§  80.103   Digital selective calling (DSC) operating procedures.

   (a) Operating procedures for the use of DSC equipment in the maritime
   mobile service are as contained in ITU–R M.541–9, “Operational
   Procedures for the Use of Digital Selective-Calling Equipment in the
   Maritime Mobile Service,” with Annexes 1 through 5, 2004, and subpart W
   of this part.

   (b) When using DSC techniques, coast stations and ship stations must
   use maritime mobile service identities (MMSI) assigned by the
   Commission or its designees.

   (c) DSC acknowledgment of DSC distress and safety calls must be made by
   designated coast stations and such acknowledgment must be in accordance
   with procedures contained in ITU–R M.541–9, “Operational Procedures for
   the Use of Digital Selective-Calling Equipment in the Maritime Mobile
   Service,” with Annexes 1 through 5, 2004. Nondesignated public and
   private coast stations must follow the guidance provided for ship
   stations in ITU–R M.541–9, “Operational Procedures for the Use of
   Digital Selective-Calling Equipment in the Maritime Mobile Service,”
   with Annexes 1 through 5, 2004, with respect to DSC “Acknowledgment of
   distress calls” and “Distress relays.” ( See subpart W of this part.)

   (d) Group calls to vessels under the common control of a single entity
   are authorized. A group call identity may be created from an MMSI
   ending in a zero, assigned to this single entity, by deleting the
   trailing zero and adding a leading zero to the identity.

   (e) ITU–R M.541–9 with Annexes 1 through 5, 2004, is 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 this standard 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/ib
   r_locations.html . The ITU–R Recommendation can be purchased from the
   International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Place des Nations, CH–1211
   Geneva 20, Switzerland.

   [ 68 FR 46961 , Aug. 7, 2003, as amended at  73 FR 4480 , Jan. 25, 2008]