Title 47

SECTION 80.225

80.225 Requirements for selective calling equipment.

§ 80.225 Requirements for selective calling equipment.

This section specifies the requirements for voluntary digital selective calling (DSC) equipment and selective calling equipment installed in ship and coast stations, and incorporates by reference ITU-R M.476-5; ITU-R M.493-13; ITU-R M.541-9; ITU-R M.625-3; RTCM Paper 56-95/SC101-STD; and IEC 62238 (all incorporated by reference, see § 80.7).

(a) The requirements for DSC equipment voluntarily installed in coast or ships stations are as follows:

(1) Prior to March 25, 2009, DSC equipment must meet the requirements of the following standards in order to be approved for use:

(i) RTCM Paper 56-95/SC101-STD and ITU-R M.493-13 (both incorporated by reference, see § 80.7) (including only equipment classes A, B, D, and E); or

(ii) ITU-R M.493-13 and, in the case of Class D DSC equipment only, IEC 62238 (both incorporated by reference, see § 80.7).

(2) Beginning March 25, 2009, the Commission will not accept new applications (but will continue to process then-pending applications) for certification of non-portable DSC equipment that does not meet the requirements of ITU-R M.493-13 and, in the case of Class D DSC equipment only, IEC 62238 (both incorporated by reference, see § 80.7).

(3) Beginning March 25, 2012, the Commission will not accept new applications (but will continue to process then-pending applications) for certification of handheld, portable DSC equipment that does not meet the requirements of ITU-R M.493-13 and, in the case of Class D DSC equipment only, IEC 62238 (both incorporated by reference, see § 80.7).

(4) The manufacture, importation, sale or installation of non-portable DSC equipment that does not comply with either of the standards referenced in paragraph (a)(2) of this section is prohibited beginning March 25, 2011.

(5) The manufacture, importation, or sale of handheld, portable DSC equipment that does not comply with either of the standards referenced in paragraph (a)(3) of this section is prohibited beginning March 25, 2015.

(6) Approved DSC equipment that has been manufactured, sold, and installed in conformity with the requirements of this section may be used indefinitely.

(b) Manufacturers of Class C DSC equipment to be used on United States vessels must affix a clearly discernible permanent plate or label visible from the operating controls containing the following:

Warning.

This equipment is designed to generate a digital maritime distress and safety signal to facilitate search and rescue. To be effective as a safety device, this equipment must be used only within communication range of a shore-based VHF marine channel 70 distress and safety watch system. The range of the signal may vary but under normal conditions should be approximately 20 nautical miles.

(c) Selective calling equipment, other than that designed in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, is authorized as follows:

(1) Equipment used in conjunction with the Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS) in the band 216-220 MHz,

(2) Equipment used to perform a selective calling function during narrow-band direct-printing (NB-DP) operations in accordance with ITU-R M.476-5 or ITU-R M.625-3 or ITU-R M.493-13 (all incorporated by reference, see § 80.7), and

(3) Equipment functioning under the provisions of § 80.207(a) includes the brief use of radiotelegraphy, including keying only the modulating audio frequency, tone signals, and other signalling devices to establish or maintain communications provided that:

(i) These signalling techniques are not used on frequencies designated for general purpose digital selective calling (DSC) and distress and safety DSC calling as listed in § 80.359;

(ii) The authorized radiotelephone emission bandwidth is not exceeded;

(iii) Documentation of selective calling protocols must be available to the general public; and,

(iv) Harmful interference is not caused to stations operating in accordance with the International Radio Regulations.

[54 FR 10009, Mar. 9, 1989, as amended at 62 FR 40306, July 28, 1997; 68 FR 46966, Aug. 7, 2003; 73 FR 4482, Jan. 25, 2008; 76 FR 67611, Nov. 2, 2011]

---