39 minutes and 145 degrees 36 minutes.
(7) Sault Ste. Marie. The rectangle between North latitudes 45 degrees and 47 degrees, and West longitudes 83 degrees and 85 degrees.
(8) Berwick Bay. The rectangle between North latitudes 28 degrees 30 minutes and 30 degrees 30 minutes, and West longitudes 90 degrees 50 minutes and 92 degrees.
(c) The use of the frequencies shown in paragraph (a) of this section is permitted in areas outside the Coast Guard radio protection areas provided there is no interference to VTS communications within the VTS areas.
§ 80.385   Frequencies for automated systems.
This section describes the carrier frequencies for the Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS) and for other automated multi-station systems.
(a) Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS). (1) The Automated Maritime Communications System (AMTS) is an automated maritime telecommunications system.
(2) The following carrier frequencies are available for assignment to public coast stations for public correspondence communications with ship stations and units on land. AMTS operations must not cause harmful interference to the U.S. Navy SPASUR system which operates in the band 216.880-217.080 MHz.
1 Ship transmit frequencies in Groups C and D are not authorized for AMTS use.
2 Coast station operation on frequencies in Groups C and D are not currently assignable and are shared on a secondary basis with the Low Power Radio Service in part 95 of this chapter. Frequencies in the band 216.750-217.000 MHz band are available for low power point-to-point network control communications by AMTS coast stations under the Low Power Radio Service (LPRS). LPRS operations are subject to the conditions that no harmful interference is caused to the United States Navy's SPASUR radar system (216.88-217.08 MHz) or to TV reception within the Grade B contour of any TV channel 13 station or within the 68 dBu predicted contour of any low power TV or TV translator station operating on channel 13.
3 Ship transmit frequencies in Groups A and B are permitted to provide mobile-to-mobile communications where the written consent of all affected licensees is obtained.
(3) As listed in the table in this paragraph (a)(3), AMTS Areas (AMTSAs) are based on, and composed of one or more of, the U.S Department of Commerce's 172 Economic Areas (EAs). See 60 FR 13114 (March 10, 1995). In addition, the Commission shall treat Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Gulf of Mexico as EA-like areas. The Gulf of Mexico EA extends from 12 nautical miles off the United States Gulf coast outward into the Gulf. See § 27.6(a)(2) of this chapter and 62 FR 9636. Maps of the EAs and AMTSAs are available for public inspection through the Federal Communications Commission's Reference Information Center. These maps and data are also available on the FCC website at www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/areas/. These maps and data are also available on the FCC Web site at www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/areas/. The Group A and B frequency pairs listed in the table in paragraph (a)(2) of this section are available for assignment to a single licensee in each of the AMTSAs listed in the table in this paragraph (a)(3). In addition to the listed EAs listed in the table in this paragraph (a)(3), each AMTSA also includes the adjacent waters under the jurisdiction of the United States.
AMTS areas (AMTSAs)
(4) Channels in the 219-220 MHz band are also used on a secondary, non-interference basis by amateur stations participating in digital message forwarding systems. Amateur stations may not cause harmful interference to AMTS operations and must accept any harmful interference from AMTS operation. Amateur stations within 80 km (50 miles) of an AMTS coast station must obtain written approval from the AMTS licensee prior to operating in the 219-220 MHz band. Amateur stations within 640 km (398 miles) of an AMTS coast station must notify the AMTS licensee in writing at least 30 days prior to initiation of operations in the 219-220 MHz band. All amateur stations must notify the American Radio Relay League in writing at least 30 days prior to initiation of operations in the 219-220 MHz band (ARRL, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111-1494).
(b) Subject to the requirements of § 1.924 of this chapter, §§ 80.215(h), and 80.475(a), each AMTS geographic area licensee may place stations anywhere within its region without obtaining prior Commission approval provided:
(1) The AMTS geographic area licensee must locate its stations at least 120 kilometers from the stations of co-channel site-based AMTS licensees. Shorter separations between such stations will be considered by the Commission on a case-by-case basis upon submission of a technical analysis indicating that at least 18 dB protection will be provided to a site-based licensee's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour. The site-based licensee's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour shall be calculated using the F(50, 50) field strength chart for Channels 7-13 in § 73.699 (Fig. 10) of this chapter, with a 9 dB correction for antenna height differential. The 18 dB protection to the site-based licensee's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour shall be calculated using the F(50, 10) field strength chart for Channels 7-13 in § 73.699 (Fig. 10a) of this chapter, with a 9 dB correction factor for antenna height differential.
(2) The locations and/or technical parameters of the transmitters are such that individual coordination of the channel assignment(s) with a foreign administration, under applicable international agreements and rules in this part, is not required.
(3) For any construction or alteration that would exceed the requirements of § 17.7 of this chapter, licensees must notify the appropriate Regional Office of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA Form 7460-1) and file a request for antenna height clearance and obstruction marking and lighting specifications (FCC Form 854) with the FCC, Attn: Information Processing Branch, 1270 Fairfield Rd., Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.
(4) The transmitters must not have a significant environmental effect as defined by §§ 1.1301 through 1.1319 of this chapter.
(c) Any recovered frequency blocks will revert automatically to the holder of the geographic area license within which such frequencies are included. Any frequency blocks recovered where there is no geographic area licensee will be retained by the Commission for future licensing.
§ 80.387   Frequencies for Alaska fixed stations.
(a) The carrier frequencies listed in (b) of this section are assignable for point-to-point simplex radiotelephone communications between private fixed stations in Alaska. The frequency pairs listed in paragraph (d) of this section are assignable for point-to-point duplex radiotelephone communications between private and public fixed stations in Alaska. Fixed stations in Alaska authorized to share carrier frequencies with the maritime mobile service must always give priority on such frequencies to maritime distress, urgency and safety communications.
(b) Alaska private-fixed station frequencies:
Carrier Frequencies (kHz)
1 Use of 1660.0 kHz must be coordinated to protect radiolocation on adjacent channels.
2 Peak envelope power must not exceed 1 kW for radiotelephony. Teleprinter use is authorized.
3 The frequency 5167.5 kHz is available for emergency communications in Alaska. Peak envelope power of stations operating on this frequency must not exceed 150 watts. When a station in Alaska is authorized to use 5167.5 kHz, such station may also use this frequency for calling and listening for the purpose of establishing communications.
4 Use of these frequencies is on a secondary basis to Region 2 broadcasting.
5 After April 1, 2007, use of the frequency 11601.5 kHz shall be on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to HF broadcasting.
(c) Use of the frequencies in paragraph (b) of this section must meet the following conditions:
(1) Communications between private coast and private fixed stations are prohibited; and
(2) Station licensees must not charge for third party communication services between their station and any other private fixed station.
(d) The following carrier frequency pairs are assignable for point-to-point communications between public fixed and private fixed stations:
1 This frequency is assignable on a primary basis to public coast stations and on a secondary basis to public fixed stations.
2 Teleprinter use is authorized.
3 Peak envelope power must not exceed 1 kW.
4 Licensees must cease all communications on 5134.5 kHz and 5137.5 kHz when notified by the State of Alaska of an emergency or disaster. Licensees may resume communication on these frequencies when notified by the State of Alaska that the disaster or harmful interference has ended.
(e) The public fixed station frequencies are assignable to common carriers.
(f) The private fixed station frequencies described in paragraph (d) of this section are assignable to private entities located in areas where common carrier facilities are not available. Private fixed stations operating on the frequencies in paragraph (d) of this section, must communicate with public fixed stations only. Private fixed stations are permitted to provide third party communications between their station and the public fixed stations. A charge for such service is prohibited.
(g) U.S. Government frequencies will be authorized if the Commission determines that the assignment is in the public interest.
§ 80.389   Frequencies for maritime support stations.
(a) Marine receiver test. Maritime support stations will be authorized to conduct receiver tests on the ship station frequencies of the channels assigned to the associated public coast station.
(b) Shore radar and radiolocation tests. The following frequency bands are available for assignment to demonstrate radar and radiolocation equipment. The use of frequencies within these bands must not cause harmful interference to the radionavigation service and the Government radiolocation service: 2450-2500 MHz, 2900-3100 MHz, 5460-5650 MHz, 9300-9500 MHz, 14.0-14.05 GHz.
§ 80.393   Frequencies for AIS stations.
Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) are a maritime broadcast service. The simplex channels at 156.775 MHz (AIS 3), 156.825 MHz (AIS 4), 161.975 MHz (AIS 1), and 162.025 MHz (AIS 2), each with a 25 kHz bandwidth, may be authorized only for AIS. In accordance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act, the United States Coast Guard regulates AIS carriage requirements for non-Federal Government ships. These requirements are codified at 33 CFR 164.46, 401.20.
§ 80.401   Station documents requirement.
Licensees of radio stations are required to have current station documents as indicated in the following table:
Notes: 1. The expired station license must be retained in the station records until the first Commission inspection after the expiration date.
2. Alternatively, a list of coast stations maintained by the licensee with which communications are likely to be conducted, showing watch-keeping hours, frequencies and charges, is authorized.
3. Required only if station provides a service to ocean-going vessels.
4. Certification of a Great Lakes inspection may be made by either a log entry or issuance of a Great Lakes certificate. The ship's radiotelephone logs containing entries certifying that a Great Lakes safety inspection has been conducted must be retained on board and available for inspection until the next radio inspection.
5. The requirements for having the GMDSS Master Plan, NGA Publication 117, Admiralty List of Radio Signals or IMO Circ. 7 are satisfied by having any one of those four documents.
§ 80.403   Availability of documents.
Station documents must be readily available to the licensed operator(s) on duty during the hours of service of the station and to authorized Commission employees upon request.
§ 80.405   Station license.
(a) Requirement. Except as provided in § 80.13(c), stations must have an authorization granted by the Federal Communications Commission.
(b) Application. Application for authorizations in the maritime services must be submitted on the prescribed forms in accordance with subpart B of this part.
