Sec.  80.225   Requirements for selective calling equipment.

   This section specifies the requirements for voluntary digital selective
   calling (DSC) equipment and selective calling equipment installed in ship
   and coast stations, and incorporates by reference ITU–R Recommendation
   M.476–5,  “Direct-Printing  Telegraph Equipment in the Maritime Mobile
   Service,”  with  Annex,  1995; ITU–R Recommendation M.493–11, “Digital
   Selective-calling System for Use in the Maritime Mobile Service,” with
   Annexes 1 and 2, 2004; ITU–R Recommendation M.541–9, “Operational Procedures
   for the Use of Digital Selective-Calling Equipment in the Maritime Mobile
   Service,” with Annexes 1 through 5, 2004; ITU–R Recommendation M.625–3,
   “Direct-Printing Telegraph Equipment Employing Automatic Identification in
   the Maritime Mobile Service,” with Annex, 1995; RTCM Paper 56–95/SC101–STD,
   “RTCM Recommended Minimum Standards for Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
   Equipment Providing Minimum Distress and Safety Capability,” Version 1.0,
   August 10, 1995; and IEC 62238, First edition, “Maritime navigation and
   radiocommunication  equipment and systems—VHF radiotelephone equipment
   incorporating Class `D' Digital Selective Calling (DSC)—Methods of testing
   and required test results,” March 2003. ITU–R Recommendations M.476–5 with
   Annex, M.493–11 with Annexes 1 and 2, M.541–9 with Annexes 1 through 5, and
   M.625–3 with Annex, RTCM Paper 56–95/SC101–STD Version 1.0, and IEC 62238,
   First edition, are incorporated by reference. The Director of the Federal
   Register approves this incorporation by reference in accordance with 5
   U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies of these standards can be inspected
   at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington,
   DC (Reference Information Center) or at the National Archives and Records
   Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material
   at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go to:
   http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_loc
   ations.html  .  The  ITU–R  Recommendations  can be purchased from the
   International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Place des Nations, CH–1211
   Geneva 20, Switzerland. The RTCM standards can be purchased from the Radio
   Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM), 1800 N. Kent Street,
   Suite  1060,  Arlington,  Virginia 22209, http://www.rtcm.org , e-mail
   pubs@rtcm.org .

   (a) The requirements for DSC equipment voluntarily installed in coast or
   ships stations are as follows:

   (1) Prior to March 25, 2009, DSC equipment must meet the requirements of the
   following standards in order to be approved for use:

   (i) RTCM Paper 56–95/SC101–STD, RTCM Recommended Minimum Standards for
   Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Equipment Providing Minimum Distress and
   Safety Capability,” Version 1.0, August 10, 1995, and ITU–R Recommendation
   M.493–10, “Digital Selective-calling System for Use in the Maritime Mobile
   Service,” with Annexes 1 and 2, 2000 (including only equipment classes A, B,
   D, and E); or

   (ii) ITU–R Recommendation M.493–11, “Digital Selective-calling System for
   Use in the Maritime Mobile Service,” with Annexes 1 and 2, 2004, and, in the
   case of Class D DSC equipment only, IEC 62238, First edition, “Maritime
   navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems—VHF radiotelephone
   equipment incorporating Class `D' Digital Selective Calling (DSC)—Methods of
   testing and required test results,” March 2003.

   (2)  Beginning  March  25,  2009,  the  Commission will not accept new
   applications (but will continue to process then-pending applications) for
   certification  of  non-portable  DSC  equipment that does not meet the
   requirements of ITU–R Recommendation M.493–11, “Digital Selective-calling
   System for Use in the Maritime Mobile Service,” with Annexes 1 and 2, 2004,
   and, in the case of Class D DSC equipment only, IEC 62238, First edition,
   “Maritime  navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems—VHF
   radiotelephone equipment incorporating Class `D' Digital Selective Calling
   (DSC)—Methods of testing and required test results,” March 2003.

   (3)  Beginning  March  25,  2012,  the  Commission will not accept new
   applications (but will continue to process then-pending applications) for
   certification of handheld, portable DSC equipment that does not meet the
   requirements of ITU–R Recommendation M.493–11, “Digital Selective-calling
   System for Use in the Maritime Mobile Service,” with Annexes 1 and 2, 2004,
   and, in the case of Class D DSC equipment only, IEC 62238, First edition,
   “Maritime  navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems—VHF
   radiotelephone equipment incorporating Class `D' Digital Selective Calling
   (DSC)—Methods of testing and required test results,” March 2003.

   (4) The manufacture, importation, sale or installation of non-portable DSC
   equipment that does not comply with either of the standards referenced in
   paragraph (a)(2) of this section is prohibited beginning March 25, 2011.

   (5)  The  manufacture,  importation, or sale of handheld, portable DSC
   equipment that does not comply with either of the standards referenced in
   paragraph (a)(3) of this section is prohibited beginning March 25, 2015.

   (6) Approved DSC equipment that has been manufactured, sold, and installed
   in  conformity  with  the  requirements  of  this  section may be used
   indefinitely.

   (b) Manufacturers of Class C DSC equipment to be used on United States
   vessels must affix a clearly discernible permanent plate or label visible
   from the operating controls containing the following:

   Warning. This equipment is designed to generate a digital maritime distress
   and safety signal to facilitate search and rescue. To be effective as a
   safety device, this equipment must be used only within communication range
   of a shore-based VHF marine channel 70 distress and safety watch system. The
   range  of  the  signal  may vary but under normal conditions should be
   approximately 20 nautical miles.

   (c) Selective calling equipment, other than that designed in accordance with
   paragraph (a) of this section, is authorized as follows:

   (1)   Equipment  used  in  conjunction  with  the  Automated  Maritime
   Telecommunications System (AMTS) in the band 216–220 MHz,

   (2)  Equipment  used  to  perform  a selective calling function during
   narrow-band direct-printing (NB–DP) operations in accordance with ITU–R
   Recommendation M.476–5, “Direct-Printing Telegraph Equipment in the Maritime
   Mobile  Service,”  with  Annex, 1995, or ITU–R Recommendation M.625–3,
   “Direct-Printing Telegraph Equipment Employing Automatic Identification in
   the  Maritime  Mobile Service,” with Annex, 1995, ITU–R Recommendation
   M.493–11, “Digital Selective-calling System for Use in the Maritime Mobile
   Service,” with Annexes 1 and 2, 2004, and

   (3) Equipment functioning under the provisions of  Sec. 80.207(a) includes the
   brief use of radiotelegraphy, including keying only the modulating audio
   frequency,  tone signals, and other signalling devices to establish or
   maintain communications provided that:

   (i) These signalling techniques are not used on frequencies designated for
   general purpose digital selective calling (DSC) and distress and safety DSC
   calling as listed in  Sec. 80.359;

   (ii) The authorized radiotelephone emission bandwidth is not exceeded;

   (iii) Documentation of selective calling protocols must be available to the
   general public; and,

   (iv) Harmful interference is not caused to stations operating in accordance
   with the International Radio Regulations.

   [ 54 FR 10009 , Mar. 9, 1989, as amended at  62 FR 40306 , July 28, 1997;  68 FR 46966 , Aug. 7, 2003;  73 FR 4482 , Jan. 25, 2008]