§  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]

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Ship Station Safety Watches

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