Sec.  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) 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.

   (4) An entry describing any malfunctioning GMDSS equipment and another entry
   when the equipment is restored to normal operation.

   (5) 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.

   (6) An entry at least once every thirty days that the batteries or other
   reserve power sources have been checked and are functioning properly.

   (7) The time of any inadvertent transmissions of distress, urgency and
   safety signals including the time and method of cancellation.

   (8) 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.

   (9)  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.

   (10) 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;

   (11) Results of inspections and tests of compulsorily fitted lifeboat radio
   equipment;

   (12) A daily statement about the condition of the required radiotelephone
   equipment,  as  determined  by  either  normal  communication  or test
   communication;

   (13) When the master is notified about improperly operating radiotelephone
   equipment.

   (f)  Applicable  radiotelephone log entries. The log entries listed in
   paragraph (e) of this section are applicable as follows:

   (1) Radiotelephony stations subject to the Communications Act, the Safety
   Convention, or the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must record entries indicated by
   paragraphs  (e)(1)  through (e)(12) 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 Q, 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 the Great Lakes Agreement and the
   Bridge-to-Bridge Act must record entries indicated by paragraphs (e) (1),
   (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (11) and (12) 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 of the Great Lakes Agreement and 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), (5), (6), (7), (11) and (12) of
   this section.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  52 FR 35245 , Sept. 18, 1987;  54 FR 40059 , Sept. 29, 1989;  61 FR 25807 , May 23, 1996;  63 FR 29659 , June 1,
   1998;  68 FR 46972 , Aug. 7, 2003;  69 FR 64676 , Nov. 8, 2004;  73 FR 4486 , Jan.
   25, 2008]