Sec.  80.1091   Ship radio equipment—Sea areas A1, A2, and A3.

   This section contains the additional equipment requirements for ships that
   remain  within  sea areas A1, A2, or A3 at all times. Ships fitting in
   accordance with this section satisfy the requirements denoted in  Sec.  Sec. 80.1087
   or 80.1089 for sea-areas A1 and A2. Ships fitting in accordance to this
   section have the option to comply with either the requirements of paragraph
   (a) or (b) of this section.

   (a) In addition to meeting the requirements of  Sec. 80.1085, ships subject to
   this section must be provided with:

   (1) An INMARSAT ship earth station capable of:

   (i) Transmitting and receiving distress and safety data communications;

   (ii) Initiating and receiving distress priority calls;

   (iii) Maintaining watch for shore-to-ship distress alert, including those
   directed to specifically defined geographical areas;

   (iv) Transmitting and receiving general radiocommunications, using either
   radiotelephony or direct-printing telegraphy; and

   (2) An MF radio installation capable of transmitting and receiving, for
   distress and safety purposes, on the frequencies:

   (i) 2187.5 kHz using DSC; and

   (ii) 2182 kHz using radiotelephony; and

   (3) A radio installation capable of maintaining a continuous DSC watch on
   the frequency 2187.5 kHz which may be separate from or combined with that
   required by paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section; and

   (4) Means of initiating the transmission of ship-to-shore distress alerts by
   a radio service operating either:

   (i) Through the polar orbiting satellite service on 406.0–406.1 MHz or the
   INMARSAT–E service in the 1.6 GHz band (this requirement may be fulfilled by
   the EPIRB required by  Sec. 80.1085(a)(6), either by installing the EPIRB close
   to, or by allowing remote activation from, the position from which the ship
   is normally navigated).

   Note to paragraph (a)(4)(i): Service to INMARSAT–E EPIRB stations terminated
   on December 1, 2006, so distress signals from INMARSAT–E EPIRB stations will
   not be received by any Rescue Coordination Center; or

   (ii) On HF using DSC: or

   (iii) Through the INMARSAT geostationary satellite service, by an additional
   ship earth station.

   Note to paragraph(a)(4)(iii). For ships subject to this subpart, sailing
   only  in  domestic waters, alternative satellite system fitting may be
   considered.  However, the satellite system fitted must comply with all
   features of the INMARSAT system for its intended function. These are shown
   in IMO Assembly Resolution A.801(19) Appendix 13, Annex 5, “Criteria for Use
   When  Providing Inmarsat Shore-Based Facilities for Use in the GMDSS,”
   adopted  23  November  1995, and in IMO Assembly Resolution A.888(21),
   “Criteria for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Communication Systems in the
   Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS),” with Annex, adopted 25
   November 1999. In any case, the alternative satellite system must provide
   continuous coverage for all sea areas in which the ship intends to sail. IMO
   Assembly  Resolution  A.801(19) Appendix 13, Annex 5, and IMO Assembly
   Resolution A.888(21) with Annex are incorporated by reference. The Director
   of  the  Federal  Register approves this incorporation by reference in
   accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR Part 51. Copies of these standards
   can be inspected at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street,
   SW,  Washington,  DC (Reference Information Center) or at the National
   Archives  and  Records  Administration  (NARA). For information on the
   availability  of  this  material at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go to:
   http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_loc
   ations.html.  The  IMO  standards  can be purchased from Publications,
   International Maritime Organization, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR,
   United Kingdom.

   (b) In addition to meeting the requirements of  Sec. 80.1085, ships subject to
   this section must be provided with:

   (1) An MF/HF radio installation capable of transmitting and receiving on all
   distress and safety frequencies in the bands between 1605–27500 kHz using
   DSC, radiotelephony, and narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy; and

   (2) Equipment capable of maintaining DSC watch on 2187.5 kHz, 8414.5 kHz and
   on at least one of the distress and safety DSC frequencies 4207.5 kHz, 6312
   kHz, 12577 kHz, or 16804.5 kHz although it must be possible to select any of
   these DSC distress and safety frequencies at any time (this equipment may be
   separate from, or combined with, the equipment required by paragraph (b)(1)
   of this section); and

   (3) Means of initiating the transmission of ship-to-shore distress alerts by
   a radiocommunication service other than HF operating either:

   (i) Through the polar orbiting satellite service on 406.0–406.1 MHz (this
   requirement  may be fulfilled by the 406.0–406.1 MHz EPIRB required by
    Sec. 80.1085(a)(6), either by installing the 406.0–406.1 MHz EPIRB close to, or
   by allowing remote activation from, the position from which the ship is
   normally navigated); or

   (ii) Through the INMARSAT–E service in the 1.6 GHz band (this requirement
   may  be  fulfilled  by the EPIRB required by  Sec. 80.1085(a)(6), either by
   installing the EPIRB close to, or by allowing remote activation from, the
   position from which the ship is normally navigated).

   Note  to  paragraph  (b)(3)(ii):  Service to INMARSAT–E EPIRB stations
   terminated on December 1, 2006, so distress signals from INMARSAT–E EPIRB
   stations will not be received by any Rescue Coordination Center; or

   (iii) Through the INMARSAT geostationary satellite service (this requirement
   may be fulfilled by an INMARSAT ship earth station).

   (4) In addition, ships must be capable of transmitting and receiving general
   radiocommunications using radiotelephony or direct-printing telegraphy by an
   MF/HF radio installation operating on working frequencies in the bands
   between 1605–4000 kHz and between 4000–27500 kHz (this requirement may be
   fulfilled by the addition of this capability to the equipment required by
   paragraph (b)(1) of this section).

   (c) It must be possible to initiate transmission of distress alerts by the
   radio installations specified in paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(4), (b)(1),
   and (b)(3) of this section from the position from which the ship is normally
   navigated.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  68 FR 46977 , Aug. 7, 2003;  69 FR 64680 , Nov. 8, 2004;  73 FR 4490 , Jan. 25, 2008]