Goto Section: 80.371 | 80.374 | Table of Contents

FCC 80.373
Revised as of October 2, 2015
Goto Year:2014 | 2016
§ 80.373   Private communications frequencies.

   This section describes the carrier frequencies assignable for ship-to-ship
   and ship-to-coast private communications.

   (a) Special requirements for private coast stations. Assignment to private
   coast stations of radiotelephony frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band are
   subject to the following:

   (1) Private coast stations must use J3E emission.

   (2) On 2182 kHz, private coast stations must be capable of receiving J3E and
   H3E emissions.

   (3) Except in the Mississippi River System and Great Lakes, private coast
   stations serving lakes or rivers are not authorized on the 2000-2850 kHz
   band.

   (4)  Private  coast stations may use DSC for calling on their assigned
   frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band and on those frequencies in the
   156-162 MHz band which are allocated for maritime control, commercial and
   non-commercial communications.

   (b) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz band for intership safety and other
   communications. This paragraph describes the geographic areas of operation
   and the frequencies and limitations in the band available for assignment for
   intership safety and operational simplex radiotelephone communications.

   (1) Frequencies avaiable.
   Carrier frequency (kHz) Geographic area
   2003.0 Great Lakes only.
   2082.5^1 2 All areas.
   2093.0^1 All areas.
   2142.0 Pacific coast areas south of 42 degrees north on a day basis only.
   2203.0^2 Gulf of Mexico.
   2214.0^1 All areas.
   2638.0^1 All areas.
   2670.0 All areas.
   2738.0^1 All areas except the Great Lakes.
   2830.0 Gulf of Mexico only.

   ^1Limited to a peak envelope power of 150 watts.

   ^2Available on a secondary basis for intership communications by ships
   involved in non-commercial fishing.

   (2) Except for 2093.0 kHz and 2214.0 kHz the frequencies shown in paragraph
   (b)(1)  of  this section are authorized primarily for intership safety
   communications in the indicated geographic area.

   (3) Except for the frequencies 2093.0 kHz, 2214.0 kHz and 2670.0 kHz, the
   frequencies shown in paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be used on a
   non-interference  basis  to  safety  communications,  for  operational
   communications and, in the case of commercial transport ships and ships of
   municipal and state governments, for business communications.

   (4) Ship stations may communicate with government coast stations on 2003.0
   kHz  about  passage  of  vessels.  Interference  must not be caused to
   communications on the St. Lawrence Seaway and on the St. Mary's River.

   (5) Ship stations may use 2670.0 kHz for communications with coast and ship
   stations of the U.S. Coast Guard. When a ship is not equipped to transmit on
   2670.0 kHz or in the band 156-162 MHz the frequency 2003.0 kHz may be used
   on the Great Lakes for communications must not cause harmful interference to
   intership safety, operational and business communications.

   (6) Navigational communications between ships and private coast stations may
   be exchanged on 2738.0 kHz and 2830.0 kHz. The frequencies 2214.0 kHz,
   2738.0 kHz and 2830.0 kHz are assignable to private coast stations upon a
   showing  that  they  need  to communicate with commercial transport or
   Government ships. Private coast station applicants must show that public
   coast  stations do not provide the required communications and harmful
   interference will not be caused to the intership use of these frequencies.
   The transmitter power must not exceed 150 watts. If 2214.0 kHz is authorized
   for  ships, intership communication is also authorized. The geographic
   limitations to the frequencies 2738.0 kHz and 2830.0 kHz do not prohibit
   intership communication of less than 320 km (200 statute miles) when only
   one of the ship stations is within a permitted use geographic area.

   (7) Private aircraft stations may communicate with ship stations on 2738.0
   kHz and 2830.0 kHz if:

   (i) The communications are limited to business or operational needs of the
   vessel while it is engaged in commercial fishing activities in the open sea
   or adjacent waters;

   (ii) Harmful interference must not be caused to intership communications;

   (iii) The maximum output power used for such communication must not exceed
   25 watts;

   (c) Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz bands for business and operational
   communications. (1) The following simplex frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz
   band are available for assignment to private coast stations for business and
   operational radiotelephone communications. These simplex frequencies also
   are  available  for  use  by authorized ship stations for business and
   operational radiotelephone communications.

