§  80.221   Special requirements for automatically generating the
radiotelephone alarm signal.

   (a) Each device for automatically generating the radiotelephone alarm
   signal must be capable of being disabled to permit the immediate
   transmission of a distress call and message.

   (b) The device must comply with the following requirements:

   (1) The frequency tolerance of each tone must be +-1.5 percent;

   (2) The duration tolerance of each tone must be +-50 milliseconds;

   (3) The interval between successive tones must not exceed 50
   milliseconds; and

   (4) The amplitude ratio of the tones must be flat within 1.6 dB.

   (c) Devices installed on or after January 1, 1983, must comply with the
   following requirements:

   (1) The frequency tolerance of each tone must be +-1.5 percent;

   (2) The duration tolerance of each tone must be +-10 milliseconds;

   (3) The interval between successive tones must not exceed 4
   milliseconds;

   (4) The amplitude ratio of the tones must be flat within 1.6 dB;

   (5) The output of the device must be sufficient to modulate the
   associated transmitter for H2B emission to at least 70 percent, and for
   J2B emission to within 3 dB of the rated peak envelope power;

   (6) Light from the device must not interfere with the safe navigation
   of the ship;

   (7) After activation the device must automatically generate the
   radiotelephone alarm signal for not less than 30 seconds and not more
   than 60 seconds unless manually interrupted;

   (8) After generating the radiotelephone alarm signal or after manual
   interruption the device must be immediately ready to repeat the signal;

   (9) The transmitter must be automatically switched from the stand-by
   condition to the transmit condition at the start and return to the
   stand-by condition at the conclusion of the radiotelephone alarm
   signal.

   (d) Any device used by a station to automatically generate the
   radiotelephone alarm signal must be certificated by the Commission.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  54 FR 40059 , Sept. 29, 1989;
    63 FR 36606 , July 7, 1998]