§ 95.2987   Additional PLB and MSLD certification requirements.

   (a) To be certified for use under this subpart, 406 MHz PLB transmitter
   types must be designed to satisfy the following additional
   requirements.

   (1) Certifications. Beginning January 17, 2018, before submitting an
   application for FCC certification of a 406 MHz PLB transmitter type,
   the applicant must obtain:

   (i) Certification from a test facility recognized by one of the
   COSPAS/SARSAT Partners that the PLB transmitter type satisfies the
   standards in RTCM 11010; and,

   (ii) Certification from an independent test facility that the PLB
   transmitter type complies with the electrical and environmental
   standards associated with RTCM 11010.

   (2) Identification code. An identification code, recognized by the
   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United
   States Program Manager for the 406 MHz COSPAS/SARSAT satellite system,
   must be programmed into each PLB to establish a unique identification
   for that PLB.

   (b) To be certified for use under this subpart, MSLD transmitter types
   must be designed to satisfy the following additional requirements.

   (1) A test report from a test laboratory which shows that the MSLD
   complies with the electrical and environmental standards associated
   with RTCM 11901. The test laboratory must be accredited to ISO-IEC
   17025 with a scope covering the applicable requirements and test
   procedures.

   (2) After the MSLD has been certified by a test laboratory, the
   following information must be submitted in duplicate to the U.S. Coast
   Guard, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE., Stop 7126, Washington, DC
   20593-7126:

   (i) The name of the manufacturer or grantee and model number of the
   MSLD;

   (ii) Copies of the test report and test data showing that the MSLD
   complies with the electrical and environmental standards associated
   with RTCM 11901; and

   (iii) Instruction manuals associated with the MSLD, description of the
   test characteristics of the MSLD including assembly drawings,
   electrical schematics, description of parts list, specifications of
   materials and the manufacturer's quality assurance program.

   (3) After reviewing the information described in paragraph (b)(2) of
   this section, the U.S. Coast Guard will issue a letter stating whether
   the MSLD satisfies all RTCM Recommended Standards. In the case of an
   MSLD that includes a function intended to send a distress message
   directly to the U.S. Coast Guard or any other search and rescue
   organization, the letter will also state whether the U.S. Coast Guard
   endorses that function.

   (4) A certification application for an MSLD must contain a copy of the
   U.S. Coast Guard letter stating that the device satisfies all RTCM
   Recommended Standards, a copy of the technical test data, and the
   instruction manual(s).

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