   Business and Operational Frequencies in the 2000-27500 kHz Band; Carrier
   Frequencies (kHz)
   2065.0^1 3   4146 6224 8294   12353 16528 18840 22159 25115
   2079.0^1 3   4149 6227 8297   12356 16531 18843 22162 25118
   2096.5^1   4125^2 6230      12359^6 16534       22165
   3023.0^4   4417^5 6516                          22168
              5680^4                               22171

   ^1Limited to peak envelope power of 150 watts.

   ^2The frequency 4125 kHz is also available for distress and safety, and
   calling and reply, see § 80.369 (b) and (d) of this part.

   ^3The frequencies 2065.0 kHz and 2079.0 kHz must be coordinated with Canada.

   ^4The frequencies 3023.0 kHz and 5680.0 kHz are available to private coast
   stations licensed to state and local governments and any scene-of-action
   ships for the purpose of search and rescue scene-of-action coordination
   including communications with any scene-of-action aircraft.

   ^5The frequency 6516 kHz is limited to daytime operations. The frequencies
   4417  kHz  and  6516 kHz are also available for calling and reply, see
   § 80.369(d) of this part.

   ^6The alternative carrier frequency 12359 kHz may be used by ship stations
   and coast stations for calling on a simplex basis, provided that the peak
   envelope power does not exceed 1 kW.

   (2) Assignment of these frequencies is subject to the following general
   limitations:

   (i) These frequencies are shared and are not available for the exclusive use
   of any station. No more than one frequency from each of the frequency bands
   will be authorized to a private station without justification;

   (ii) The emissions must be J3E or J2D except that when DSC is used the
   emission must be F1B or J2B; and

   (iii) Maximum transmitter output power is limited to 1 kW except as noted.

   (3)  In  addition to the frequencies shown in paragraph (c)(1) of this
   section, the following coast transmit frequencies listed in the table in
   § 80.371(a) of this chapter are available for assignment to private coast
   stations and authorized ship stations for simplex business and operational
   radiotelephone communications: in the East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast
   regions, 2482 kHz; in the Alaska region, 2309 kHz. These frequencies shall
   not be assigned to public coast stations before July 25, 2002. After that
   date,  only  the above frequencies in the above regions that have been
   assigned  to  at  least one private coast station shall continue to be
   available for assignment to private coast stations. If, by that date, in any
   of the above regions, any of the above frequencies has not been assigned to
   a private coast station, that frequency in that region shall be available
   for assignment only to public coast stations.

   (d) Radioprinter frequencies. (1) The following table describes the bands
   available for radioprinter simplex communications between ship and private
   coast stations:

Frequency Bands (kHz)

   2107-2170   4750-4850

   2194-2495   5060-5450

   2505-2850   5700-59501

   3155-3400   7300-81001

   4438-4650

   1After April 1, 2007, use of the sub-bands 5900-5950 kHz and 7300-7350 kHz
   shall be on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to HF
   broadcasting.

   (2) Ship stations may conduct radioprinter communications with private coast
   stations on frequencies within these bands which are assigned to their
   associated private coast stations;

   (3) Any alphanumeric code may be used; and

   (4) The bandwidth of radioprinter communications on frequencies within these
   bands must not exceed 300 Hz.

   (e)  Frequencies  in  the  2000-27500  kHz  band  for medical advisory
   communications. (1) Private coast stations may be authorized to use any
   frequencies within the 2030-27500 kHz band that are allocated to Government
   and non-Government fixed or fixed and mobile radio services shown in the
   Commission's Table of Frequency Allocations contained in § 2.106 of this
   chapter for communications with ship stations to provide medical treatment
   information or advice. Assignment of these frequencies is subject to the
   following limitations:

   (2) No protection is provided from harmful interference caused by foreign
   stations; and

   (3) A private coast station must cease operations on a frequency that causes
   harmful interference to a foreign station.

