§80.369. Distress, urgency, safety, call and reply frequencies. — Inbound Citations

(m) Ship station MF, HF, and VHF transmitters may employ external or internal devices to send synthesized voice transmissions for distress and safety purposes on any distress and safety frequency authorized for radiotelephony listed in § 80.369 provided the following requirements are met:

(1) The technical characteristics of the distress transmissions must comply with this part.

(2) A transmitter and any internal device capable of transmitting a synthesized voice message must be certified as an integral unit.

(3) The synthesized voice distress transmission must begin with the words “this is a recording” and should be comprised of at least:

(i) the radiotelephone distress call as described in § 80.315(b) and the ship's position as described in § 80.316(c); or

(ii) the radiotelephone distress message as described in § 80.316(b). If available, the ship's position should be reported as described in § 80.316(c).

(4) Such transmission must be initiated manually by an off-switch that is protected from inadvertent activation and must cause the transmitter to switch to an appropriate distress and safety frequency. The radiotelephone distress call and message described in §§ 80.203(m)(3) (i) and (ii), respectively, may be repeated. However, the entire transmission including repeats must not exceed 45 seconds from beginning to end. Upon ending the transceiver must return to the receive mode and must not be capable of sending the synthesized distress call for at least thirty seconds. Placing the switch to the off position must stop the distress transmission and permit the transmitter to be used to send and receive standard voice communications.

(5) Use of the microphone must cause the synthesized voice distress transmission to cease and allow the immediate use of the transmitter for sending and receiving standard voice communications.

(6) No ship station shall include any device or provision capable of transmitting any tone or signal on a distress frequency for any purpose unless specific provisions exist in this part authorizing such tone or signal.

(1) A single sideband radiotelephone capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (b) of this section); or

(A) A DSC-capable single sideband radiotelephone meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(4) and capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all of the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section); or

(1) A single sideband radiotelephone capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (b) of this section); or

(A) A DSC-capable single sideband radiotelephone meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(4) and capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all of the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section); or

(b) The single sideband radiotelephone must be capable of operating on maritime frequencies in the band 1710 to 27500 kHz with a peak envelope output power of at least 120 watts for J3E emission on 2182 kHz and J3E emission on the distress and safety frequencies listed in § 80.369(b).

(1) A single sideband radiotelephone capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (b) of this section); or

(A) A DSC-capable single sideband radiotelephone meeting the requirements of § 80.1101(c)(4) and capable of operating on all distress and safety frequencies in the medium frequency and high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(a) and (b), on all of the ship-to-shore calling frequencies in the high frequency bands listed in § 80.369(d), and on at least four of the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) system HF duplex channels (this requirement may be met by the addition of such frequencies to the radiotelephone installation required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section); or