The MF radiotelephone and digital selective calling installation,
in addition to meeting the requirements of the Radio Regulations,
the relevant ITU-R Recommendations and the general requirements set
out in Assembly Resolution A.694(17),
should comply with the following performance standards.
2.1 The installation, which may consist of more
than one piece of equipment, should be capable of operating on single-frequency
channels or on single- and two-frequency channels.
2.2 The equipment should provide for the following
categories of calling, using both voice and digital selective calling
(DSC):
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.1 distress, urgency and safety;
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.2 ship operational requirements; and
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.3 public correspondence.
2.3 The equipment should provide for the following
categories of communications, using voice and, optionally, narrow-band
direct printing (NBDP):
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.1 distress, urgency and safety;
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.2 ship operational requirements; and
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.3 public correspondence.
2.4 The equipment should comprise at least:
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.1 a transmitter/receiver, including antenna;
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.2 an integral control unit or one or more separate
control units;
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.3 a microphone with a press-to-transmit switch,
which may be combined with a telephone in a handset;
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.4 an internal or external loudspeaker;
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.5 an integral or separate digital selective calling
facility; and
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.6 a dedicated DSC watchkeeping facility to maintain
a continuous watch on the distress channel.
2.5 A distress alert should be activated only
by means of a dedicated distress button. This button should not be
any key of an ITU-T digital input panel or an ISO keyboard provided
on the equipment.
2.8 The equipment should indicate the status of
the distress alert transmission.
The MF radio installation should be powered from the ship's
main source of electrical energy. In addition, it should be possible
to operate the MF installation from an alternative source of electrical
energy.
It should be possible to conduct distress and safety communications
from the position, or in the vicinity of the position, from which
the ship is normally navigated.