   (f) Frequencies in the 156-162 MHz band. The following tables describe the
   carrier frequencies available in the 156-162 MHz band for radiotelephone
   communications between ship and private coast stations. (Note: the letter
   “A”  following the channel designator indicates simplex operation on a
   channel designated internationally as a duplex channel.)

   Frequencies in the 156-162 MHz Band
   Channel designator Carrier frequency (MHz) ship transmit Carrier frequency
   (MHz) coast transmit Points of communication (intership and between coast
   and ship unless otherwise indicated)
   Port Operations
   01A^1 156.050 156.050
   63A^1 156.175 156.175
   05A^2 156.250 156.250
   65A 156.275 156.275
   66A 156.325 156.325
   12^3 156.600 156.600
   73 156.675 156.675
   14^3 156.700 156.700
   74 156.725 156.725
   75^18 156.775 156.775
   76^18 156.825 156.825
   77^4 156.875 Intership only.
   20A^12 157.000 Intership only.
   Navigational (Bridge-to-Bridge)^5
   67^7 156.375 156.375
   13^6 156.650 156.650
   Commercial
   01A^1 156.050 156.050
   63A^1 156.175 156.175
   07A 156.350 156.350
   67^7 156.375 Intership only.
   08 156.400 Do.
   09 156.450 156.450
   10 156.500 156.500
   11^3 156.550 156.550
   72^14 156.625 Intership only.
   18A 156.900 156.900
   19A 156.950 156.950
   79A 156.975 156.975
   80A 157.025 157.025
   88A^8 157.425 157.425
   Digital Selective Calling
   70^15 156.525 156.525
   Noncommercial
   67^14 156.375 Intership only.
   68^17 156.425 156.425
   09^16 156.450 156.450
   69 156.475 156.475
   71^19 156.575 156.575
   72 156.625 Intership only.
   78A 156.925 156.925
   79A 156.975 156.975 Great Lakes only.
   80A 157.025 157.025 Do.
   Distress, Safety and Calling
   16 156.800 156.800
   Intership Safety
   06 156.300 a. Intership, or b. For SAR: Ship and aircraft for the U.S. Coast
   Guard.
   Environmental
   15^13 156.750 Coast to ship only.
   Maritime Control
   17^9 10 156.850 156.850
   Liaison and Safety Broadcasts, U.S. Coast Guard
   22A^11 157.100 157.100 Ship, aircraft, and coast stations of the U.S. Coast
   Guard and at Lake Mead, Nev., ship and coast stations of the National Park
   Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

   ^1156.050  MHz  and  156.175 MHz are available for port operations and
   commercial communications purposes when used only within the U.S. Coast
   Guard designated Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) area of New Orleans, on the
   lower Mississippi River from the various pass entrances in the Gulf of
   Mexico to Devil's Swamp Light at River Mile 242.4 above head of passes near
   Baton Rouge.

   ^2156.250 MHz is available for port operations communications use only
   within the U.S. Coast Guard designated VTS radio protection areas of New
   Orleans and Houston described in § 80.383. 156.250 MHz is available for
   intership port operations communications used only within the area of Los
   Angeles and Long Beach harbors, within a 25-nautical mile radius of Point
   Fermin, California.

   ^3156.550 MHz, 156.600 MHz and 156.700 MHz are available in the U.S. Coast
   Guard designated port areas only for VTS communications and in the Great
   Lakes available primarily for communications relating to the movement of
   ships  in  sectors  designated  by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development
   Corporation or the U.S. Coast Guard. The use of these frequencies outside
   VTS and ship movement sector protected areas is permitted provided they
   cause no interference to VTS and ship movement communications in their
   respective designated sectors.

   ^4Use of 156.875 MHz is limited to communications with pilots regarding the
   movement and docking of ships. Normal output power must not exceed 1 watt.

