Sec. 80.808  Requirements of reserve installation.

    (a) All reserve radiotelegraph installations must comply with the 
following conditions, in addition to all other requirements:
    (1) The reserve installation must be capable of being placed in 
operation within a maximum time of 1 minute.
    (2) The reserve antenna must be installed and protected to ensure 
proper operation in time of an emergency.
    (3) Effective October 14, 1986, the main antenna energized by the 
reserve transmitter on 500 kHz must produce at one nautical mile a 
minimum field strength of ten (10) millivolts per meter.
    (4) The reserve transmitter must meet the requirements of 
Sec. 80.255.
    (5) The reserve receiver must receive A1A and A2B emissions on all 
frequencies within the band 405-535 kHz. It must have headphones. 
Additionally a loudspeaker may be provided for use in accordance with 
the provisions of Sec. 80.313. The reserve receiver must be

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able to operate headphones or a loudspeaker when the receiver RF input 
is 100 microvolts.
    (6) The reserve installation must be capable of being quickly 
connected with and tuned to the main antenna, and the reserve antenna if 
one is installed.
    (7) Emergency electric lights, energized solely by the reserve power 
supply and connected to it through individual fuses must be provided. 
The emergency electric lights must illuminate the operating controls of 
the main and reserve radiotelegraph installations and the radio station 
clock. The emergency lighting circuits must avoid excessive voltage to 
the emergency lights during the charging of any batteries forming part 
of the reserve installation. The provisions of this paragraph do not 
preclude the use of any other power supply for energizing these lights 
solely as an additional provision. If a separate emergency 
radiotelegraph operating room is provided, the requirements of this 
paragraph apply to it.
    (8) The emergency electric lights must be controlled by two-way 
switches placed near the main entrance to the radiotelegraph operating 
room and at the radiotelegraph operating position, in all cases where 
the distance between these points is greater than 2.4 meters (8 feet). 
This requirement applies to stations which replace, or initially install 
the main or reserve radiotelegraph transmitter on and after May 26, 
1965.
    (9) There must be readily available under normal load conditions a 
reserve power supply for the reserve installation which must be 
independent of the propelling power of the ship and of any other 
electrical system. The reserve power supply must simultaneously energize 
the reserve transmitter at its required antenna power and the reserve 
receiver for at least 6 hours continuously under normal working 
conditions, and energize the automatic-alarm-signal keying device 
continuously for a period of 1 hour.
    (10) The reserve power supply may be used to energize the following 
apparatus provided it has adequate capacity:
    (i) The audible warning apparatus included as a component of an 
approved radiotelegraph auto alarm;
    (ii) The VHF installation required by subpart R of this chapter 
simultaneously with the reserve transmitter in the case of distress, 
urgency and safety communications;
    (iii) The VHF installation required by subpart R of this chapter 
alternately with the reserve transmitter. A switching device must be 
fitted to ensure alternate operation only in the case of distress, 
urgency and safety communications;
    (iv) The radiotelephone alarm signal generator;
    (v) The bridge-to-bridge VHF radiotelephone installation required by 
subpart U of this chapter.
    (11) The reserve power supply must be located as near to the reserve 
transmitter and reserve receiver as is practicable and must comply with 
all applicable rules and regulations of the United States Coast Guard. 
The switchboard of the reserve power supply must wherever possible, be 
situated in the radiotelegraph operating room. If it is not, it must be 
illuminated.
    (12) All reserve power supply circuits must be protected from 
overloads.
    (13) Means must be provided for charging any batteries forming a 
part of the reserve installation, and such batteries must be maintained 
in a fully charged condition daily while at sea. There must be a device 
which, during charging of the batteries, gives a continuous indication 
of the rate and polarity of the charging current.
    (14) The cooling system of each internal combustion engine used as a 
part of the reserve power supply must be protected to prevent freezing 
or overheating consistent with the season and route to be traveled by 
the particular vessel.
    (b)(1) The shipowner, operating company, or station licensee, if 
directed by the Commission or its authorized representative must 
demonstrate that the reserve installation satisfies the 6-hour operating 
requirement of law.
    (2) When the reserve power supply includes a battery, proof of the 
ability of such battery to operate continuously

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and effectively for 6 hours can be established by a discharge test over 
a prescribed period of time, when supplying power at the voltage 
required for normal operation to an electrical load as prescribed by 
paragraph (b)(4) of this section.
    (3) When the reserve power supply includes an engine-driven 
generator, proof of the adequacy of the engine fuel supply to operate 
the unit continuously and effectively for 6 hours may be established by 
measuring the fuel consumption during 1 hour when supplying power, at 
the voltage required for normal operation, to an electrical load as 
prescribed by paragraph (b)(4) of this section.
    (4) To determine the electrical load to be supplied by the reserve 
power supply, the following formula must be used:
    (i) One-half of the reserve transmitter current with the key closed; 
plus
    (ii) One-half of the reserve transmitter current with the key open; 
plus
    (iii) One sixth of the current of the automatic radiotelegraph alarm 
signal keying device when this device is energized; plus
    (iv) Current of the reserve receiver; plus
    (v) Current of emergency lights; plus
    (vi) Current of the bridge-to-bridge transceiver when connected.
    (5) At the conclusion of the tests specified in paragraphs (b) (2) 
and (3) of this section, no part of the reserve power supply must have 
an excessive temperature rise, nor must the specific gravity or voltage 
of the battery be below the 90 percent discharge point.
[ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  58 FR 44953 , Aug. 25, 1993]