§  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, 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)(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) and ITU-R
   Recommendation 540;

   (vi) Be equipped with a Category I 406-406.1 MHz satellite emergency
   position-indicating radiobeacon (EPIRB) meeting the requirements of
   § 80.1061 or, if the ship is not operating in sea area A4, as defined
   in § 80.1069(a)(4), an automatic float-free INMARSAT-E EPIRB meeting
   the requirements of § 80.1063; 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) and ITU-R
   Recommendation 540;

   (vi) Be equipped with a Category I 406-406.1 MHz satellite emergency
   position-indicating radiobeacon (EPIRB) meeting the requirements of
   § 80.1061 or, if the ship is not operating in sea area A4, as defined
   in § 80.1069(a)(4), an automatic float-free INMARSAT-E EPIRB meeting
   the requirements of § 80.1063.

   Note to paragraph (a)(4)(vi): 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;
   and

   (vii) Be equipped with a radiotelephone distress frequency watch
   receiver meeting the requirements of § 80.269;

   (viii) Be equipped with an automatic radiotelephone alarm signal
   generator meeting the requirements of § 80.221; and

   (ix) 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.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  56 FR 19301 , Apr. 26, 1991;
    57 FR 34262 , Aug. 4, 1992;  68 FR 46973 , Aug. 7, 2003;  69 FR 64677 , Nov.
   8, 2004;  73 FR 4487 , Jan. 25, 2008]