   ^5156.375  MHz  and  156.650 MHz are available primarily for intership
   navigational communications. These frequencies are available between coast
   and ship on a secondary basis when used on or in the vicinity of locks or
   drawbridges. Normal output power must not exceed 1 watt. Maximum output
   power must not exceed 10 watts for coast stations or 25 watts for ship
   stations.

   ^6On  the Great Lakes, in addition to bridge-to-bridge communications,
   156.650 MHz is available for vessel control purposes in established vessel
   traffic systems. 156.650 MHz is not available for use in the Mississippi
   River from South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy “2” and Southwest Pass entrance
   Mid-channel Lighted Whistle Buoy to mile 242.4 above Head of Passes near
   Baton Rouge. Additionally it is not available for use in the Mississippi
   River-Gulf Outlet, the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal, and the Inner
   Harbor Navigational Canal, except to aid the transition from these areas.

   ^7Use of 156.375 MHz is available for navigational communications only in
   the Mississippi River from South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy “2” and Southwest
   Pass entrance Mid-channel Lighted Whistle Buoy to mile 242.4 above Head of
   Passes  near  Baton Rouge, and in addition over the full length of the
   Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal from entrance to its junction with the
   Inner Harbor Navigational Canal, and over the full length of the Inner
   Harbor Navigational Canal from its junction with the Mississippi River to
   its entry to Lake Pontchartrain at the New Seabrook vehicular bridge.

   ^8Within that portion of VHF Public Coast Station Areas (VPCSAs) 1 through 9
   listed in the table in Section 80.371(c)(1)(ii) within 120 km (75 miles) of
   the United States/Canada border, in the area of the Great Lakes, the Saint
   Lawrence Seaway, and the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its
   approaches, Maritime VHF Channel 88A (157.425 MHz) is available for use for
   public correspondence communications, subject to prior coordination with
   Canada.  Maritime  VHF Channel 88B (162.025 MHz) is available only for
   Automatic  Identification  System  communications.  One hundred twenty
   kilometers (75 miles) from the United States/Canada border, 157.425 MHz is
   available for intership and commercial communications. Outside the Puget
   Sound area and its approaches and the Great Lakes, 157.425 MHz is available
   for  communications  between commercial fishing vessels and associated
   aircraft while engaged in commercial fishing activities.

   ^9When the frequency 156.850 MHz is authorized, it may be used additionally
   for  search  and rescue training exercises conducted by state or local
   governments.

   ^10The frequency 156.850 MHz is additionally available to coast stations on
   the Great Lakes for transmission of scheduled Coded Marine Weather Forecasts
   (MAFOR), Great Lakes Weather Broadcast (LAWEB) and unscheduled Notices to
   Mariners or Bulletins. F3C and J3C emissions are permitted. Coast stations
   on the Great Lakes must cease weather broadcasts which cause interference to
   stations  operating  on  156.800 MHz until the interference problem is
   resolved.

   ^11The frequency 157.100 MHz is authorized for search and rescue training
   exercises by state or local government in conjunction with U.S. Coast Guard
   stations.  Prior U.S. Coast Guard approval is required. Use must cease
   immediately on U.S. Coast Guard request.

   ^12The duplex pair for channel 20 (157.000/161.600 MHz) may be used for ship
   to coast station communications.

   ^13Available for assignment to coast stations, the use of which is in accord
   with an agreed program, for the broadcast of information to ship stations
   concerning the environmental conditions in which vessels operate, i.e.,
   weather; sea conditions; time signals; notices to mariners; and hazards to
   navigation.

   ^14Available only in the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

   ^15The frequency 156.525 MHz is to be used exclusively for distress, safety
   and calling using digital selective calling techniques. No other uses are
   permitted.

   ^16The frequency 156.450 MHz is available for intership, ship and coast
   general purpose calling by noncommercial vessels, such as recreational boats
   and private coast stations.

   ^17The frequency 156.425 MHz is assigned by rule to private coast stations
   in Alaska for facsimile transmissions as well as voice communications.

