Sec.  80.116   Radiotelephone operating procedures for ship stations.

   (a) Calling coast stations. (1) Use by ship stations of the frequency 2182
   kHz for calling coast stations and for replying to calls from coast stations
   is authorized. However, such calls and replies should be on the appropriate
   ship-shore working frequency.

   (2) Use by ship stations and marine utility stations of the frequency
   156.800 MHz for calling coast stations and marine utility stations on shore,
   and for replying to calls from such stations, is authorized. However, such
   calls and replies should be made on the appropriate ship-shore working
   frequency.

   (b) Calling ship stations. (1) Except when other operating procedure is used
   to expedite safety communication, ship stations, before transmitting on the
   intership working frequencies 2003, 2142, 2638, 2738, or 2830 kHz, must
   first establish communications with other ship stations by call and reply on
   2182 kHz. Calls may be initiated on an intership working frequency when it
   is known that the called vessel maintains a simultaneous watch on the
   working frequency and on 2182 kHz.

   (2) Except when other operating procedures are used to expedite safety
   communications, the frequency 156.800 MHz must be used for call and reply by
   ship stations and marine utility stations before establishing communication
   on one of the intership working frequencies. Calls may be initiated on an
   intership working frequency when it is known that the called vessel
   maintains a simultaneous watch on the working frequency and on 156.800 MHz.

   (c) Change to working frequency. After establishing communication with
   another station by call and reply on 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz stations on
   board ship must change to an authorized working frequency for the
   transmission of messages.

   (d) Limitations on calling. Calling a particular station must not continue
   for more than 30 seconds in each instance. If the called station does not
   reply, the station must not again be called until after an interval of 2
   minutes. When a called station called does not reply to a call sent three
   times at intervals of 2 minutes, the calling must cease and must not be
   renewed until after an interval of 15 minutes; however, if there is no
   reason to believe that harmful interference will be caused to other
   communications in progress, the call sent three times at intervals of 2
   minutes may be repeated after a pause of not less than 3 minutes. In event
   of an emergency involving safety, the provisions of this paragraph do not
   apply.

   (e) Limitations on working. Any one exchange of communications between any
   two ship stations on 2003, 2142, 2638, 2738, or 2830 kHz or between a ship
   station and a private coast station on 2738 or 2830 kHz must not exceed 3
   minutes after the stations have established contact. Subsequent to such
   exchange of communications, the same two stations must not again use 2003,
   2142, 2638, 2738, or 2830 kHz for communication with each other until 10
   minutes have elapsed.

   (f) Transmission limitation on 2182 kHz and 156.800 MHz. To facilitate the
   reception of distress calls, all transmissions on 2182 kHz and 156.800 MHz
   (channel 16) must be minimized and transmissions on 156.800 MHz must not
   exceed 1 minute.

   (g) Limitations on commercial communication. On frequencies in the band
   156–162 MHz, the exchange of commercial communication must be limited to the
   minimum practicable transmission time. In the conduct of ship-shore
   communication other than distress, stations on board ship must comply with
   instructions given by the private coast station or marine utility station on
   shore with which they are communicating.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  68 FR 46961 , Aug. 7, 2003]

Special Procedures—Public Coast Stations