(c) Posting. (1) The current station authorization for a station other than a public coast station, or a clearly legible copy, must be posted at the principal control point of each station. If a copy is posted, it must indicate the location of the original. When the station license cannot be posted as in the case of a marine utility station operating at temporary unspecified locations or the ship or recreational boat does not have an enclosed wheelhouse, it must be kept where it will be readily available for inspection. The licensee of a station on board a ship subject to Part II or III or Title III of the Communications Act or the Safety Convention must retain the most recently expired ship station license in the station records until the first Commission inspection after the expiration date.
(2) Public coast stations authorized under this part must make available either a clearly legible copy of the authorization for each station at the principal control point of the station or an address or location where the current authorization may be found and a telephone number of that authorization's representative.
§ 80.407   Operator authorization.
This section contains information and rules pertinent to the application for and posting of radio operator authorizations. Rules applicable to radio operator requirements are contained in subpart D of this part and other rules pertinent to commercial radio operators are contained in part 13 of this chapter.
(a) Application. Detailed information about application forms, filing procedures, and places to file applications for radio operator authorizations is contained in the bulletin “Commercial Radio Operator Licenses and Permits.” This bulletin is available from any Commission District Office or from the FCC, Washington, DC 20554.
(b) Posting. When a Commission-authorized operator is required, the original authorization of each operator must be posted at the principal control point of the station. In lieu of posting, an operator who holds a restricted radiotelephone operator permit or a higher class operator license may have the operator authorization or a photocopy thereof available for inspection upon request by authorized Commission employees when operating the following:
(1) A voluntary station;
(2) Any class of ship station when the operator is on board solely to service the radio equipment; or
(3) A portable station.
§ 80.409   Station logs.
(a) General requirements. Logs must be established and properly maintained as follows:
(1) The log must be kept in an orderly manner. The log may be kept electronically or in writing. The required information for the particular class or category of station must be readily available. Key letters or abbreviations may be used if their proper meaning or explanation is contained elsewhere in the same log.
(2) Erasures, obliterations, or willful destruction of written logs, or deletions of data or willful destruction of computer files or computer hardware containing electronic logs, is prohibited during the retention period. Corrections may be made only by the person originating the entry by striking out the error, initialing the correction and indicating the date of correction. With respect to electronic logs, striking out the error is to be accomplished using a strike-through formatting effect or a similar software function, and the correction is to be acknowledged through a dated electronic signature at the location of the strike-through.
(3) Ship station logs must identify the vessel name, country of registry, and official number of the vessel.
(4) The station licensee and the radio operator in charge of the station are responsible for the maintenance of station logs.
(b) Availability and retention. Station logs must be made available to authorized Commission employees upon request and retained as follows:
(1) Logs must be retained by the licensee for a period of two years from the date of entry, and, when applicable, for such additional periods as required by the following paragraphs:
(i) Logs relating to a distress situation or disaster must be retained for three years from the date of entry.
(ii) If the Commission has notified the licensee of an investigation, the related logs must be retained until the licensee is specifically authorized in writing to destroy them.
(iii) Logs relating to any claim or complaint of which the station licensee has notice must be retained until the claim or complaint has been satisfied or barred by statute limiting the time for filing suits upon such claims.
(2) Logs containing entries required by paragraph (c) of this section must be kept either at the principal control point of the station or electronically filed at the station licensee's primary office or available to the Commission via secured access to the licensee's Internet web site. Logs containing entries required by paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section must be kept at the principal radiotelephone operating location while the vessel is being navigated. All entries in their original form must be retained on board the vessel for at least 30 days from the date of entry. Additionally, logs required by paragraph (f) of this section must be retained on board the vessel for a period of 2 years from the date of the last inspection of the ship radio station.
(3) Ship radiotelegraph logs must be kept in the principal radiotelegraph operating room during the voyage.
(c) Public coast station logs. Public coast stations must maintain a log, whether by means of written or automatic logging or a combination thereof. The log must contain the following information:
(1) “ON DUTY” must be entered by the operator beginning a duty period, followed in the case of a written log by the operator's signature. “OFF DUTY” must be entered by the operator being relieved of or terminating duty, followed in the case of a written log by the operator's signature.
(2) The date and time of making an entry must be shown opposite the entry.
(3) Failure of equipment to operate as required and incidents tending to unduly delay communication must be entered.
(4) All measurements of the transmitter frequency(ies) must be entered with a statement of any corrective action taken.
(5) Entries must be made giving details of all work performed which may affect the proper operation of the station. The entry must be made, dated and in the case of a written log signed by the operator who supervised or performed the work and, unless the operator is regularly employed on a full-time basis at the station, must also include the mailing address, class, serial number, and expiration date of the operator license.
(6) Entries must be made about the operation of the antenna tower lights when the radio station has an antenna structure requiring illumination by part 17 of this chapter.
(7) All distress or safety related calls transmitted or received must be entered, together with the frequency used and the position of any vessel in need of assistance.
(d) Ship radiotelegraph logs. Logs of ship stations which are compulsorily equipped for radiotelegraphy and operating in the band 90 to 535 kHz must contain log entries as follows:
(1) The date and time of each occurrence or incident required to be entered in the log must be shown opposite the entry and the time must be expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
(2) “ON WATCH” must be entered by the operator beginning a watch, followed by the operator's signature for stations maintaining written logs. “OFF WATCH” must be entered by the operator being relieved or terminating a watch, followed by the operator's signature for stations maintaining written logs. All log entries must be completed by the end of each watch.
(3) During the watch, all calls and replies to and from the station must be entered to include the time, frequencies, and call letters of the station communicated with or heard. Also, any messages exchanged must be entered to include the time, frequency, and call letters of the station(s) communicated with or heard.
(4) All distress calls, automatic-alarm signals, urgency and safety signals made or intercepted, the complete text, if possible, or distress messages and distress communications, and any incidents or occurrences which may appear to be of importance to safety of life or property at sea, must be entered, together with the time of such observation or occurrence and the position of the ship or other mobile unit in need of assistance.
(5) The position of the ship at least once per day.
(6) A daily entry must be made comparing the radio station clock with standard time, including errors observed and corrections made. For this purpose, authentic radio time signals received from land or fixed stations will be acceptable as standard time.
(7) All test transmissions must be entered, including the time of the transmissions and the approximate geographical location of the vessel.
(8) Any failure of equipment to operate as required and any incidents tending to unduly delay communications must be entered.
(e) Ship radiotelephone logs. Logs of ship stations which are compulsorily equipped for radiotelephony must contain the following applicable log entries and the time of their occurrence:
(1) A summary of all distress and urgency communications affecting the station's own ship, all distress alerts relayed by the station's own ship, and all distress call acknowledgements and other communications received from search and rescue authorities.
(2) A summary of safety communications on other than VHF channels affecting the station's own ship.
(3) The time of any inadvertent transmissions of distress, urgency and safety signals including the time and method of cancellation.
(4) An entry that pre-departure equipment checks were satisfactory and that required publications are on hand. Daily entries of satisfactory tests to ensure the continued proper functioning of GMDSS equipment shall be made.
(5) A daily statement about the condition of the required radiotelephone equipment, as determined by either normal communication or test communication;
(6) A weekly entry that:
(i) The proper functioning of digital selective calling (DSC) equipment has been verified by actual communications or a test call;
(ii) The portable survival craft radio gear and radar transponders have been tested; and
(iii) The EPIRBs have been inspected.
(7) An entry at least once every thirty days that the batteries or other reserve power sources have been checked and are functioning properly.
(8) Results of required equipment tests, including specific gravity of lead-acid storage batteries and voltage reading of other types of batteries provided as a part of the compulsory installation;
(9) Results of inspections and tests of compulsorily fitted lifeboat radio equipment;
(10) When the master is notified about improperly operating radiotelephone equipment.
(11) At the beginning of each watch, the Officer of the Navigational Watch, or GMDSS Operator on watch, if one is provided, shall ensure that the navigation receiver is functioning properly and is interconnected to all GMDSS alerting devices which do not have integral navigation receivers, including: VHF DSC, MF DSC, satellite EPIRB and HF DSC or INMARSAT SES. On a ship without integral or directly connected navigation receiver input to GMDSS equipment, the Officer of the Navigational Watch, or GMDSS Operator on watch, shall update the embedded position in each equipment. An appropriate log entry of these actions shall be made.
(12) An entry describing any malfunctioning GMDSS equipment and another entry when the equipment is restored to normal operation.
(13) A GMDSS radio log entry shall be made whenever GMDSS equipment is exchanged or replaced (ensuring that ship MMSI identifiers are properly updated in the replacement equipment), when major repairs to GMDSS equipment are accomplished, and when annual GMDSS inspections are conducted.
(f) Applicable radiotelephone log entries. The log entries listed in paragraph (e) of this section are applicable as follows (vessels subject to the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) should also refer to subpart W of this Part for additional guidance on maintenance of station logs):
(1) Radiotelephony stations subject to part II or III of title III of the Communications Act and/or the Safety Convention must record entries indicated by paragraphs (e)(1) through (13) of this section. Additionally, the radiotelephone log must provide an easily identifiable, separate section relating to the required inspection of the ship's radio station. Entries must be made in this section giving at least the following information.
(i) For ships that pass the inspection:
(A) The date the inspection was conducted.
(B) The date by which the next inspection needs to completed.
(C) The inspector's printed name, address and class of FCC license (including the serial number).
(D) The results of the inspection, including any repairs made.
(E) The inspector's signed and dated certification that the vessel meets the requirements of the Communications Act and, if applicable, the Safety Convention and the Bridge-to-Bridge Act contained in subparts R, S, U, or W of this part and has successfully passed the inspection.
(F) The vessel owner, operator, or ship's master's certification that the inspection was satisfactory.
(ii) For ships that fail the inspection:
(A) The date the inspection was conducted.
(B) The inspector's printed name, address and class of FCC license (including the serial number).
(C) The reason that the ship did not pass the inspection.
(D) The date and time that the ship's owner, operator or master was notified that the ship failed the inspection.
