The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1992

Radiotelephone station

30.—(1) The radiotelephone station shall be in the upper part of the ship and so sited that it is protected to the greatest possible extent from interference and noise which might impair the correct reception of messages and signals.

(2) There shall be an efficient means of two-way communication, independent of the ship’s main communication system and the main source of electrical energy, between the place at which the radiotelephone installation is fitted and any other place from which the ship isnormally navigated.

(3) A reliable clock shall be securely mounted in such a position that the entire dial can be easily observed from the radiotelephone operating position. The marking of the silence periods shall be clearly visible.

(4) A reliable emergency light shall be provided, independent of the system which supplies the normal lighting of the radiotelephone installation, and permanently arranged so as to be capable of providing adequate illumination of the operating controls of the radiotelephone installation, of the clock required by paragraph (3) of this regulation and of the card of instructions required by paragraph (6) of this regulation. The emergency light shall be controlled by two-way switches placed respectively near an entrance to the room in which the radiotelephone installation is fitted and at the operating position in that room: provided that where the radiotelephone installation is fitted on the bridge, only the switch at the operating position need to be provided. The switches shall be clearly labelled to indicate their purpose.

(5) Where a source of energy consists of a battery or batteries, the radiotelephone station shall be provided with a means of indicating continuously whether the battery voltage is adequate to supply energy for the radiotelephone installation.

(6) A card of instructions in English giving a clear summary of the radiotelephone distress, urgency and safety procedures shall be displayed at each radiotelephone operating position.

(7) Means shall be provided at the radiotelephone station for checking the proper functioning of—

(a) the radiotelephone alarm signal generating device, by ensuring that the device can modulate satisfactorily the radiotelephone transmitter. The radiotelephone transmitter shall not radiate signals during suchchecking; and

(b) the muting circuits of the radiotelephone distress frequency watch receiver or the radiotelephone auto alarm.