(1) In addition to meeting the requirements of regulation 6, every vessel engaged on
voyages exclusively in sea area A1 shall be provided with a radio
installation capable of initiating the transmission of ship-to-shore
distress alerts from the position from which the vessel is normally
navigated, operating either:
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(a) on VHF using DSC; this requirement may be
fulfilled by the EPIRB prescribed by paragraph (3), either by installing
the EPIRB close to, or by remote activation from, the position from
which the vessel is normally navigated; or
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(b) through the polar orbiting satellite service
on 406 MHz; this requirement may be fulfilled by the satellite EPIRB,
required by regulation 6(1)(f),
either by installing the satellite EPIRB close to, or by remote activation
from, the position from which the vessel is normally navigated; or
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(c) if the vessel is engaged on voyages within
coverage of MF coast stations equipped with DSC, on MF using DSC;
or
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(d) on HF using DSC; or
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(e) through the Inmarsat geostationary satellite
service; this requirement may be fulfilled by:
-
(i) an Inmarsat ship earth station;footnoteor
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(ii) the satellite EPIRB, required by regulation 6(1)(f), either by installing
the satellite EPIRB close to, or by remote activation from, the position
from which the vessel is normally navigated.
(2) The VHF radio installation, required by regulation 6(1)(a), shall also be capable
of transmitting and receiving general radiocommunications using radiotelephony.
(3) Vessels engaged on voyages exclusively in
sea area A1 may carry, in lieu of the satellite EPIRB required by regulation 6(1)(f), an EPIRB which shall
be:
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(a) capable of transmitting a distress alert using
DSC on VHF channel 70 and providing for locating by means of a radar
transponder operating in the 9 GHz band;
-
(b) installed in an easily accessible position;
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(c) ready to be manually released and capable
of being carried by one person into a survival craft;
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(d) capable of floating free if the vessel sinks
and being automatically activated when afloat; and
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(e) capable of being activated manually.