Sec.  80.303   Watch on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16).

   (a) During its hours of operation, each coast station operating in the
   156–162 MHz band and serving rivers, bays and inland lakes except the Great
   Lakes, must maintain a safety watch on the frequency 156.800 MHz except when
   transmitting on 156.800 MHz.

   (b) A coast station is exempt from compliance with the watch requirement
   when Federal, State, or Local Government stations maintain a watch on
   156.800 MHz over 95% of the coast station's service area. Each licensee
   exempted by rule must notify the nearest district office of the U.S. Coast
   Guard at least thirty days prior to discontinuing the watch, or in the case
   of new stations, at least thirty days prior to commencing service. The Coast
   Guard may require any coast station to maintain the watch temporarily or
   permanently. The Coast Guard may also require any coast station to remain
   capable of either immediately resuming the watch or providing the Coast
   Guard direct dial-up access to the necessary 156.800 MHz transceiver at no
   charge so that the Coast Guard can maintain the watch.

   (c) If the government station(s) providing the 156.800 MHz watch over the
   service area of an exempt station temporarily discontinues that watch, the
   exempt coast station upon receiving notice of this condition must maintain
   the watch on 156.800 HMz during the discontinuance. Automated maritime
   communications systems' compliance with this requirement is limited to the
   use of existing facilities.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  52 FR 35245 , Sept. 18, 1987;  63 FR 40063 , July 27, 1998]

Ship Station Safety Watches