The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1998

Interpretation of Part II U.K.

7.  In this Part—

“Admiralty List of Radio Signals” means the document so entitled published by the Hydrographer of the Navy and any subsequent List containing the like information which the Hydrographer of the Navy considers relevant from time to time which replaces the Admiralty List of Radio Signals or replaces any subsequent List containing the like information; and a reference to any such List includes a reference to any Admiralty Notice to Mariners amending the same which the Hydrographer of the Navy considers relevant from time to time;

“area A1 ship” means a ship which goes to sea in sea area A1 only;

“area A2 ship” means a ship which goes to sea in sea area A2 only, or in sea areas A1 and A2;

“area A3 ship” means a ship which goes to sea in sea area A3 only, or in sea area A3 and also in sea area A1 or A2 or both those sea areas;

“area A4 ship” means a ship which goes to sea in sea area A4 only, or in sea area A4 and also in one or more of sea areas A1, A2 and A3;

“bridge-to-bridge communications” means safety communications between ships from the position from which the ships are normally navigated;

“conning position” means the place on the bridge with a commanding view of the ship and its position used by navigators when commanding, manoeuvring and controlling the ship;

“continuous watch” means a radio watch which is not interrupted other than for brief intervals when the ship’s receiving capability is impaired or blocked by its own communications or when the facilities are under periodical maintenance or checks;

“direct-printing telegraphy” means an automated telegraphy technique which complies with the relevant recommendations specified in a Merchant Shipping Notice;

“DSC” means Digital Selective Calling being a technique using digital codes which enables a radio station to establish contact with, and transfer information to, another station or group of stations, and complying with the relevant recommendations as specified in [F1 Section 5 of Annex 1 to Merchant Shipping Notice 1874 (M+F) Amendment 4];

[F2 “EPIRB” means an emergency position indicating radio beacon capable of transmitting a distress alert through the COSPAS/SARSAT polar orbiting satellite service operating in the 406 MHZ band;]

F3 ...

“GMDSS general operator’s certificate” and “GMDSS restricted operator’s certificate” mean the certificates respectively so called in the Radio Regulations, issued in accordance with those Regulations, and in relation to a United Kingdom ship, associated with an authority from the Secretary of State issued under [F4 Part 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006];

“HF” means the frequency spectrum between 3000 kHz and 30 Mhz;

F5 ...

“International NAVTEX service” means the co-ordinated broadcast and automatic reception on 518 kHz of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy using the English language;

“locating” means the finding of ships, aircraft, units or persons in distress;

“maritme safety information” means navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety related messages broadcast to ships;

“mobile-satellite service” means a radiocommunication service between—

(a)

mobile earth stations and one or more space stations, or between space stations used by this service; or

(b)

mobile earth stations by means of one or more space stations,

and this service may also include feeder links necessary for its operation;

“MF” means the frequency spectrum between 300 kHz and 3000 kHz;

“pola orbiting satellite service” means a service which is based on polar orbiting satellites which receive and relay distress alerts from satellite EPIRBS and which provides their position;

F5 ...

“radio communication” means telecommunication by means of radio waves;

“radio communications service” means a service as defined in the Radio Regulations involving the transmission, emission and/or reception of radio waves for specific telecommunication purposes;

“radio log” means the record required to be kept by regulation 20;

[F6 “recognised mobile satellite service” means any service which operates through a satellite system and is recognized by the International Maritime Organization, for use in the GMDSS;]

“satellite EPIRB” means an EPIRB which is in the mobile-satellite service;

“sea area A1” means an area specified as sea area A1 in the Admiralty List of Radio Signals;

“sea area A2” means an area specified as sea area A2 in the Admiralty List of Radio Signals;

“sea area A3” means an area, excluding sea areas A1 and A2, within the coverage of an INMARSAT geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available;

“sea area A4” means any area of the sea which is not sea area A1, A2 or A3;

“service” means, in relation to a reference to any particular type of radio service, a reference to that service as defined in the Radio Regulations;

“ship earth station” means a mobile earth station in the maritime mobile-satellite service located on board ship;

“ship station” means a mobile station in the maritime mobile-satellite service located on board a vessel which is not permanently moored, other than a survival craft station;

“survival craft station” means a mobile station in the maritime mobile-satellite service intended solely for survival purposes and located on any lifeboat, life-raft or other survival equipment;

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 7 substituted (24.12.2021) by The Merchant Shipping (Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1316), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 6(a) (with reg. 4)

F2 Words in reg. 7 inserted (29.3.2023) by The Merchant Shipping (Cargo and Passenger Ship Construction and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/246), regs. 1(1), 19

F3 Word in reg. 7 omitted (24.12.2021) by virtue of The Merchant Shipping (Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1316), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 6(b) (with reg. 4)

F4 Words in reg. 7 substituted (24.12.2021) by The Merchant Shipping (Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1316), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 6(c) (with reg. 4)

F5 Words in reg. 7 omitted (24.12.2021) by virtue of The Merchant Shipping (Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1316), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 6(d) (with reg. 4)

F6 Words in reg. 7 inserted (24.12.2021) by The Merchant Shipping (Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1316), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 6(e) (with reg. 4)

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 7 in force at 28.9.1998, see reg. 1(1)