The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1998

Regulation 11(1)(f)

SCHEDULE 1 SATELLITE EPIRBS

Every satellite EPIRB provided pursuant to these Regulations shall be—

(1) capable of transmitting a distress alert either through the polar orbiting satellite service operating in the 406 MHz band or, alternatively, in sea areas A1, A2 and A3 only, through the INMARSAT geostationary satellite service operating in the 1.6 GHz band;

(2) installed in an easily accessible position;

(3) ready to be manually released and capable of being carried by one person into a survival craft;

(4) capable of floating free if the ship sinks;

(5) capable of being activated manually; and

(6) automatically activated when afloat.

Regulation 18(7)

SCHEDULE 2 EQUIPMENT TESTS AND RESERVE POWER CHECKS

1.    Daily

(a) The proper functioning of the DSC facilities shall be tested at least once each day, without radiation of signals, by use of the means provided on the equipment.

(b) Batteries providing a source of energy for any part of the radio installations shall be tested daily and, where necessary, brought up to the fully charged condition.

2.    Weekly

(a) The proper operation of the DSC facilities shall be tested at least once a week by means of a test call, when within communication range of a coast station fitted with DSC equipment. Where a ship has been out of communication range of a coast station fitted with DSC equipment for a period of longer than one week, a test call shall be made on the first opportunity that the ship is within communication range of such a coast station.

(b) Where the reserve source of energy is not a battery (for example, a motor generator), the reserve source of energy shall be tested weekly.

3.    Monthly

(a) Each EPIRB and satellite EPIRB shall be examined at least once a month to determine its capability to operate properly, particularly its ability to float free (where required to do so) in the event of the ship sinking, its security and for signs of damage.

(b) Each search and rescue radar transponder shall be checked at least once a month for security and signs of damage.

(c) Each survival craft two-way VHF equipment shall be tested at least once a month on a frequency other than 156.8 MHz (VHF Channel 16).

(d) A check shall be made at least once a month on the security and condition of all batteries providing a source of energy for any part of a radio installation. The battery connections and compartment shall also be checked.

Regulation 20(1)

SCHEDULE 3 GMDSS RADIO LOG

The following shall be recorded in the GMDSS Radio Log as they occur—

(a) a summary of communications relating to distress, urgency and safety traffic and the time such communications occurred;

(b) a record of important incidents connected with the radio service and the time such incidents occurred; and

(c) where appropriate, the position of the ship at least once a day and the time at which the ship was in that position.

Regulation 24(1)

SCHEDULE 4 EQUIPMENT TESTS AND BATTERY RESERVE POWER CHECKS

1.    Daily

(a) Every radio officer who finds any radiotelegraph auto-alarm equipment in operation when going on duty shall test the efficiency of the audible alarm system in the radiotelegraph operating room.

(b) Every radio officer who leaves any radiotelegraph auto-alarm equipment in operation when going off duty shall test the efficiency of the audible alarm system in the radiotelegraph operating room.

(c) The proper functioning of the radiotelegraph auto-alarm installation shall be tested at least once each day by listening to signals and comparing them with similar signals received on the radiotelegraph distress frequency on another receiver, and by operating the complete audible alarm system.

(d) The reserve radiotelegraph transmitter, if not used for communications, shall be tested at least one each day using a suitable artificial antenna.

(e) The radiotelephone distress frequency watch receiver shall be tested at least once each day using the means provided in accordance with regulation 33(7)(b), and by listening to signals and, where practicable, comparing them with similar signals received on the radiotelephone distress frequency on another receiver.

(f) Batteries providing a source of energy for any part of the radio installation shall be tested daily and, where necessary, brought up to the fully charged condition.

(g) Where the reserve source of energy is not a battery (for example, a motor generator), the reserve source of energy shall be tested daily.

2.    Weekly

(a) The reserve radiotelegraph transmitter shall be tested at least once every week using the main antenna and, if provided, the reserve antenna.

(b) The radiotelegraph alarm signal keying device shall be tested at least once every week using a transmitter set to low power, tuned to a frequency other than the radiotelephone distress frequency and connected to a suitable artificial antenna.

(c) The radiotelephone alarm signal generating device shall be tested at least once every week using the means provided in accordance with regulation 33(7)(a).

(d) Motor life-boat fixed radiotelegraph installations and portable radio equipment for survival craft shall be tested at least once every week using suitable artificial antennas.

(e) Batteries forming part of a motor life-boat fixed radiotelegraph installation and survival craft portable radio equipment shall be tested weekly and, where necessary, brought up to the fully charged condition. Where non-rechargable batteries are provided in survival craft portable radio equipment as a source of energy, the expiry date of the batteries shall be checked and the batteries replaced when necessary.

(f) Batteries forming part of a two-way radiotelephone apparatus for survival craft shall be tested weekly and, where necessary, brought up to the fully charged condition. Where non-rechargeable batteries are provided as a source of energy the batteries shall be checked and replaced if necessary.

