Sec. 80.383  Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system frequencies.

    This section describes the carrier frequencies available for use in 
the Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) systems within the 
designated geographic radio protected areas.
    (a) Assigned frequencies:

                   Vessel Traffic Control Frequencies                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Carrier frequencies (MHz)                Geographic areas           
------------------------------------------------------------------------
156.250.........................  Seattle.                              
156.550.........................  New York, New Orleans,\1\ Houston,    
                                   Prince William Sound,\3\ Berwick Bay.
156.600.........................  New York, New Orleans,\1\ Houston, San
                                   Francisco,\3\ Sault Ste. Marie.\3\   
156.700.........................  New York, New Orleans,\1\ Seattle, San
                                   Francisco.\2\                        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Until further notice, this frequency is available for use as        
  permitted by Sec.  80.373(f), notwithstanding the provisions of       
  footnote 3 that are applicable to the VTS system. Availability is a   
  result of the closure of the VTS system for the port area of New      
  Orleans. If the United States Coast Guard re-establishes this system, 
  the Commission may require operations pursuant to such conditional    
  licenses for this frequency to cease, or may choose not to renew such 
  conditional licenses. All licenses for this frequency will be         
  expressly conditioned upon the continued availability of the frequency
  for non-VTS use.                                                      
\2\ Private coast station licenses for the use of this frequency will   
  not be renewed beyond November 1, 1997. Continued use until expiration
  must be on a noninterference basis to Coast Guard VTS communications. 
\3\ Private coast station licenses for the use of this frequency in this
  area will expire at the end of the current license term or five years 
  after the adopted date of the final rule, whichever comes first.      
  Continued use until expiration must be on a noninterference basis to  
  Coast Guard VTS communications.                                       

    (b) The U.S. Coast Guard designated radio protection areas for VTS 
are as follows:
    (1) New York. The rectangle between north latitudes 40 degrees and 
42 degrees and west longitudes 71 degrees and 74 degrees 30 minutes;
    (2) New Orleans. The rectangle between North latitudes 27 degrees 30 
minutes and 31 degrees 30 minutes and West longitudes 87 degrees 30 
minutes and 93 degrees;
    (3) Houston. The rectangle between north latitudes 28 degrees 30 
minutes and 30 degrees 20 minutes and west longitudes 93 degrees 30 
minutes and 96 degrees;
    (4) Seattle (Puget Sound). The area encompassed between the United 
States-Canadian border and a line drawn from 49 degrees North 121 
degrees West on the United States-Canadian Border, to 46 degrees 30 
minutes North 121 degrees

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West, then to 46 degrees 30 minutes North 125 degrees West, then to 48 
degrees 30 minutes North 125 degrees West, and then east to the United 
States-Canadian Border;
    (5) San Francisco. The rectangle between north latitudes 39 degrees 
and 37 degrees and west longitudes 120 degrees 50 minutes and 123 
degrees 20 minutes; and
    (6) Prince William Sound. The rectangle between North latitudes 61 
degrees 17 minutes and 59 degrees 22 minutes and West longitudes 149 
degrees 39 minutes and 145 degrees 36 minutes.
    (7) Sault Ste. Marie. The rectangle between North latitudes 45 
degrees and 47 degrees, and West longitudes 83 degrees and 85 degrees.
    (8) Berwick Bay. The rectangle between North latitudes 28 degrees 30 
minutes and 30 degrees 30 minutes, and West longitudes 90 degrees 50 
minutes and 92 degrees.
    (c) The use of the frequencies shown in paragraph (a) of this 
section is permitted in areas outside the Coast Guard radio protection 
areas provided there is no interference to VTS communications within the 
VTS areas.
[ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  52 FR 35245 , Sept. 18, 1987; 
 54 FR 8746 , Mar. 2, 1989;  55 FR 46514 , Nov. 5, 1990;  58 FR 16504 , Mar. 
29, 1993;  61 FR 26120 , May 24, 1996;  61 FR 26466 , May 28, 1996]

                            Automated Systems