Sec.  80.1085   Ship radio equipment—General.

   This section contains the general equipment requirements for all ships
   subject to this subpart.

   (a) Ships must be provided with:

   (1) A VHF radio installation capable of transmitting and receiving:

   (i) DSC on the frequency 156.525 MHz (channel 70), and it must be able to
   initiate the transmission of distress alerts on channel 70 from the position
   from which the ship is normally navigated; and

   (ii) Radiotelephony on the frequencies 156.300 MHz (channel 6), 156.650 MHz
   (channel 13), and 156.800 MHz (channel 16);

   (2) A dedicated, non-scanning radio installation capable of maintaining a
   continuous DSC watch on VHF channel 70 which may be separate from, or
   combined with, that required by paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section;

   (3) A radar transponder capable of operating in the 9 GHz band, which must
   be stowed so that it is easily utilized (this transponder may be one of
   those required by  Sec. 80.1095(b) for a survival craft);

   (4) A receiver capable of receiving international NAVTEX service broadcasts;

   (5) If the ship is engaged on voyages in any area of INMARSAT coverage in
   which an international NAVTEX service is not provided, a radio facility for
   reception of maritime safety information by the INMARSAT enhanced group
   calling system, i.e., SafetyNet, (this requirement does not apply to ships
   engaged exclusively on voyages in areas where an HF direct-printing
   telegraphy maritime safety information service, as identified by the IMO
   GMDSS Master Plan Publication, is provided and the ship is fitted with
   equipment capable of receiving such service); and

   (6) A satellite emergency position-indicating radio beacon (satellite EPIRB)
   which must be:

   (i) Capable of transmitting a distress alert through the polar orbiting
   satellite service operating in the 406.0–406.1 MHz band (406.0–406.1 MHz
   EPIRB) of, if the ship is not operating in sea area A4, as defined in
    Sec. 80.1069(a)(4), the 1.6 GHz band (INMARSAT–E EPIRB); and

   (ii) Installed in an easily accessible position, ready to be manually
   released and capable of being carried by one person into a survival craft,
   capable of floating free if the ship sinks and of being automatically
   activated when afloat, and capable of being activated manually.

   (iii) Examined and tested annually in accordance with IMO Circular
   MSC/Circ.882, Guidelines on annual testing of 406 MHz satellite EPIRBs. See
    Sec. 80.1105(k).

   (b) Ships must carry either the most recent edition of the IMO publication
   entitled GMDSS Master Plan of Shore-Based Facilities, the U.S. NIMA
   Publication 117, or the Admiralty List of Radio Signals Volume 5 Global
   Maritime Distress and Safety System. Notice of new editions will be
   published on the Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau web page
   under “Marine Services” and information will be provided about obtaining the
   new document.

   (c) All GMDSS equipment capable of transmitting an automatic distress alert
   which includes position of the ship must have either an integral navigation
   receiver or capability of being connected to an external navigation
   receiver. If an external navigation receiver is installed, it shall be
   connected to all of the alerting devices referred to in paragraph (a) of
   this section. If there is no navigation receiver, the position must be
   entered manually for each alerting device at least once every 4 hours (at
   the change of the navigation watch).

   (d) Every passenger ship shall be provided with means for two-way on-scene
   radiocommunications for search and rescue purposes using the aeronautical
   frequencies 121.5 and 123.1 MHz from the position from which the ship is
   normally navigated.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  60 FR 50122 , Sept. 28, 1995;  68 FR 46977 , Aug. 7, 2003;  69 FR 64679 , Nov. 8, 2004]