§  80.116   Radiotelephone operating procedures for ship stations.

   (a) Calling coast stations. (1) Use by ship stations of the frequency
   2182 kHz for calling coast stations and for replying to calls from
   coast stations is authorized. However, such calls and replies should be
   on the appropriate ship-shore working frequency.

   (2) Use by ship stations and marine utility stations of the frequency
   156.800 MHz for calling coast stations and marine utility stations on
   shore, and for replying to calls from such stations, is authorized.
   However, such calls and replies should be made on the appropriate
   ship-shore working frequency.

   (b) Calling ship stations. (1) Except when other operating procedure is
   used to expedite safety communication, ship stations, before
   transmitting on the intership working frequencies 2003, 2142, 2638,
   2738, or 2830 kHz, must first establish communications with other ship
   stations by call and reply on 2182 kHz. Calls may be initiated on an
   intership working frequency when it is known that the called vessel
   maintains a simultaneous watch on the working frequency and on 2182
   kHz.

   (2) Except when other operating procedures are used to expedite safety
   communications, the frequency 156.800 MHz must be used for call and
   reply by ship stations and marine utility stations before establishing
   communication on one of the intership working frequencies. Calls may be
   initiated on an intership working frequency when it is known that the
   called vessel maintains a simultaneous watch on the working frequency
   and on 156.800 MHz.

   (c) Change to working frequency. After establishing communication with
   another station by call and reply on 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz stations
   on board ship must change to an authorized working frequency for the
   transmission of messages.

   (d) Limitations on calling. Calling a particular station must not
   continue for more than 30 seconds in each instance. If the called
   station does not reply, the station must not again be called until
   after an interval of 2 minutes. When a called station called does not
   reply to a call sent three times at intervals of 2 minutes, the calling
   must cease and must not be renewed until after an interval of 15
   minutes; however, if there is no reason to believe that harmful
   interference will be caused to other communications in progress, the
   call sent three times at intervals of 2 minutes may be repeated after a
   pause of not less than 3 minutes. In event of an emergency involving
   safety, the provisions of this paragraph do not apply.

   (e) Limitations on working. Any one exchange of communications between
   any two ship stations on 2003, 2142, 2638, 2738, or 2830 kHz or between
   a ship station and a private coast station on 2738 or 2830 kHz must not
   exceed 3 minutes after the stations have established contact.
   Subsequent to such exchange of communications, the same two stations
   must not again use 2003, 2142, 2638, 2738, or 2830 kHz for
   communication with each other until 10 minutes have elapsed.

   (f) Transmission limitation on 2182 kHz and 156.800 MHz. To facilitate
   the reception of distress calls, all transmissions on 2182 kHz and
   156.800 MHz (channel 16) must be minimized and transmissions on 156.800
   MHz must not exceed 1 minute.

   (g) Limitations on commercial communication. On frequencies in the band
   156–162 MHz, the exchange of commercial communication must be limited
   to the minimum practicable transmission time. In the conduct of
   ship-shore communication other than distress, stations on board ship
   must comply with instructions given by the private coast station or
   marine utility station on shore with which they are communicating.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  68 FR 46961 , Aug. 7, 2003]

Special Procedures—Public Coast Stations