   ^18The   frequencies   156.775  and  156.825  MHz  are  available  for
   navigation-related  port  operations  or  ship  movement only, and all
   precautions must be taken to avoid harmful interference to channel 16.
   Transmitter output power is limited to 1 watt for ship stations, and 10
   watts for coast stations.

   ^19156.575 MHz is available for port operations communications use only
   within the U.S. Coast Guard designated VTS radio protection area of Seattle
   (Puget Sound) described in § 80.383. Normal output power must not exceed 1
   watt. Maximum output power must not exceed 10 watts.

   (g)(1) On-board communications: This section describes the carrier frequency
   pairs assignable for on-board mobile radiotelephony communications. The
   center of the on-board repeater antenna must not be located more than 3
   meters  (10 feet) above the ship's working deck. These frequencies are
   available on a shared basis with stations in the Industrial/Business Radio
   Pool.

   Frequencies for On-Board Communications
                     Channel          Carrier frequency (MHz)
   On-board mobile
   station On-board repeater station^1
           1                                  467.750 457.525
           2                                  467.775 457.550
           3                                  467.800 457.575
           4                                  467.825 457.600

   ^1These frequencies may also be assigned to mobile stations for single
   frequency simplex operation.

   (2) Where needed, equipment designed for 12.5 kHz channel spacing using the
   additional  frequencies  457.5375 MHz, 457.5625 MHz, 467.5375 MHz, and
   467.5625 MHz may be introduced for on-board communications.

   (h) Repeater frequencies in Alaska. The following frequencies are assignable
   on a primary basis to public and on a secondary basis to private coast
   stations in Alaska for maritime repeater operations:

   Repeater receive: 157.275 MHz

   Repeater transmit: 161.875 MHz

   (i) Frequencies in the 1600-5450 kHz band for private communications in
   Alaska. The following simplex frequencies are available for assignment to
   private fixed stations located in the State of Alaska for radiotelephony
   communications with ship stations. These simplex frequencies are available
   for use by authorized ship stations for radiotelephony communications with
   private fixed stations located in the State of Alaska.

   Private communications in Alaska Carrier frequencies (kHz)
   1619.0^3 2382.0   2563.0
   1622.0^3 2419.0   2566.0
   1643.0^3 2422.0   2590.0
   1646.0^3 2427.0   2616.0
   1649.0^3 2430.0   3258.0
   1652.0^3 2447.0 ^13261.0
   1705.0^3 2450.0   4366.0
   1709.0   2479.0   4369.0
   1712.0   2482.0   4396.0
   2003.0   2506.0   4402.0
   2006.0   2509.0   4420.0
   2115.0   2512.0   4423.0
   2118.0   2535.0 ^25167.5
   2379.0   2538.0

   ^1Ship  stations  must  limit use of 3261.0 kHz to communications over
   distances which cannot be reached by the use of frequency below 2700 kHz or
   above 156.000 MHz.

   ^2The frequency 5167.5 kHz is available for emergency communications in
   Alaska. Peak envelope power of stations operating on this frequency must not
   exceed 150 watts. When a station in Alaska is authorized to use 5167.5 kHz,
   such station may also use this frequency for calling and listening for the
   purpose of establishing communications.

   ^3Use of these frequencies is on a secondary basis to Region 2 broadcasting.

   (j) Frequencies for portable ship stations. VHF frequencies authorized for
   stations authorized carrier frequencies in the 156.275 MHz to 157.450 MHz
   and  161.575 MHz to 162.025 MHz bands may also be authorized as marine
   utility  stations.  Marine-utility  stations  on  shore must not cause
   interference to any Automatic Identification System, VHF or coast station,
   VHF or UHF land mobile base station, or U.S. Government station.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986;  51 FR 34984 , Oct. 1, 1986]

   Editorial Note: For Federal Register citations affecting § 80.373, see the
   List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of
   the printed volume and at www.fdsys.gov.

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