Shipboard radio station

A shipboard radio station includes all the
transmitting and receiving equipment installed
aboard a ship for communications afloat.
Depending on the size, purpose, or destination of
a ship, its radio station must meet certain
requirements established by law or treaty. For
example, large passenger or cargo ships that
travel on the open sea are required by the
Communications Act and by international
agreements to be equipped with a radio station
for long distance radio communications.
Passenger ships that travel along the coast must
be able to communicate at shorter range with
coast stations. These are examples of
"compulsory ships" because they are required by
treaty or statute to be equipped with specified
telecommunications equipment.
Smaller ships used for recreation (e.g., sailing,
diving, fishing, water skiing) are not required to
have radio stations installed but they may be so
equipped by choice. These ships are known as
"voluntary ships" because they are not required
by treaty or statute to carry a radio.
Ship stations may communicate with other ship
stations or coast stations primarily for safety, and
secondarily for navigation and operational
efficiency. The FCC regulates marine
communications in cooperation with the U.S.
Coast Guard, which monitors marine distress
frequencies continuously to protect life and
property. All users of marine radio are
responsible for observing both FCC and Coast
Guard requirements.
The marine radio equipment listed below may be
used aboard a ship. If your ship must be
licensed, all equipment is authorized under a
single ship radio station license.
VHF Radiotelephone (156-162 MHz) - Used for
voice communications with other ships and coast
stations over short distances.
Radar - Used for navigating, direction-finding,
locating positions, and ship traffic control.
EPIRB - Emergency Position Indicating Radio
Beacons, or EPIRBs, are used when a ship is in
distress, to emit a radio signal marking the ship's
location. Extreme care must be taken to prevent
inadvertent activation and batteries should be
replaced prior to expiration date.
Single sideband Radiotelephone (2-27.5 MHz) -
Used to communicate over medium and long
distances (hundreds, sometime thousands of
nautical miles).
Satellite Radio - Used to communicate by means
of voice, data or direct printing via satellites.
Radiotelegraph - Used to communicate by means
of Morse code facsimile or narrow-band direct-
printing.
Survival Craft Radio - Used for survival purposes
only from lifeboats and rafts.
On Board Radio - These are low-powered radios
used for internal voice communications on board
a ship or for authorized short range
communications directly associated with ship
operations.