(2) Radiotelephony stations subject to subpart T of this part and the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must record entries indicated by paragraphs (e)(1), (3), (5), (6), (7), (8), (10), (11), and (13) of this section. Additionally, the radiotelephone log must provide an easily identifiable, separate section relating to the required inspection of the ship's radio station. Entries must be made in this section giving at least the following information:
(i) The date the inspection was conducted;
(ii) The date by which the next inspection needs to be completed;
(iii) The inspector's printed name, address and class of FCC license (including the serial number);
(iv) The results of the inspection, including any repairs made;
(v) The inspector's signed and dated certification that the vessel meets the requirements for certain vessels operating in the Great Lakes and of the Bridge-to-Bridge Act contained in subparts T and U of this part and has successfully passed the inspection; and
(vi) The vessel owner, operator, or ship's master's certification that the inspection was satisfactory.
(3) Radiotelephony stations subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must record entries indicated by paragraphs (e)(1), (3), (5) (6), (7), (10), and (11) of this section.
§ 80.411   Vessel certification or exemption.
(a) Application. The application procedures for inspection and certification and for exemptions are contained in § 80.59.
(b) Posting. Part II or III of Title III of the Communications Act, Safety Convention, and Great Lakes certificates or exemptions must be posted in a prominent, accessible place in the ship. Ships subject to subpart T of this part may, in lieu of a posted certificate, certify compliance in the station log required by § 80.409(f).
§ 80.413   On-board station equipment records.
(a) The licensee of an on-board station must keep equipment records which show:
(1) The ship name and identification of the on-board station;
(2) The number and type of repeater and mobile units used on-board the vessel; and
(3) The date and type of equipment which is added or removed from the on-board station.
(b) [Reserved]
§ 80.415   Publications.
(a) The following publications listed in the table contained in § 80.401 are published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU):
(1) Manual for Use of the Maritime Mobile and Maritime Mobile-Satellite Services.
(2) List IV—List of Coast Stations.
(3) List V—List of Ship Stations.
(4) List VI—List of Radiodetermination and Special Services Stations.
(5) List VII A—Alphabetical List of Call Signs of Stations Used by the Maritime Mobile Service, Ship Station Selective Call Numbers or Signals and Coast Station Identification Numbers or Signals. These publications may be purchased from: International Telecommunication Union, General Secretariat-Sales Section, Place des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
(b) The following publications listed in the table contained in § 80.401 are available as follows:
(1) IMO GMDSS Master Plan may be purchased from International Maritime Organization (IMO), Publications, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7 SR, United Kingdom; telephone 011 44 71 735 7611.
(2) U.S. NGA Publication 117 may be purchased from Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954, telephone 202-512-1800.
(3) The Admiralty List of Radio Signals, Volume 5—Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, may be purchased from UK Hydrographic Office, Admiralty Way, Tauton, Somerset TA1 2DN, United Kingdom, telephone + 44 (0)1823 337900 x3333.
§ 80.417   FCC Rules and Regulations.
The Commission's printed publications are described in subpart C of part 0 of this chapter. These publications may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The Commission does not furnish copies of these publications but will furnish a price list, Information Services and Publications—Bulletin No. 1, upon request. Requests for copies of this list may be directed to the Consumer Information Bureau, Consumer Information Network Division. Information bulletins and fact sheets containing information about communications issues and the Federal Communications Commission are also available on the Commission's web site at www.fcc.gov or ftp.fcc.gov.
§ 80.451   Supplemental eligibility requirements.
A public coast station license may be granted to any person meeting the citizenship provisions of § 80.15(b).
§ 80.453   Scope of communications.
Public coast stations provide ship/shore radiotelephone and radiotelegraph services.
(a) Public coast stations are authorized to communicate:
(1) With any ship or aircraft station operating in the maritime mobile service, for the transmission or reception of safety communication;
(2) With any land station to exchange safety communications to or from a ship or aircraft station;
(3) With Government and non-Government ship and aircraft stations to exchange public correspondence;
(4) With units on land in accordance with § 80.123.
(b) Public coast stations are authorized to communicate with a designated station at a remote fixed location where other communication facilities are not available.
(c) Public coast stations are authorized to transmit meteorological and navigational information of benefit to mariners.
(d) Each public coast telegraphy station is authorized to communicate with other public coast telegraphy stations to exchange message traffic destined to or originated at mobile stations:
(1) To exchange operating signals, brief service messages or safety communication;
(2) To exchange message traffic destined for a mobile station when the coast station initially concerned is unable to communicate directly with the mobile station;
(3) In the Great Lakes region, to exchange message traffic originated at a mobile station when the use of available point-to-point communication facilities would delay the delivery of such message traffic;
(4) Utilization of radiotelegraphy must not incur additional charges or replace available point-to-point communication facilities;
(5) Only authorized working frequencies within the band 415 kHz to 5000 kHz must be employed for communications between coast stations;
(6) Harmful interference must not be caused to communication between mobile stations and coast stations or between mobile stations.
§ 80.455   Assignment and use of frequencies for manual Morse code telegraphy.
(a) The frequencies designated in §§ 80.355 and 80.357 may be licensed for use by coast stations employing telegraphy.
(b) [Reserved]
§ 80.459   Digital selective calling.
Subpart H of this part lists frequencies assignable for DSC.
§ 80.461   Narrow-band direct-printing.
Subpart H of this part lists the frequencies assignable to public coast stations for operations with ship stations. Operating procedures are listed in subpart C of this part.
§ 80.465   Assignment and use of frequencies for telephony.
Subpart H of this part lists the frequencies available for assignment to public coast stations for telephony operations.
§ 80.467   Duplication of VHF service.
No duplication of service areas as determined by subpart P of this part will be permitted by public coast stations operating on the same VHF public correspondence channel. Within the service area of a station, the ratio of desired to undesired co-channel signal strengths on public correspondence channels must be at least 12dB.
§ 80.469   Maritime mobile repeater stations in Alaska.
(a) Maritime mobile repeater stations are authorized to extend the range of communication between a VHF public coast station located in Alaska and ship stations.
(b) On a secondary basis, maritime mobile repeater stations may be authorized to extend the range of a private coast station:
(1) In an area where VHF common carrier service is not available;
(2) A maritime mobile repeater station license expires 60 days after a public coast station in the area begins service.
(c) Maritime mobile repeater stations may not be authorized in cases where operational fixed frequencies can be employed.
(d) The provisions relating to duplication of service described in subpart P apply to maritime mobile repeater stations.
(e) The frequencies 157.275 and 161.875 MHz are assignable to maritime mobile repeater stations.
(f) Each maritime mobile repeater station must:
(1) Deactivate automatically within 5 seconds after the signals controlling the station cease; and
(2) During periods when it is not controlled from a manned control point, deactivate automatically not more than 20 minutes after its activation by a mobile unit.
§ 80.471   Discontinuance or impairment of service.
Except as specified in § 20.15(b)(3) of this chapter with respect to commercial mobile radio service providers, a public coast station must not discontinue or impair service unless authorized to do so by the Commission.
§ 80.475   Scope of service of the Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS).
(a) A separate Form 601 is not required for each coast station in a system. However, except as provided in § 80.385(b) and paragraph (b) of this section, the applicant must provide the technical characteristics for each proposed coast station, including transmitter type, operating frequencies, emissions, transmitter output power, antenna arrangement, and location.
(1) Applicants proposing to locate a coast station transmitter within 169 kilometers (105 miles) of a channel 13 TV station or within 129 kilometers (80 miles) of a channel 10 TV station or with an antenna height greater than 61 meters (200 feet), must submit an engineering study clearly showing the means of avoiding interference with television reception within the grade B contour, see § 80.215(h) of this chapter, unless the proposed station's predicted interference contour is fully encompassed by the composite interference contour of the applicant's existing system, or the proposed station's predicted interference contour extends the system's composite interference contour over water only (disregarding uninhabited islands).
(2) Additionally, applicants required to submit the above specified must give written notice of the filing of such applications(s) to the television stations which may be affected. A list of the notified television stations must be submitted with the subject applications.
(b) Coast stations for which the above specified need not be submitted because the proposed station's predicted interference contour is fully encompassed by the composite interference contour of the applicant's existing system or the proposed station's predicted interference contour extends the system's composite interference contour over water only (disregarding uninhabited islands) must, at least 15 days before the station is put into operation, give written notice to the television stations which may be affected of the proposed station's technical characteristics, the date it will be put into operation, and the licensee's representative (name and phone number) to contact in the event a television station experiences interference. No prior FCC authorization is required to construct and operate such a station, but, at the time the station is added, the AMTS licensee must make a record of the technical and administrative information concerning the station and, upon request, supply such information to the FCC. In addition, when the station is added, the AMTS licensee must send notification of the station's location to the American Radio Relay League, Inc., 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494, and Interactive Systems, Inc., Suite 1103, 1601 North Kent Street, Arlington, VA 22209.
(c) An AMTS system may provide private mobile radio service in addition to or instead of public correspondence service. However, such communications may be provided only to stations whose licensees make cooperative arrangements with the AMTS coast station licensees. In emergency and distress situations, services must be provided to ship stations without prior arrangements.
(d) AMTS systems providing private mobile radio service instead of, or in addition to, public correspondence service are not required to be interconnected to the public switched network when providing such private mobile radio service. AMTS systems providing public correspondence service must be interconnected to the public switched network, but the licensee may also offer non-interconnected services.
§ 80.477   AMTS points of communication.
(a) AMTS coast stations may communicate with fixed platform stations located in the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with ship stations, and with land units in accordance with § 80.123.
(b) AMTS licensees in the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico may use AMTS coast and ship station frequencies on a secondary basis for fixed service communications to support offshore AMTS operations.
(c) AMTS service may be provided to any vessel within communication service range of an AMTS station even though the vessel may not be operating within the confines of a served waterway.
(d) AMTS licensees may use AMTS coast and ship frequencies on a secondary basis for fixed service communications to support AMTS deployment in remote fixed locations at which other communications facilities are not available.
§ 80.479   Assignment and use of frequencies for AMTS.
(a) The frequencies assignable to AMTS stations are listed in subpart H of this subpart.
