Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)RegulationsMerchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations, 2002Part 3 : Non-GMDSS Requirements31. Radiotelephone station |
| (1) | The radiotelephone station must be in the upper part of the ship and must be so sited that it is protected to the greatest possible extent from interference and noise that might impair the accurate reception of messages and signals. |
| (2) | There must be an efficient means of two-way communication, independent of the ship's main communication system and main source of electrical power, between the radiotelephone station and any other place from which the ship is normally navigated. |
| (3) | A reliable clock must be securely mounted in such a position that the entire dial can easily be observed from the radiotelephone operating position. The marking of the silence periods must be clearly visible. |
| (4) | A reliable emergency light, independent of the system that supplies the normal lighting of the radiotelephone installation, must be provided and permanently arranged so as to be capable of providing adequate illumination of the operating controls of the radiotelephone installation, the clock required by subregulation (3) and the card of instructions required by subregulation (6). The emergency light must be controlled by two-way switches clearly labelled to indicate their purpose, 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 navigation bridge, only the switch at the operating position needs to be provided. |
| (5) | Where a source of energy for the radiotelephone installation consists of a battery or batteries, means must be provided at the radiotelephone station to indicate continuously whether the battery voltage is adequate to supply energy for the radiotelephone installation. |
| (6) | A card of instructions, at least in the English language, giving a clear summary of the radiotelephone distress, urgency and safety procedures must be displayed in full view of each radiotelephone operating position. |
| (7) | Means must be provided at the radiotelephone station for testing, without radiation of signals, the proper functioning of— |
| (a) | the radiotelephone alarm signal generating device, by ensuring that the device can modulate efficiently the radiotelephone transmitter; and |
| (b) | the muting circuits of the radiotelephone distress frequency watch receiver, if provided. |