§  80.1083   Ship radio installations.

   (a) Ships must be provided with radio installations capable of
   complying with the functional requirements prescribed by §  80.1081
   throughout its intended voyage and, unless exempted under §  80.1071,
   complying with the requirements of §  80.1085 and, as appropriate for
   the sea area of areas through which it will pass during its intended
   voyage, the requirements of either §  80.1087, §  80.1089, §  80.1091,
   or §  80.1093.

   (b) The radio installation must:

   (1) Be so located that no harmful interference of mechanical,
   electrical or other origin affects its proper use, and so as to ensure
   electromagnetic compatibility and avoidance of harmful interaction with
   other equipment and systems;

   (2) Be so located as to ensure the greatest possible degree of safety
   and operational availability;

   (3) Be protected against harmful effects of water, extremes of
   temperature and other adverse environmental conditions;

   (4) Be provided with reliable, permanently arranged electrical
   lighting, independent of the main and emergency sources of electrical
   power, for the adequate illumination of the radio controls for
   operating the radio installation; and

   (5) Be clearly marked with the call sign, the ship station identity and
   other codes as applicable for the use of the radio installation.

   (c) Control of the VHF radiotelephone channels required for
   navigational safety must be immediately available on the navigating
   bridge convenient to the conning position and, where necessary,
   facilities should be available to permit radiocommunications from the
   wings of the navigating bridge. Portable VHF equipment may be used to
   meet the latter provision.

   (d) Shipborne Integrated Radiocommunication System (IRCS) may be
   utilized to integrate all GMDSS equipment into a standard operator's
   console. Such installation must be certified in accordance with
   §  80.1103 and meet the requirements of IMO Resolution A.811(19)
   (incorporated by reference, see §  80.7).

   (e) In passenger ships, a distress panel shall be installed at the
   conning position. This panel shall contain either one single button
   which, when pressed, initiates a distress alert using all
   radiocommunications installations required on board for that purpose or
   one button for each individual installation. The panel shall clearly
   and visually indicate whenever any button or buttons have been pressed.
   Means shall be provided to prevent inadvertent activation of the button
   or buttons. If the satellite EPIRB is used as the secondary means of
   distress alerting and is not remotely activated, it shall be acceptable
   to have an additional EPIRB installed in the wheelhouse near the
   conning position.

   (f) In passenger ships, information on the ship's position shall be
   continuously and automatically provided to all relevant
   radiocommunications equipment to be included in the initial distress
   alert when the button or buttons on the distress panel is pressed.

   (g) In passenger ships, a distress alarm panel shall be installed at
   the conning position. The distress alarm panel shall provide visual and
   aural indication of any distress alert or alerts received on board and
   shall also indicate through which radiocommunication service the
   distress alerts have been received.

   [ 57 FR 9065 , Mar. 16, 1992, as amended at  68 FR 46976 , Aug. 7, 2003;  69 FR 64679 , Nov. 8, 2004;  73 FR 4489 , Jan. 25, 2008;  76 FR 67616 , Nov. 2,
   2011]

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