(b) The transmissions from a station of an AMTS geographic area licensee may not exceed a predicted 38 dBu field strength at the geographic area border, unless all affected co-channel geographic area licensees agree to the higher field strength. The predicted 38 dBu field strength is calculated using the F(50, 50) field strength chart for Channels 7 through 13 in § 73.699 (Fig. 10) of this chapter, with a 9 dB correction factor for antenna height differential. Geographic area licensees must coordinate to minimize interference at or near their geographic area borders, and must cooperate to resolve any instances of interference in accordance with the provisions of § 80.70(a).
(c) AMTS frequencies may be used for mobile-to-mobile communications if written consent is obtained from all affected licensees.
§ 80.481   Alternative technical parameters for AMTS transmitters.
In lieu of the technical parameters set forth in this part, AMTS transmitters may utilize any modulation or channelization scheme so long as emissions are attenuated in accordance with § 80.211 at the band edges of each station's assigned channel group or groups.
§ 80.501   Supplemental eligibility requirements.
(a) A private coast station or a marine utility station may be granted only to a person who is:
(1) Regularly engaged in the operation, docking, direction, construction, repair, servicing or management of one or more commercial transport vessels or United States, state or local government vessels; or is
(2) Responsible for the operation, control, maintenance or development of a harbor, port or waterway used by commercial transport vessels; or is
(3) Engaged in furnishing a ship arrival and departure service, and will employ the station only for the purpose of obtaining the information essential to that service; or is
(4) A corporation proposing to furnish a nonprofit radio communication service to its parent corporation, to another subsidiary of the same parent, or to its own subsidiary where the party to be served performs any of the eligibility activities described in this section; or is
(5) A nonprofit corporation or association, organized to furnish a maritime mobile service solely to persons who operate one or more commercial transport vessels; or is
(6) Responsible for the operation of bridges, structures or other installations that area part of, or directly related to, a harbor, port or waterway when the operation of such facilities requires radio communications with vessels for safety or navigation; or is
(7) A person controlling public moorage facilities; or is
(8) A person servicing or supplying vessels other than commercial transport vessels; or is
(9) An organized yacht club with moorage facilities; or is
(10) A nonprofit organization providing noncommercial communications to vessels other than commercial transport vessels.
(b) Each application for station authorization for a private coast station or a marine utility station must be accompanied by a statement indicating eligibility under paragraph (a) of this section.
§ 80.503   Cooperative use of facilities.
(a) A person engaged in the operation of one or more commercial transport vessels or government vessels may receive maritime mobile service from a private coast station or a marine utility station on shore even though not the licensee of the private coast station or the marine utility station. Restrictions on cooperative arrangements are as follows:
(1) Foreign persons must be the licensees of the radio stations installed on board their vessels.
(2) The licensee of a private coast station or marine utility station on shore may install ship radio stations on board United States commercial transport vessels of other persons. In each case these persons must enter into a written agreement verifying that the ship station licensee has the sole right of control of the ship stations, that the vessel operators must use the ship stations subject to the orders and instructions of the coast station or marine utility station on shore, and that the ship station licensee will have sufficient control of the ship station to enable it to carry out its responsibilities under the ship station license.
(b) Cooperative arrangements are limited concerning cost and charges as follows:
(1) The arrangement must be established on a non-profit, cost-sharing basis by written contract. A copy of the contract must be kept with the station records and made available for inspection by Commission representatives.
(2) Contributions to capital and operating expenses are to be prorated on an equitable basis among all persons who are parties to the cooperative arrangement. Records which reflect the cost of the service and its nonprofit, cost-sharing nature must be maintained by the licensee of the station and made available for inspection by Commission representatives.
§ 80.505   Points of communication.
(a) Private coast stations and marine utility stations are authorized to communicate:
(1) With any mobile station in the maritime mobile service for the exchange of safety communications;
(2) With any land station for the purpose of aiding the exchange of safety communications;
(3) With ship stations.
(b) Private coast stations of the same licensee may be authorized to communicate on a secondary basis between themselves if:
(1) The communications are confined exclusively to those for which authority has been granted the coast station, and concerns ships with which one or both of the coast stations are authorized to communicate; and
(2) Other satisfactory point-to-point communication facilities between the coast stations are unavailable; and
(3) Coast stations which communicate with each other are not more than 160 km (100 miles) apart; and
(4) Harmful interference is not cause to mobile stations.
(c) A private coast station and associated marine utility stations serving and located on a shipyard regularly engaged in construction or repair of commercial transport vessels or Government vessels are authorize to communicate between stations when they are licensed to the same entity and communications are limited to serving the needs of ships on a non-interference basis to other stations in the maritime mobile service. A separate showing is required.
§ 80.507   Scope of service.
(a) A private coast station or marine utility station using telephony serves the operational and business needs of ships including the transmission of safety communication.
(b) In areas where environmental communications are provided by U.S. Government stations or by public coast stations, private coast stations and marine utility stations on shore must not duplicate that service. In other areas, private coast stations and marine utility stations on shore may transmit weather and hydrographic information required for the ships with which they normally communicate. Private coast stations may provide environmental communication service in areas where adequate service is not available.
(c) Each marine utility station on shore must be operated as a private coast station except that it may be operated at temporary unspecified locations. Marine utility stations on ships are operated as ship stations.
(d) Each private coast station is authorized by rule to use hand-held marine radios in the vicinity of the station's fixed transmitter site on those frequencies assigned to the private coast station. Hand-held communications must conform to those normally permitted under a marine utility station authorization and must be limited to contact with the associated private coast station and ship stations in the vicinity of the private coast station.
§ 80.509   Frequency assignment.
Frequencies assignable to private coast stations and marine utility stations are listed in subpart H.
§ 80.513   Frequency coordination.
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section each application for a new VHF private coast station license or modification of an existing license to be located in an area having a recognized frequency coordinating committee must be accompanied by:
(1) A report based on a field study, indicating the degree of probable interference to existing stations operating in the same area. The applicant must consider all stations operating on the working frequency or frequencies requested or assigned within 80 km (50 miles) of the proposed station location, and
(2) The report must include a statement that all existing licensees on the frequency within 80 km (50 miles) and the frequency coordinating committee have been notified of the applicant's intention to file an application. The notice of intention to file must provide the licensees concerned and the advisory committee with the following information: The frequency and emission; transmitter location and power; and the antenna height proposed by the applicant.
(b) Applications for modification need not be accompanied by the field study where the modification does not involve any change in frequency(ies), power, emission, antenna height, antenna location or area of operation.
(c)(1) In lieu of the field study, the applicant may acquire a statement from a frequency coordinating committee. The applicant must certify on the application concerning the recommendations of the coordinating committee. The committee must comment on the requested frequency or the proposed changes in the authorized station and give an opinion regarding the probable interference to existing stations. The committee must consider all stations operating on the requested frequency within 80 km (50 miles) of the proposed station location. The frequency coordinating committee statement must also recommend a frequency which will result in the least amount of interference to proposed and existing stations. Committee recommendations may also include comments on technical factors and may recommend restrictions to minimize interference.
(2) A frequency coordinating committee must be representative of all persons who are eligible for VHF private coast stations within the service area of the recognized frequency coordinating committee. A statement of organization, service area and composition of the committee must be submitted to the Commission for approval. The functions of any coordinating committee are purely advisory to the applicant and the Commission. Its recommendations are not binding upon either the applicant or the Commission.
§ 80.514   Marine VHF frequency coordinating committee(s).
This section contains the names of organizations that have been recognized by the Commission to serve as marine VHF frequency coordinating committees for their respective areas.
(a) The Southern California Marine Radio Council serves the California counties of Santa Barbara, Kern, San Bernardino, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial and the Channel Islands.
(b) The North Pacific Marine Radio Council serves the following counties in the State of Washington: Clallam, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom.
§ 80.515   Limitations on use.
A private coast station or marine utility station using telephony must:
(a) Not be used for public correspondence;
(b) Not be used to transmit program material for radio broadcasting; and
(c) Not be used to transmit press material or news items which are not required to serve the needs of ships.
§ 80.517   Time limitation on communication.
All communication engaged in by private coast stations and marine utility stations must be limited to the minimum practicable transmission time. Each station licensee must employ standardized operating practices and procedures.
§ 80.519   Station identification.
(a) Stations must identify transmissions by announcing in the English language the station's assigned call sign. In lieu of the identification of the station by voice, the official call sign may be transmitted by tone-modulated telegraphy in international Morse Code manually or by means of an automatic device approved by the Commission. Transmissions on the navigation frequency (156.650 MHz) by stations on drawbridges may be identified by use of the name of the bridge in lieu of the call sign. Identification must be made:
(1) At the beginning and end of each exchange of communications and;
(2) At intervals not exceeding 15 minutes whenever transmissions or communications are sustained for more than 15 minutes.
(b) Marine utility stations, private coast stations, and associated hand-held radios, when exchanging communications, may be identified by a unit identifier in lieu of the call sign. Identification by transmission of the assigned call sign must be at the end of the exchange or at least once every 15 minutes.
§ 80.551   Applicability.
This subpart contains rules applicable to operational fixed stations.
§ 80.553   Supplemental eligibility requirements.
An applicant for an operational fixed station must certify that:
(a) The applicant is the licensee of a coast station;
(b) Other suitable telecommunications facilities are not available to satisfy coast station requirements.
§ 80.555   Scope of communication.
An operational fixed station provides control, repeater or relay functions for its associated coast station.
§ 80.557   Assignment and use of frequencies.
The specific frequencies for these stations are listed in subpart H of this part.
§ 80.559   Licensing limitations.
Operational fixed stations are subject to the following licensing limitations:
(a) A maximum of four frequencies will be assigned.
(b) Stations will not be authorized when applications indicate less than 16 km (10 miles) separation between a proposed station and a TV transmitter operating on either Channel 4 or 5, or from the post office of a community in which either channel is assigned but not in operation.
