§  80.115   Operational conditions for use of associated ship units.

   (a) Associated ship units may be operated under a ship station
   authorization. Use of an associated ship unit is restricted as follows;

   (1) It must only be operated on the safety and calling frequency
   156.800 MHz or 156.525 MHz or on commercial or noncommercial VHF
   intership frequencies appropriate to the class of ship station with
   which it is associated.

   (2) Except for safety purposes, it must only be used to communicate
   with the ship station with which it is associated or with associated
   ship units of the same ship station. Such associated ship units may be
   used from shore only adjacent to the waterway (such as on a dock or
   beach) where the ship is located. Communications from shore must relate
   to the operational and business needs of the ship including the
   transmission of safety information, and must be limited to the minimum
   practicable transmission time.

   (3) It must be equipped to transmit on the frequency 156.800 MHz or
   156.525 MHz and at least one appropriate intership frequency.

   (4) Calling must occur on the frequency 156.800 MHz or 156.525 MHz
   unless calling and working on an intership frequency has been
   prearranged.

   (5) Power is limited to one watt.

   (6) The station must be identified by the call sign of the ship station
   with which it is associated and an appropriate unit designator.

   (b) State or local government vehicles used to tow vessels involved in
   search and rescue operations are authorized to operate on maritime
   mobile frequencies as associated ship units. Such operations must be in
   accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, except that the
   associated ship unit: May be operated from shore; may use Distress,
   Safety and Calling, Intership Safety, Liaison, U.S. Coast Guard, or
   Maritime Control VHF intership frequencies; and may have a transmitter
   power of 25 watts.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  81 FR 90746 , Dec. 15, 2016]