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 certificated by the Commission for part 80 operations.
   The procedures for certification are contained in part 2 of this chapter.
   Transmitters of a model authorized 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 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) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, 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) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(3) of this section, authorized channels
   may be programmed via computerized remote control by any person, provided
   that the remote control operation is designed to preclude the programming of
   channels not authorized to the licensee.

   (5) 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 certification 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 certification 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) [Reserved]

   (f)  Transmitters  certificated for single sideband suppressed carrier
   radiotelephone transmissions may be used for facsimile transmissions without
   filing for a certification modification provided the transmitters retain
   certification 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. 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. 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.

   (h) In addition to the certification requirements contained in part 2 of
   this chapter, applicants for certification of 406.0–406.1 MHz radiobeacons
   must also comply with the certification procedures contained in  Sec. 80.1061 of
   this part.

   (i) Certification 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)  Certification  is  not  required  for transmitters authorized for
   developmental stations.

   (k) Certification of individual radio transmitters requested by station
   applicants or licensees must also follow the certification 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.

   (l) Ship station transmitters may be certificated 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 certificated 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  Sec.  Sec. 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.

   (n)  Applications  for  certification 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.

   (o) Existing equipment that does not comply with the rules in this subpart
   but was properly authorized as compliant with the rules in effect at the
   time of its authorization, and remains compliant with the rules in effect at
   the time of its authorization, may continue to be installed until February
   1, 2003.

   [ 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;  63 FR 36606 , July 7, 1998;  68 FR 46962 ,
   Aug. 7, 2003;  69 FR 64672 , Nov. 8, 2004;  73 FR 4481 , Jan. 25, 2008]