(c) Stations located between 16 km (10 miles) and 128 km (80 miles) of a TV transmitter operating on either Channel 4 or 5, or from the post office of a community in which either channel is assigned but not in operation, are secondary to TV operations within the Grade B service contour. 1
1 OET Bulletin No. 67, March 1988, entitled “Potential Interference from Operational Fixed Stations in the 72-76 MHz Band to Television Channels 4 and 5” describes an analytical model that can be used to calculate the potential interference that might result from a given fixed station operation. Copies of the bulletin may be obtained from the Commission's current duplication contractor. Information concerning the current duplication contractor may be obtained from the Office of Public Affairs, Consumer Assistance and Small Business Division, Telephone (202) 632-7000.
§ 80.601   Scope of communications.
Stations on land in the Maritime Radiodetermination Service provide a radionavigation or radiolocation service for ships.
§ 80.603   Assignment and use of frequencies.
The frequencies available for assignment to shore radionavigation/radiolocation stations are contained in subpart H of this part.
§ 80.605   U.S. Coast Guard coordination.
(a) Radionavigation coast stations operated to provide information to aid in the movement of any ship are private aids to navigation. Before submitting an application for a radionavigation station, an applicant must obtain written permission from the cognizant Coast Guard District Commander at the area in which the device will be located. The Commission may request an applicant to provide documentation as to this fact. Note: Surveillance radar coast stations do not require U.S. Coast Guard approval.
(b) Coast station transponders (i.e., radar beacons, or racons) operating in the band 2900-3100 or 9300-9500 MHz shall meet the requirements of ITU-R M.824-3 (incorporated by reference, see § 80.7). Applications for certification of these transponders must include a description of the technical characteristics of the equipment including the scheme of interrogation and the characteristics of the transponder response, and test results demonstrating the device meets each applicable requirement of this ITU-R recommendation.
(c) The use of ship station transponders in the band 2900-3100 or 9300-9500 MHz other than those described in §§ 80.1085(a)(3) and 80.1095(b) is prohibited.
§ 80.651   Supplemental eligibility requirements.
(a) An applicant for a maritime support station must demonstrate a requirement for training personnel associated with the maritime service or for the testing, demonstration or maintenance of ship or coast radio equipment.
(b) [Reserved]
§ 80.653   Scope of communications.
(a) Maritime support stations are land stations authorized to operate at permanent locations or temporary unspecified locations.
(b) Maritime support stations are authorized to conduct the following operations:
(1) Training of personnel in maritime telecommunications;
(2) Transmissions necessary for the test and maintenance of maritime radio equipment at repair shops and at temporary unspecified locations;
(3) Transmissions necessary to test the technical performance of the licensee's public coast station(s) radiotelephone receiver(s); and
(4) Transmissions necessary for radar/racon equipment demonstration.
§ 80.655   Use of frequencies.
(a) The frequencies available for assignment to maritime support stations are described or listed in:
(1) Section 80.373 for scope of communications described in § 80.653(b)(1);
(2) Sections 80.373 and 80.385 for scope of communications described in § 80.653(b)(2); and
(3) Section 80.389 for scope of communications described in § 80.653 (b)(3) and (4).
(b) Frequencies must be used only on a secondary, non-interference basis to operational maritime communications.
(c) Use of frequencies assigned to services other than the maritime radiolocation service is limited to one hour per twenty four hour period.
§ 80.659   Technical requirements.
The authorized frequency tolerance, class of emission, bandwidth, and transmitter power for maritime support stations are contained in subpart E of this part under the category associated with the intended use except for power limitations imposed upon stations operating within the scope of § 80.653(b)(3), which are further limited by the provisions of § 80.215(f).
§ 80.701   Scope of service.
There are two classes of Alaska Fixed stations. Alaska-public fixed stations are common carriers, open to public correspondence, which operate on the paired duplex channels listed in subpart H of this part. Alaska-private fixed stations may operate on simplex frequencies listed in subpart H of this part to communicate with other Alaska private fixed stations or with ship stations, and on duplex frequencies listed in subpart H of this part when communicating with the Alaska-public fixed stations. Alaska-private fixed stations must not charge for service, although third party traffic may be transmitted. Only Alaska-public fixed stations are authorized to charge for communication services.
§ 80.703   Priority of distress and other signals.
Alaska-public fixed stations, when operating on an authorized carrier frequency which is also used by the maritime mobile service, must give priority to distress, urgency or safety signals, or to any communication preceded by one of these signals.
§ 80.705   Hours of service of Alaska-public fixed stations.
Each Alaska-public fixed station whose hours of service are not continuous must not suspend operations before having concluded all communications of an emergency nature.
§ 80.707   Cooperative use of frequency assignments.
(a) Only one Alaska-public fixed station will be authorized to serve any area whose point-to-point communication needs can be adequately served by a single radio communication facility.
(b) Each radio channel authorized for use by an Alaska-private fixed station is available on a shared basis only. All station licensees must cooperate in the use of their respective frequency assignments to minimize interference.
§ 80.709   Frequencies available.
Frequencies assignable to Alaska fixed stations are listed in subpart H of this part.
§ 80.711   Use of U.S. Government frequencies.
Alaska-public fixed stations may be authorized to use frequencies assigned to U.S. Government radio stations for communications with Government stations or for coordination of Government activities.
§ 80.751   Scope.
This subpart specifies receiver antenna terminal requirements in terms of power, and relates the power available at the receiver antenna terminals to transmitter power and antenna height and gain. It also sets forth the co-channel interference protection that VHF public coast station geographic area licensees must provide to incumbents and to other VHF public coast station geographic area licensees.
§ 80.753   Signal strength requirements at the service area contour.
(a) The requirements for reception by a marine VHF shipboard receiver are satisfied if the field strength from the coast station, calculated in accordance with § 80.771 is at least + 17 dBu above one microvolt.
(b) These field strengths, voltages and powers at the receiver input are equivalent:
(1) −132 dBW (decibels referred to 1 watt).
(2) 1.8 microvolts across 50 ohms.
(3) + 17 dBu (decibels referred to 1 microvolt per meter).
(4) 7 microvolts per meter.
§ 80.755   Applicability.
Applications for maritime frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band must include a map showing the proposed service area contour. The service area contour must be computed in accordance with the following procedures.
§ 80.757   Topographical data.
(a) In the preparation of profile graphs and in determining the location and height above sea level of the antenna site, the elevations or contour intervals must be taken from U.S. Geological Survey topographic quadrangle maps, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maps or Tennessee Valley Authority maps, whichever is the latest, for all areas for which maps are available. If such maps are not published for the area in question, the next best topographic information must be used. The maps used must include the principal area to be served. U.S. Geological Survey topographic quadrangle maps may be obtained from the Eastern Distribution Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, 1200 South Eads Street, Arlington, VA 22202, for maps of areas east of the Mississippi River, including Minnesota, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, and from the Western Distribution Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Denver CO 80225, for maps of areas west of the Mississippi River, including Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Guam and American Samoa. Sectional aeronautical charts are available from the Distribution Division, National Ocean Service, Riverdale, MD 20840.
(b) In lieu of maps, the average terrain elevation may be computer generated, using elevations from a 30 second point or better topographic data file such as those available for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Geographic Information Center or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Geophysical Data Center. In case of dispute maps will be used to determine the correct value.
§ 80.759   Average terrain elevation.
(a)(1) Draw radials from the antenna site for each 45 degrees of azimuth starting with true north. Any such radial which extends entirely over land from the antenna site to the point of + 17 dBu field strength need not be drawn.
(2) If the distance from the antenna site to the point of + 17 dBu field strength between any of the 45 degrees radials would be less than the distances calculated along these radials, an additional radial between such adjacent radials must be plotted and calculations made in each case. Each additional radial must be that radial along which it appears by inspection that transmission loss would be greatest.
(b) Draw a circle of 16 km (10 statute mile) radius using the antenna site as the center. Divide each radial into 320 meter (0.2 statute mile) increments inside the circumference to the 3.2 km (2 statute mile) point.
(c) Calculate the height above sea level of each 320 meter (0.2 statute mile) division by interpolating the contour intervals of the map, and record the value.
(d) Average the values by adding them and dividing by the number of readings along each radial.
(e) Calculate the height above average terrain by averaging the values calculated for each radial.
§ 80.761   Conversion graphs.
The following graphs must be employed where conversion from one to the other of the indicated types of units is required.
(a) Graph 1. To convert effective radiated power in watts to dBk or to dBW, find the power in watts on the horizontal axis. Move vertically along the line representing the power to the diagonal line. Move horizontally from the diagonal to the right side to read dBW and to the left to read dBk.
(b) Graph 2. To convert microvolts across 50 ohms to received power in dBW, find the signal in microvolts on the horizontal axis. Move vertically to the diagonal line, then move right horizontally to read dBW.
(c) Graph 3. To convert received power in dBW to field intensity in dBu find the received power in dBW on the horizontal axis. Move vertically to the diagonal line, then move right horizontally to read dBu.
§ 80.763   Effective antenna height.
The effective height of the antenna is the vertical distance between the center of the radiating system above the mean sea level and the average terrain elevation.
§ 80.765   Effective radiated power.
Effective radiated power is used in computing the service area contour. The effective radiated power is derived from the transmitter output power, loss in the transmission system including duplexers, cavities, circulators, switches and filters, and the gain relative to a half-wave dipole of the antenna system.
§ 80.767   Propagation curve.
The propagation graph, § 80.767 Graph 1, must be used in computing the service area contour. The graph provides data for field strengths in dBu for an effective radiated power of 1 kW, over sea water, fresh water or land (smooth earth); transmitting antena heights of 4,800, 3,200, 1,600, 800, 400, 200, and 100 feet; based on a receiving antenna height of 9 meters (30 feet), for the 156-162 MHz band. The use of this is described in this section.
(a) Calculate the effective radiated power of the coast station, Ps in dB referred to 1 kW (dBk), as follows:
1. To determine field strengths where the distance is known, for effective radiated powers other than 1kW (0 dBk): Enter the graph from the “statute miles” scale at the known distance, read up to intersection with the curve for the antenna height, read left to the “dBu for 1 kW radiated” scale and note the referenced field strength (Fe). The value of the actual field strength (F) in dBu will be F = Fe + Ps where Ps is the effective radiated power calculated above.