3.    Monthly

(a) Motor life-boat fixed radiotelegraph installations and portable radio equipment for survival craft shall be tested at least once a month using an antenna provided with the installations or equipment. In the case of motor life-boat fixed radiotelegraph installations, the test shall, where practicable, be carried out with the life-boat floating in the sea.

(b) Batteries providing a source of energy for any part of the radio installation shall be tested at least once a month by means of a hydrometer where practicable, or where a hydrometer cannot be used, by a suitable load test. A check shall also be made of the security of the battery and its connections and the condition of the battery and its compartment.

4.    Annually

Survival craft emergency position-indicating radio beacons shall be inspected, tested and, if necessary, have their source of energy replaced at least once every twelve months. The interval may be extended to a maximum of seventeen months to permit the inspection to take place concurrently with a radio survey.

Regulations 37(3) and 45(4)

SCHEDULE 5 ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR RADIOTELEPHONE OPERATORS AND RADIO OFFICERS

(a) The provision of radio services in emergencies including—

(i) abandon ship;

(ii) fire aboard ship; and

(iii) partial or full breakdown of the radio station.

(b) The operation of lifeboats, liferafts, buoyant apparatus and their equipment, with special reference to portable and fixed lifeboat radio apparatus and emergency position-indicating radio beacons.

(c) Survival at sea.

(d) First aid.

(e) Fire prevention and fire-fighting with particular reference to the radio installation.

(f) Preventive measures for the saftey of ship and personnel in connection with hazards related to radio equipment including electrical, radiation, chemical and mechanical hazards.

(g) The use of the Organisation’s Merchant Ship Search and Rescue Manual (MERSAR) published in January 1981 (including any document amending the Manual which is considered by the Secretary of State to be relevant from time to time and is specified in a Merchant Shipping Notice) with particular reference to radiocommunications.

(h) Ship position-reporting systems and procedures.

(i) The use of the International Code of Signals and the Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary.

(j) Radio medical systems and procedures.

Regulation 39(2)

SCHEDULE 6 RADIO LOG—RADIOTELEPHONE SHIP

PART A

The radio log book, the form of which is at Part B below, is compiled in two sections which shall be completed in accordance with the following—

Section A—Particulars of the radiotelephone operators on board.

Section B—Diary of the radio service which shall specify:

(a) the name of the radiotelephone operator and the times at which the watch commences and ends;

(b) the times at which radio watch is for any reason discontinued, together with the reason and the time at which radio watch is resumed;

(c) a summary of communications exchanged between the ship station and coast stations or other ship stations, including the serial numbers and the dates of any messages passed;

(d) a summary of all communications relating to distress, urgency and safety traffic;

(e) a record of all incidents connected with the radio service, including the radiotelephone installation and the VHF radiotelephone installations, which occur during the watch and appear to be of importance to safety of life at sea;

(f) details of the tests and checks required by regulation 24(1);

(g) if the ship’s rules permit, the position of the ship at least once a day.

PART B FORM OF RADIOTELEPHONE LOG-BOOK

RADIOTELEPHONE LOG

Regulation 47(2)

SCHEDULE 7 RADIO LOG—RADIOTELEGRAPH SHIP

PART A

The radio log book, the form of which is at Part B below, is compiled in two parts which shall be completed in accordance with the following—

PART I

(a) Section A: Particulars of the radio officers on board.

(b) Section B: Particulars of all batteries on board used as a source of energy for any part of the radio installation.

(c) Section C: A daily record of the off-load and on-load voltage condition of each battery listed in Section B and details of charging and maintenance, including replacement, of each such battery.

(d) Section D: A monthy record of a full examination of each battery listed in Section B, including where appropriate, the condition of each cell.

PART II

Every radio officer shall, when keeping radio watch, enter in the radio log—

(a) the name of the radio officer and the times at which the watch commences and ends;

(b) the times at which radio watch is for any reason discontinued, together with the reason and the time at which radio watch is resumed;

(c) details of the watch kept on the international radiotelegraph distress frequency during silence periods;

(d) all communications relating to distress traffic in full;

(e) details of urgency and safety communications;

(f) a summary of communications exchanged between the ship station and coast stations or other ship stations, including the serial numbers and the dates of any messages passed;

(g) a record of all incidents connected with the radio service, including the radiotelegraph and the VHF radiotelephone installation which may appear to be of importance to safety of life at sea;

(h) details of the tests and checks required by regulation 24(1)

(i) at least once a day when the station is open, a record of the time shown by the clock in each radiotelegraph room in comparison with Greenwich Mean Time and any correction made in respect of that clock. In addition the local time in use by the ship shall be recorded daily; and

(j) if the ship’s rules permit, the position of the ship at least once a day, preferably at midday.

PART B FORM OF RADIOTELEPHONE LOG-BOOK

RADIOTELEPHONE LOG