§ 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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