2. To determine distance, where the actual field strength is specified, for effective radiated powers other than 0 dBk: The value of the field referenced strength will be Fe = F−Ps in dBu. Enter the graph, from the “dBu for 1 kW radiated” scale at the corrected value of Fe, read right to intersection with the antenna height, read down to “statute miles” scale.
(b) Determine the antenna height. For antenna heights between the heights for which this graph is drawn, use linear interpolation; assume linear height-gain for antennas higher than 4,800 feet.
(c) For receiver antenna heights lower than 9 meters (30 feet), assume that the field strength is the same as at 9 meters (30 feet).
(d) Assume that propagation over fresh water or over land is the same as that over sea water.
§ 80.769   Shadow loss.
Where the transmission path is obstructed the received signal must be adjusted to include shadow loss. Attenuation due to shadowing must be taken from § 80.769 Graph 1, as follows:
(a) Inspect the map(s) to determine if a hill(s) obstructs an imaginary line of sight (dashed line on illustrative profiles of § 80.769 Graph 1 from the average terrain elevation at the coast station antenna to the water level at the ship location. If average terrain elevation exceeds the actual ground elevation at the antenna site, the latter elevation must be used as the average terrain elevation.
(b) If a hill appears to obstruct the radio path, plot the antenna site elevation, the obstruction elevation and the height of the ship station on rectangular coordinate paper using elevation above mean sea level as the vertical scale and distance in statute miles as the horizontal scale. Then draw a straight line between the antenna and the ship.
(c) If a hill obstructs the imaginary line of sight, determine its height (H) above the imaginary line and its distance (D) from either the coast or ship station, whichever is nearer, as illustrated by examples “A” and “B” on Graph 1.
(d) Read the shadow loss from this Graph 1 and subtract that loss from the computed received signal.
(e) Where more than one hill obstructs the transmission path, determine the height and position of a single equivalent hill, as illustrated by example “C” on this graph. Read the shadow loss from this graph for the equivalent hill.
§ 80.771   Method of computing coverage.
Compute the + 17 dBu contour as follows:
(a) Determine the effective antenna height above mean sea level according to the procedures in §§ 80.757-80.761.
(b) Determine the effective radiated power according to § 80,765. Determine for each radial the distance from the antenna site to the + 17 dBu point of field strength using procedures of §§ 80.765 and 80.767.
(c) Plot on a suitable map each point of + 17 dBu field strength for all radials and draw the contour by connecting the adjacent points by a smooth curve.
§ 80.773   Co-channel interference protection.
(a) Where a VHF public coast station geographic area licensee shares a frequency with an incumbent VHF public coast station licensee, the ratio of desired to undesired signal strengths must be at least 12 dB within the service area of the station.
(b) Where a VHF public coast station geographic area licensee shares a frequency with an incumbent private land mobile radio licensee, the VHF public coast station geographic area licensee must provide at least 10 dB protection to the PLMR incumbent's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour. The PLMR incumbent's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour is calculated using the F(50, 50) field strength chart for Channels 7-13 in § 73.699 (Fig. 10a) of this chapter, with a 9 dB correction factor for antenna height differential, and is based on the licensee's authorized effective radiated power and antenna height-above-average-terrain.
(c) VHF public coast station geographic area licensees are prohibited from exceeding a field strength of + 5 dBu (decibels referenced to 1 microvolt per meter) at their service area boundaries, unless all the affected VHF public coast station geographic area licensees agree to the higher field strength.
§ 80.851   Applicability.
The radiotelephone requirements of this subpart are applicable to all compulsory ships which are not required to comply with subpart W of this part in total or in part because they have received an exemption from all or some of the subpart W provisions.
§ 80.853   Radiotelephone station.
(a) The radiotelephone station is a radiotelephone installation and other equipment necessary for the proper operation of the installation.
(b) The radiotelephone station must be installed to insure safe and effective operation of the equipment and to facilitate repair. Adequate protection must be provided against the effects of vibration, moisture, and temperature.
(c) The radiotelephone station and all necessary controls must be located at the level of the main wheelhouse or at least one deck above the ship's main deck.
(d) The principal operating position of the radiotelephone station must be in the room from which the ship is normally steered while at sea. In installations on cargo ships of 300 gross tons and upwards but less than 500 gross tons on which the keel was laid prior to January 1, 1965, the location of the principal operating controls may be in a room adjoining and opening into the room from which the vessel is normally steered while at sea. If the station can be operated from any location other than the principal operating position, a positive means must be provided at the principal operating position to take full control of the station.
§ 80.854   Radiotelephone installation.
The radiotelephone installation includes:
(a) A radiotelephone transmitter;
(b) A receiver as specified in § 80.858(a);
(c) A main source of energy;
(d) A reserve source of energy, when required by § 80.860(a);
(e) An antenna system.
§ 80.855   Radiotelephone transmitter.
(a) The transmitter must be capable of transmission of H3E and J3E emission on 2182 kHz, and J3E emission on 2638 kHz and at least two other frequencies within the band 1605 to 3500 kHz available for ship-to-shore or ship-to-ship communication.
(b) The duty cycle of the transmitter must permit transmission of the international radiotelephone alarm signal.
(c) The transmitter must be capable of transmitting clearly perceptible signals from ship to ship during daytime under normal conditions over a range of 150 nautical miles.
(d) The transmitter complies with the range requirement specified in paragraph (c) of this section if:
(1) The transmitter is capable of being matched to actual ship station transmitting antenna meeting the requirements of § 80.863; and
(2) The output power is not less than 60 watts peak envelope power for H3E and J3E emission on the frequency 2182 kHz and for J3E emission on the frequency 2638 kHz into either an artificial antenna consisting of a series network of 10 ohms resistance and 200 picofarads capacitance, or an artificial antenna of 50 ohms nominal impedance. An individual demonstration of the power output capability of the transmitter, with the radiotelephone installation normally installed on board ship, may be required.
(e) The transmitter must provide visual indication whenever the transmitter is supplying power to the antenna.
(f) The transmitter must be protected from excessive currents and voltages.
(g) A durable nameplate must be mounted on the transmitter or made an integral part of it showing clearly the name of the transmitter manufacturer and the type or model of the transmitter.
(h) An artificial antenna must be provided to permit weekly checks of the automatic device for generating the radiotelephone alarm signal on frequencies other than the radiotelephone distress frequency.
§ 80.858   Radiotelephone receiver.
(a) The receiver required by § 80.854(a) of this part must be capable of reception of H3E and J3E emissions on the radiotelephone distress frequency. The receiver must be capable of reception of J3E emissions on 2638 kHz and the receiving frequencies associated with the transmitting frequencies authorized pursuant to § 80.855(a).
(b) One or more loudspeakers capable of being used to maintain the distress frequency (2182 kHz) watch at the principal operating position and at any other place where the listening watch is performed must be provided.
(c) The receiver required by paragraph (a) of the section must:
(1) Have a sensitivity of 50 microvolts;
(2) Be capable of operation when energized by the main source of energy, and by the reserve source of energy if a reserve source is required by § 80.860(a);
(3) Be protected from excessive currents and voltages;
(4) Be provided with a nameplate showing the name of the receiver manufacturer and the type or model.
(d) The sensitivity of a receiver is the strength in microvolts of a signal, modulated 30 percent at 400 cycles per second, required at the receiver input to produce an audio output of 50 milliwatts to the loudspeaker with a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 6 decibels. Evidence of a manufacturer's rating or a demonstration of the sensitivity of a required receiver computed on this basis must be furnished upon request of a Commission representative.
§ 80.859   Main power supply.
(a) The main power supply must simultaneously energize the radiotelephone transmitter at its required antenna power and the required receivers. Under this load condition the voltage of the main power supply at the radiotelephone input terminals must not deviate from its rated potential by more than 10 percent on ships completed on or after July 1, 1941, nor by more than 15 percent on ships completed before that date.
(b) Means must be provided for charging any batteries used as a main power supply. A continuous indication of the rate and polarity of the charging current must be provided during charging of the batteries.
§ 80.860   Reserve power supply.
(a) When the main power supply is not on the same deck as the main wheelhouse or at least one deck above the vessel's main deck, a reserve power supply must be provided and must be so situated. The location of the reserve power supply must be located as near to the required transmitter and receivers as practicable and meet all applicable rules and regulations of the United States Coast Guard.
(b) The reserve power supply must be independent of the propelling power of the ship and of any other electrical system, and must simultaneously energize the radiotelephone transmitter at its required antenna power, the required receivers, the emergency light and the automatic radiotelephone alarm signal generator. The reserve power supply must be available at all times.
(c) The reserve power supply may be used to energize the bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone and the VHF radiotelephone installation required by § 80.871.
(d) All circuits connected to the reserve power supply must be protected from overloads.
(e) Means must be provided for charging any batteries used as a reserve power supply. A continuous indication of the rate and polarity of the charging current during charging of the batteries must be provided.
(f) The cooling system of each internal combustion engine used as a part of the reserve power supply must be adequately treated to prevent freezing or overheating consistent with the season and route to be traveled by the particular vessel involved.
(g) The reserve power supply must be available within 1 minute.
§ 80.861   Required capacity.
If the main power supply or the reserve power supply provided for the purpose of complying with §§ 80.859 and 80.860 consists of batteries, the batteries must have sufficient reserve capacity available at all times while the vessel is leaving or attempting to leave a harbor or port for a voyage in the open sea, and while being navigated in the open sea outside of a harbor or port, to permit operation of the radiotelephone transmitter and the required receivers for at least 6 hours continuously under normal working conditions.
§ 80.862   Proof of capacity.
(a) When directed by the Commission or its authorized representative, the station licensee must prove that the requirements of § 80.861 are met.
(b) Proof of the ability of a battery used as a main or reserve source to operate continuously for 6 hours can be established by a discharge test over a prescribed period of time, when supplying power at the voltage required for normal and operation to an electrical load as prescribed by paragraph (d) of this section.
