Sec. 80.203  Authorization of transmitters for licensing.

    (a) Each transmitter authorized in a station in the maritime 
services after September 30, 1986, except as indicated in paragraphs 
(g), (h) and (i) of this section, must be type accepted by the 
Commission for part 80 operations. The procedures for type acceptance 
are contained in part 2 of this chapter. Transmitters of a model type 
accepted or type approved before October 1, 1986 will be considered type 
accepted for use in ship or coast stations as appropriate.
    (b) The external controls, of maritime station transmitters capable 
of operation in the 156-162 MHz band and manufactured in or imported 
into the United States after August 1, 1990, or sold or installed after 
August 1, 1991, must provide for selection of only maritime channels for 
which the maritime station is authorized. Such transmitters must not be 
capable of being programmed by station operators using

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external controls to transmit on channels other than those programmed by 
the manufacturer, service or maintenance personnel.
    (1) Any manufacturer procedures and special devices for programming 
must only be made available to service companies employing licensed 
service and maintenance personnel that meet the requirements of 
Sec. 80.169(a) and must not be made available with information normally 
provided to consumers.
    (2) The channels preprogrammed by manufacturers, service and 
maintenance personnel for selection by the external controls of a 
maritime station transmitter must be limited to those channels listed in 
this part and the duplex channels listed in Appendix 18 of the 
international Radio Regulations. The duplex channels listed in Appendix 
18 of the international Radio Regulations must be used only in the 
specified duplex mode. Simplex operations on Appendix 18 duplex channels 
that are not in accordance with this part are prohibited.
    (3) Programming of authorized channels must be performed only by a 
person holding a first or second class radiotelegraph operator's 
certificate or a general radiotelephone operator's license using any of 
the following procedures:
    (i) Internal adjustment of the transmitter;
    (ii) Use of controls normally inaccessible to the station operator;
    (iii) Use of external devices or equipment modules made available 
only to service and maintenance personnel through a service company; and
    (iv) Copying of a channel selection program directly from another 
transmitter (cloning) using devices and procedures made available only 
to service and maintenance personnel through a service company.
    (4) VHF maritime radio station transmitters capable of being 
programmed by station operators by means of external controls that are 
installed in a maritime station by August 1, 1991, are authorized for 
use indefinitely at the same maritime station.
    (c) All VHF ship station transmitters that are either manufactured 
in or imported into the United States, on or after August 1, 1993, or 
are initially installed on or after August 1, 1994, must be equipped 
with an automatic timing device that deactivates the transmitter and 
reverts the transmitter to the receive mode after an uninterrupted 
transmission period of five minutes, plus or minus 10 per cent. 
Additionally, such transmitters must have a device that indicates when 
the automatic timer has deactivated the transmitter. VHF ship station 
transmitters initially installed before August 1, 1994, are authorized 
for use indefinitely at the same maritime station. VHF hand-held, 
portable transmitters are not required to comply with the requirements 
in paragraph (c) of this section except when used as described in 
Sec. 80.141.
    (d) Except for radar equipment, applicants for type acceptance of 
radio equipment designed to satisfy Part II of Title III of the 
Communications Act or the Safety Convention must also submit with their 
application a working unit of the type for which type acceptance is 
desired. Manufacturers of radar equipment intended for installation on 
voluntarily equipped ships by persons without FCC operators license must 
include with their equipment authorization application a manual that 
provides step-by-step procedures for the installation, calibration, and 
operation of the radar stations.
    (e) Double sideband (DSB) radiotelephone equipment operating in the 
1605-27500 kHz band will be authorized only for use in ship stations. 
Such equipment must comply with Chapter IV of the Safety Convention, 
operate only on the frequency 2182 kHz, and be marked ``Distress and 
Safety Use Only''.
    (f) Transmitters type accepted for single sideband suppressed 
carrier radiotelephone transmissions may be used for facsimile 
transmissions without filing for a type acceptance modification provided 
the transmitters retain type acceptance and comply with the applicable 
standards in this part.
    (g) Manufacturers of ship earth station transmitters intended for 
use in the INMARSAT space segment must comply with the verification 
procedures given in part 2 of this chapter.

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Such equipment must be verified in accordance with the technical 
requirements provided by INMARSAT and must be type approved by INMARSAT 
for use in the INMARSAT space segment. The ship earth station input/
output parameters, the data obtained when the equipment is integrated in 
system configuration and the pertinent method of test procedures that 
are used for type approval of the station model which are essential for 
the compatible operation of that station in the INMARSAT space segment 
must be disclosed by the manufacturer upon request of the FCC or the 
United States Signatory. Witnessing of the type approval tests and the 
disclosure of the ship earth station equipment design or any other 
information of a proprietary nature will be at the discretion of the 
ship earth station manufacturer. Transmitters of a model that was type 
accepted by MARISAT for use in its system will be considered verified 
for use in the INMARSAT system. However, the continued use of such 
equipment will not be permitted after September 1, 1991, unless verified 
under the Commission's procedures.
    (h) In addition to the type acceptance requirements contained in 
part 2 of this chapter applicants for type acceptance of 406.025 MHz 
radiobeacons must also comply with the type acceptance procedures 
contained in Sec. 80.1061 of this part.
    (i) Type acceptance is not required for U.S. Government furnished 
transmitters to fulfill a U.S. Government contract. However, such 
transmitters must comply with all technical requirements in this part.
    (j) Type acceptance is not required for transmitters authorized for 
developmental stations.
    (k) Type acceptance of individual radio transmitters requested by 
station applicants or licensees must also follow the type acceptance 
procedure in paragraph (a) of this section. However, operation of such 
transmitters must be limited to the specific units individually 
identified on the station authorization. Such transmitters will not be 
included in the Commission's ``Radio Equipment List''.
    (l) Ship station transmitters may be type accepted for emissions not 
shown in Sec. 80.205 of this part. However, such emissions are not 
authorized for use in the United States or for communications with U.S. 
coast stations.
    (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 Sec. 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 type accepted 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 Sec. 80.315(b) 
and the ship's position as described in Sec. 80.316(c); or
    (ii) the radiotelephone distress message as described in 
Sec. 80.316(b). If available, the ship's position should be reported as 
described in Sec. 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 
Secs. 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.

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    (n) Applications for type acceptance of all marine radio 
transmitters operating in the 2-27.5 MHz band or the 156-162 MHz band 
received on or after June 17, 1999, must have a DSC capability in 
accordance with Sec. 80.225. This requirement does not apply to 
transmitters used with AMTS or hand-held portable transmitters.
[ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  53 FR 41434 , Oct. 28, 1987; 
 53 FR 37308 , Sept. 26, 1988;  54 FR 31839 , Aug. 2, 1989;  56 FR 3787 , Jan. 
31, 1991;  56 FR 57496 , Nov. 12, 1991;  56 FR 57988 , Nov. 15, 1991;  57 FR 8727 , Mar. 12, 1992;  62 FR 40305 , July 28, 1997]