§ 80.148   Watch on 156.8 MHz (Channel 16).

   Each compulsory vessel, while underway, must maintain a watch for
   radiotelephone distress calls on 156.800 MHz whenever such station is
   not being used for exchanging communications. For GMDSS ships, 156.525
   MHz is the calling frequency for distress, safety, and general
   communications using digital selective calling and the watch on 156.800
   MHz is provided so that ships not fitted with DSC will be able to call
   GMDSS ships, thus providing a link between GMDSS and non-GMDSS
   compliant ships. The watch on 156.800 MHz is not required:

   (a) Where a ship station is operating only with handheld
   bridge-to-bridge VHF radio equipment under § 80.143(c) of this part; or

   (b) For vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act and participating
   in a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system when the watch is maintained
   on both the bridge-to-bridge frequency and a separately assigned VTS
   frequency.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  58 FR 16504 , Mar. 29, 1993;
    68 FR 46962 , Aug. 7, 2003;  73 FR 4480 , Jan. 25, 2008;  76 FR 67611 , Nov.
   2, 2011]

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