(c) When the reserve power supply is an engine-driven generator, proof of the adequacy of the engine fuel supply to operate the unit contiuously for 6 hours can be established by measuring the fuel consumption for 1 hour when supplying power, at the voltage required for normal operation, to an electrical load as prescribed by paragraph (d) of this section.
(d) In determining the electrical load to be supplied, the following formula must be used:
(1) One-half of the current of the required transmitter at its rated power output.
(2) One fourth of the current of the automatic radiotelephone alarm signal generator; plus
(3) Current of receiver; plus
(4) Current of emergency light(s); plus
(5) Current of the bridge-to-bridge transceiver when connected.
(e) At the conclusion of the test specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, no part of the main or reserve power supply must have an excessive temperature rise, nor must the specific gravity or voltage of any battery be below 90 percent discharge point of the fully charged value.
§ 80.863   Antenna system.
(a) An antenna system must be installed which is as nondirectional and as efficient as is practicable for the transmission and reception of radio ground waves over seawater. The installation and construction of the required antenna must insure operation in time of emergency.
(b) If the required antenna is suspended between masts or other supports liable to whipping, a safety link which, under heavy stress, will operate to greatly reduce such stress without breakage of the antenna, the halyards, or other antenna-supporting elements, must be installed.
(c) When an electrical ground connection is used as an element of the antenna system, the connection must be efficient.
§ 80.864   Emergency electric lights.
(a) Emergency electric light(s) must be installed to illuminate the operating controls of the radiotelephone installation at the principal operating position, the card of instructions, and the radiotelephone station clock if the latter is not self-illuminated.
(b) The emergency electric light(s) must be energized from the reserve power supply, if a reserve power supply is required. In cases where a reserve power supply is not required, the emergency lights must be energized independently of the system which supplies the normal lighting.
§ 80.865   Radiotelephone station clock.
A clock having a face of at least 12.7 cm (5 in.) in diameter must be mounted in a position that can be observed from the principal operating position.
§ 80.866   Spare antenna.
A spare transmitting antenna completely assembled for immediate erection must be provided. If the installed transmitting antenna is suspended between supports, this spare antenna must be a single-wire transmitting antenna of the same length and must also include suitable insulators.
§ 80.867   Ship station tools, instruction books, circuit diagrams and testing equipment.
(a) Each ship station must be provided with such tools, testing equipment, instruction books and circuit diagrams to enable the radiotelephone installation to be maintained in efficient working condition while at sea. Each ship station licensee must compile a list of spare parts, tools, test equipment and circuit diagrams it considers necessary for compliance with this requirement. This list must be available at inspection. The Commission may consider equipment manufacturer lists of recommended spare parts, tools, test equipment, and repair circuit diagrams in determining compliance with this subsection. These items must be located convenient to the radio room.
(b) The testing equipment must include an instrument or instruments for measuring A.C. volts, D.C. volts and ohms.
§ 80.868   Card of instructions.
A card of instructions giving a clear summary of the radiotelephone distress procedure must be securely mounted and displayed in full view of the principal operating position.
§ 80.869   Test of radiotelephone station.
Unless the normal use of the required radiotelephone station demonstrates that the equipment is operating, a test communication on a required or working frequency must be made each day the ship is navigated. When this test is performed by a person other than the master and the equipment is found to be defective the master must be promptly notified.
§ 80.871   VHF radiotelephone station.
(a) All passenger ships irrespective of size and all cargo ships of 300 gross tons and upwards subject to part II of title III of the Communications Act or to the Safety Convention are required to carry a VHF radiotelephone station complying with this subpart. Ships subject only to the Communications Act may use a VHF radiotelephone installation meeting the technical standards of the Bridge-to-Bridge Act to satisfy the watch requirements of § 80.305(a)(3) if the equipment can transmit and receive on 156.800 MHz.
(b) The VHF radiotelephone station must be installed to insure safe and effective operation of the equipment and facilitate repair. It must be protected against vibration, moisture and temperature.
(c) The principal operating position of the radiotelephone station must be in the room from which the ship is normally steered while at sea.
(d) The radiotelephone stations on ships subject to Part II of Title III of the Communications Act must be capable of operating on the frequency 156.800 MHz and in other respects meet the requirements of § 80.143. The radiotelephone stations on ships subject to the Safety Convention must be capable of operating in the simplex mode on the ship station transmitting frequencies specified in the frequency band 156.025 MHz to 157.425 MHz and in the semiduplex mode on the two frequency channels specified in the following table:
1 Guard band.
§ 80.872   The VHF radiotelephone installation.
The VHF radiotelephone installation includes:
(a) A VHF radiotelephone transmitter,
(b) A VHF radiotelephone receiver,
(c) A power supply,
(d) An antenna system.
§ 80.873   VHF radiotelephone transmitter.
(a) The transmitter must be capable of transmission of G3E emission on 156.300 MHz and 156.800 MHz, and on frequencies which have been specified for use in a system established to promote safety of navigation. Vessels in waters of other Administrations are required to communicate on any channel designated by that Administration for navigational safety in the bands specified in § 80.871(d).
(b) The transmitter must be adjusted so that the transmission of speech normally produces peak modulation within the limits of 75 percent and 100 percent.
(c) The transmitter must deliver a carrier power between 8 and 25 watts into a 50 ohm effective resistance. Provision must be made for reducing the carrier power to a value between 0.1 and 1.0 watts.
(d) The transmitter complies with the power output requirements specified in paragraph (c) of this section when:
(1) The transmitter is capable of being adjusted for efficient use with an actual ship station transmitting antenna meeting the requirements of § 80.876; and
(2) The transmitter has been demonstrated capable, with normal operating voltages applied, of delivering not less than 8 watts of carrier power into 50 ohms effective resistance over the frequency band specified in § 80.871(d). An individual demonstration of the power output capability of the transmitter, with the radiotelephone installation normally installed on board ship, may be required; and
(3) It is certificated as required by subpart F of this part.
§ 80.874   VHF radiotelephone receiver.
(a) The receiver used for providing the watch for navaigational safety required by § 80.313 must be certificated by the Commission and capable of effective reception of G3E emission on the frequencies required by § 80.871(d) when connected to the antenna specified in § 80.876.
(b) The receiver must have a usable sensitivity of 0.5 microvolts.
(c) The receiver must deliver adequate audio output power to be heard in the ambient noise level likely to be expected on board ships with a loudspeaker and/or a telephone handset.
(d) In the simplex mode when the transmitter is activated the receiver output must be muted.
§ 80.875   VHF radiotelephone power supply.
(a) There must be readily available for use under normal load conditions a power supply sufficient to simultaneously energize the VHF transmitter at its required antenna power, and the VHF receiver. Under this load condition the voltage of the source of energy at the power input terminals of the VHF radiotelephone installation must not deviate from its rated value by more than 10 percent on ships completed on or after March 1, 1957, nor by more than 15 percent on ships completed before that date.
(b) When the power supply for the VHF radiotelephone installation consists of batteries, they must be installed in the upper part of the ship, secured against shifting with motion of the ship, capable of operating the installation for 6 hours, and accessible with not less than 26 cm (10 in.) head room.
(c) Means must be provided for charging any rechargeable batteries used in the ship's VHF radiotelephone installation. There must be provided a device which, during charging of the batteries, will give a continuous indication of the charging current.
(d) The VHF radiotelephone installation may be connected to the reserve power supply of a compulsorily fitted radiotelephone or radiotelegraph installation.
§ 80.876   VHF radiotelephone antenna system.
A vertically polarized nondirectional antenna must be provided for VHF radiotelephone installations. The construction and installation of this antenna must insure proper operation in an emergency.
§ 80.877   Controls and indicators required for VHF radiotelephone installation.
The controls and indicators used on equipment of the VHF radiotelephone installation must meet the following standards:
(a) The size of controls must easily permit normal adjustment. The function and the setting of the controls must be clearly indicated.d
(b) Controls must be illuminated to permit satisfactory operation of the equipment.
(c) Means must be provided to reduce to extinction any light output from the equipment which could affect safety of navigation.
(d) An on/off switch must be provided for the entire installation with a visual indication that the installation is switched on.
(e) The equipment must indicate the channel number, as given in the Radio Regulations, to which it is tuned. It must allow the determination of the channel number under all conditions of external lighting. Channel 16 must be distinctively marked.
(f) The receiver must have a manual volume control and a squelch control.
(g) If the external controls are on a separate control unit and more than one such control unit is provided, the one on the bridge must have priority over the others. When there is more than one control unit, indication must be given to the other(s) that the transmitter is in operation.
§ 80.880   Vessel radio equipment.
(a) Vessels operated solely within twenty nautical miles of shore must be equipped with a VHF radiotelephone installation as described in this subpart, and maintain a continuous watch on Channel 16.
(b) Vessels operated solely within one hundred nautical miles of shore must be equipped with a medium frequency transmitter capable of transmitting J3E emission and a receiver capable of reception of J3E emission within the band 1710 to 2850 kHz, in addition to the VHF radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (a) of this section, and must maintain a continuous watch on 2182 kHz. Additionally, such vessels must be equipped with either:
(1) A single sideband radiotelephone capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (b) of this section); or
(2) If operated in an area within the coverage of an INMARSAT maritime mobile geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available, an INMARSAT ship earth station meeting the equipment authorization rules of parts 2 and 80 of this chapter.
§ 80.881   Equipment requirements for ship stations.
Vessels subject to subpart R of this part must be equipped as follows:
(a) A category 1, 406.0-406.1 MHz EPIRB meeting the requirements of § 80.1061;
(b) A NAVTEX receiver meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(1);
(c) A Search and Rescue Transponder meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(6); and
(d) A two-way VHF radiotelephone meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(7).
§ 80.882   2182 kHz watch.
Ships subject to this subpart must maintain a watch on the frequency 2182 kHz pursuant to § 80.305.
§ 80.901   Applicability.
The provisions of Part III of Title III of the Communication Act require United States vessels which transport more than six passengers for hire while such vessels are being navigated on any tidewater within the jurisdiction of the United States adjacent or contiguous to the open sea, or in the open sea to carry a radiotelephone installation complying with this subpart. The provisions of Part III do not apply to vessels which are equipped with a radio installation for compliance with Part II of Title III of the Act, or for compliance with the Safety Convention, or to vessels navigating on the Great Lakes.
