§  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 M.476-5;
   ITU-R M.493-13; ITU-R M.541-9; ITU-R M.625-3; RTCM Paper
   56-95/SC101-STD; and IEC 62238 (all incorporated by reference, see
   §  80.7).

   (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 and ITU-R M.493-13 (both incorporated by
   reference, see §  80.7) (including only equipment classes A, B, D, and
   E); or

   (ii) ITU-R M.493-13 and, in the case of Class D DSC equipment only, IEC
   62238 (both incorporated by reference, see §  80.7).

   (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 M.493-13 and, in the case of Class D DSC
   equipment only, IEC 62238 (both incorporated by reference, see §  80.7).

   (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 M.493-13 and, in the case of Class D DSC
   equipment only, IEC 62238 (both incorporated by reference, see §  80.7).

   (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
   M.476-5 or ITU-R M.625-3 or ITU-R M.493-13 (all incorporated by
   reference, see §  80.7), and

   (3) Equipment functioning under the provisions of §  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 §  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;  76 FR 67611 , Nov.
   2, 2011]

   return arrow Back to Top