---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 C.F.R. § 401.9"
title: "33"
number: "401.9"
heading: "Radio telephone and navigation equipment."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/33/401.9"
---

# §401.9. Radio telephone and navigation equipment.

- (a) Self-propelled vessels, other than pleasure craft of less than 20.0 m in overall length, shall be equipped with two VHF (very high frequency) radios.
  - (1) All communications shall be on the applicable VHF frequency. The use of personal electronic devices for communication between vessels or with traffic control should be limited to necessity.
  - (2) Please note that communications into the Traffic Control Center may be recorded for quality assurance and training purposes.
- (b) **The radio transmitters on a vessel shall—**
  - (1) Have sufficient power output to enable the vessel to communicate with Seaway stations from a distance of 48 km; and
  - (2) Be fitted to operate from the conning position in the wheelhouse and to communicate on channels 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 66a, 75, 76 and 77.
- (c) Gyro compass error greater than 2 degrees must be serviced prior to transiting the Seaway, and if noted during a Seaway transit, must be reported to the nearest Seaway station and serviced at the first opportunity.

## Notes

### Amendments

[39 FR 10900, Mar. 22, 1974, as amended at 40 FR 11721, Mar. 13, 1975; 47 FR 51121, Nov. 12, 1982; 48 FR 20690, May 9, 1983; 61 FR 19551, May 2, 1996; 70 FR 12970, Mar. 17, 2005; 79 FR 12659, Mar. 6, 2014; 82 FR 12419, Mar. 3, 2017; 85 FR 15950, Mar. 20, 2020; 88 FR 14267, Mar. 8, 2023; 89 FR 15960, Mar. 6, 2024; 90 FR 1882, Jan. 10, 2025; 91 FR 12691, Mar. 17, 2026]

### Authority

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 983(a) and 984(a)(4), as amended; 49 CFR 1.101, unless otherwise noted.

### Source

Source: 39 FR 10900, Mar. 22, 1974, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[39 FR 10900, Mar. 22, 1974, as amended at 40 FR 11721, Mar. 13, 1975; 47 FR 51121, Nov. 12, 1982; 48 FR 20690, May 9, 1983; 61 FR 19551, May 2, 1996; 70 FR 12970, Mar. 17, 2005; 79 FR 12659, Mar. 6, 2014; 82 FR 12419, Mar. 3, 2017; 85 FR 15950, Mar. 20, 2020; 88 FR 14267, Mar. 8, 2023; 89 FR 15960, Mar. 6, 2024; 90 FR 1882, Jan. 10, 2025; 91 FR 12691, Mar. 17, 2026]