§ 80.903   Inspection of radiotelephone installation.
Every vessel subject to Part III of Title III of the Communications Act must have a detailed inspection of the radio installation by an FCC-licensed technician in accordance with § 80.59 once every five years. The FCC-licensed technician must use the latest FCC Information Bulletin, How to Conduct an Inspection of a Small Passenger Vessel. If the ship passes the inspection, the technician will issue a Communications Act Safety Radiotelephony Certificate. Communications Act Radiotelephony Certificates may be obtained from the Commission's National Call Center—(888) 225-5322—or from its forms contractor.
§ 80.905   Vessel radio equipment.
(a) Vessels subject to part III of title III of the Communications Act that operate in the waters described in § 80.901 must, at a minimum, be equipped as follows:
(1) Vessels operated solely within 20 nautical miles of land must be equipped with a VHF-DSC radiotelephone installation meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(2), except that a VHF radiotelephone installation without DSC capability is permitted until one year after the Coast Guard notifies the Commission that shore-based sea area A1 coverage is established. Vessels in this category must not operate more than 20 nautical miles from land.
(2) Vessels operated beyond the 20 nautical mile limitation specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, but not more than 100 nautical miles from the nearest land, must be equipped with a MF-DSC frequency transmitter meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(3) and capable of transmitting J3E emission and a receiver capable of reception of J3E emission within the band 1710 to 2850 kHz, in addition to the VHF-DSC radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, except that a MF radiotelephone installation without DSC capability is permitted until one year after the Coast Guard notifies the Commission that shore-based sea area A2 coverage is established. The MF or MF-DSC transmitter and receiver must be capable of operation on 2670 kHz.
(3) Vessels operated more than 100 nautical miles but not more than 200 nautical miles from the nearest land must:
(i) Be equipped with a VHF-DSC radiotelephone installation meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, except that a VHF radiotelephone installation without DSC capability is permitted until one year after the Coast Guard notifies the Commission that shore-based sea area A1 coverage is established;
(ii) Be equipped with an MF-DSC radiotelephone transmitter and receiver meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, except that a MF radiotelephone installation without DSC capability is permitted until one year after the Coast Guard notifies the Commission that shore-based sea area A2 coverage is established; and
(iii) Be equipped with either:
(A) A DSC-capable single sideband radiotelephone meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(4) and capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all of the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section); or
(B) If operated in an area within the coverage of an INMARSAT maritime mobile geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available, a GMDSS-approved Inmarsat ship earth station.
(iv) Be equipped with a reserve power supply meeting the requirements of §§ 80.917(b), 80.919 and 80.921, and capable of powering the single sideband radiotelephone or the ship earth station (including associated peripheral equipment) required by paragraph (a)(3)(iii) of this section, including the navigation receiver referred to in § 80.905(a)(5);
(v) Be equipped with a NAVTEX receiver conforming to the following performance standards: IMO Resolution A.525(13), as revised by IMO Resolution MSC.148(77) and ITU-R M.540-2 (all incorporated by reference, see § 80.7);
(vi) Be equipped with a Category I 406-406.1 MHz satellite emergency position-indicating radiobeacon (EPIRB) meeting the requirements of § 80.1061; and
(vii) Participate in the AMVER system while engaged on any voyage where the vessel is navigated in the open sea for more than 24 hours. Copies of the AMVER Bulletin are available at: AMVER Maritime Relations, USCG Battery Park Building, Room 201, New York, NY 10004-1499. Phone 212-668-7764; Fax 212-668-7684.
(4) Vessels operated more than 200 nautical miles from the nearest land must:
(i) Be equipped with two VHF-DSC radiotelephone installations meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, except that VHF radiotelephone installations without DSC capability are permitted until one year after the Coast Guard notifies the Commission that shore-based sea area A1 coverage is established;
(ii) Be equipped with an MF-DSC radiotelephone transmitter and receiver meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, except that a MF radiotelephone installation without DSC capability is permitted until one year after the Coast Guard notifies the Commission that shore-based sea area A2 coverage is established;
(iii) Be equipped with either:
(A) A DSC-capable independent single sideband radiotelephone meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(3)(iii)(A) of this section and that is capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all of the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels; or
(B) If operated in an area within the coverage of an INMARSAT maritime mobile geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available, an INMARSAT B, C, M, or Fleet F77 ship earth station, or an INMARSAT A ship earth station if installed prior to February 12, 2004.
(iv) Be equipped with a reserve power supply meeting the requirements of §§ 80.917(b), 80.919 and 80.921, and capable of powering the single sideband radiotelephone or the ship earth station (including associated peripheral equipment) required by paragraph (a)(4)(iii) of this section, including the navigation receiver referred to in § 80.905(a)(5);
(v) Be equipped with a NAVTEX receiver conforming to the following performance standards: IMO Resolution A.525(13), as revised by IMO Resolution MSC.148(77) and ITU-R M.540-2 (all incorporated by reference, see § 80.7);
(vi) Be equipped with a Category I 406-406.1 MHz satellite emergency position-indicating radiobeacon (EPIRB) meeting the requirements of § 80.1061;
(vii) Be equipped with an automatic radiotelephone alarm signal generator meeting the requirements of § 80.221; and
(viii) Participate in the AMVER system while engaged on any voyage where the vessel is navigated in the open sea for more than 24 hours. Copies of the AMVER Bulletin are available at: AMVER Maritime Relations, USCG Battery Park Building, Room 201, New York, NY 10004-1499. Phone 212-668-7764; Fax 212-668-7684.
(5) Vessels must comply with the requirements for a navigation receiver or manual updating of position information contained in § 80.1085(c).
(b) For a vessel that is navigated within the communication range of a VHF public coast station or U.S. Coast Guard station, but beyond the 20-nautical mile limitation specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, an exemption from the band 1605 to 2850 kHz installation requirements may be granted if the vessel is equipped with a VHF transmitter and receiver. An application for exemption must include a chart showing the route of the voyage or the area of operation of the vessel, and the receiving service area of the VHF public coast or U.S. Coast Guard station. The coverage area of the U.S. Coast Guard station must be based on written information from the District Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, a copy of which must be furnished with the application. The coverage area of a public coast station must be computed by the method specified in subpart P of this part.
(c) The radiotelephone installation must be installed to insure safe operation of the equipment and to facilitate repair. It must be protected against the vibration, moisture, temperature, and excessive currents and voltages.
(d) A VHF-DSC radiotelephone installation or a remote unit must be located at each steering station except those auxiliary steering stations which are used only during brief periods for docking or for close-in maneuvering. A single portable VHF-DSC radiotelephone set meets the requirements of this paragraph if adequate permanent mounting arrangements with suitable power provision and antenna feed are installed at each operator steering station. Additionally, for vessels of more than 100 gross tons, the radiotelephone installation must be located at the level of the main wheelhouse or at least one deck above the vessel's main deck.
§ 80.907   Principal operating position.
The principal operating position of the radiotelephone installation on vessels over 100 gross tons must be in the room from which the vessel is normally steered while at sea. If the station can be operated from any location other than the principal operating position, a positive means must be provided at the principal operating position to take full control of the station.
§ 80.909   Radiotelephone transmitter.
(a) The medium frequency transmitter must have a peak envelope output power of at least 60 watts for J3E emission on 2182 kHz and at least one ship-to-shore working frequency within the band 1605 to 2850 kHz enabling communication with a public coast station if the region in which the vessel is navigated is served by a public coast station operating in this band.
(b) The single sideband radiotelephone must be capable of operating on maritime frequencies in the band 1710 to 27500 kHz with a peak envelope output power of at least 120 watts for J3E emission on 2182 kHz and J3E emission on the distress and safety frequencies listed in § 80.369(b).
(c) The transmitter complies with the power output requirements specified in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section when:
(1) The transmitter can be adjusted for efficient use with an actual ship station transmitting antenna meeting the requirements of § 80.923 of this part; and
(2) The transmitter, with normal operating voltages applied, has been demonstrated to deliver its required output power on the frequencies specified in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section into either an artificial antenna consisting of a series network of 10 ohms effective resistance and 200 picofarads capacitance or an artificial antenna of 50 ohms nominal impedance. An individual demonstration of power output capability of the transmitter, with the radiotelephone installation normally installed on board ship, may be required.
(d) The single sideband radiotelephone must be capable of transmitting clearly perceptible signals from ship to shore. The transmitter complies with this requirement if it is capable of enabling communication with a public coast station on working frequencies in the 4000 to 27500 kHz band specified in § 80.371(b) of this part under normal daytime operating conditions.
§ 80.911   VHF transmitter.
(a) The transmitter must be capable of transmission of G3E emission on 156.800 MHz, 156.300 MHz, and on the ship-to-shore working frequencies necessary to communicate with public coast stations serving the area in which the vessel is navigated.
(b) The transmitter must be adjusted so that the transmission of speech normally produces peak modulation within the limits 75 percent and 100 percent.
(c) The transmitter must be certificated to transmit between 20 watts and 25 watts, on each of the frequencies 156.300 MHz, 156.800 MHz and on ship-to-shore public correspondence channels, into 50 ohms effective resistance when operated with a primary supply voltage of 13.6 volts DC.
(d) When an individual demonstration of the capability of the transmitter is necessary the output power requirements prescribed in this paragraph must be met as follows:
(1) Measurements of primary supply voltage and transmitter output power must be made with the equipment drawing energy only from ship's battery;
(2) The primary supply voltage, measured at the power input terminals to the transmitter, and the output power of the transmitter, terminated in a matching artificial load, must be measured at the end of 10 minutes of continuous operation of the transmitter at its full power output.
(3) The primary supply voltage must not be less than 11.5 volts.
(4) The transmitter output power must be not less than 15 watts.
(5) For primary supply voltages, measured in accordance with the procedures of this paragraph, greater than 11.5 volts, but less than 12.6 volts, the required transmitter output power shall be equal to or greater than the value calculated from the formula