47 U.S.C. § 321 — Distress signals and communications; equipment on vessels; regulations
submitted 92 years ago by ch. 652 to r/title-47-TELECOMMUNICATIONS · 160 words · no verdicts yet
This law lets ships boost their radio signal strength when sending a distress call, even if it causes interference. All radio stations, including foreign and government ones in U.S. waters, must give distress signals top priority, stay quiet on interfering frequencies, and help the ship in distress.
(a) A ship's radio station can be adjusted to send the strongest possible signal, even if that causes interference, when it is sending a distress call or messages related to that distress.
(b) Every radio station — including government stations and foreign ships' stations while in U.S. waters — must treat distress calls as the top priority. They must stop transmitting on any frequency that would interfere with hearing a distress call. Unless a station is helping the ship* in distress, it must stay off the air until it is sure it will not interfere with the distress communications. It must also help the ship in distress as much as it can, by following that ship's instructions.
The transmitting set in a radio station on shipboard may be adjusted in such a manner as to produce a maximum of radiation, irrespective of the amount of interference which may thus be caused, when such station is sending radio communications or signals of distress and radio communications relating thereto.
All radio stations, including Government stations and stations on board foreign vessels when within the territorial waters of the United States*, shall give absolute priority to radio communications or signals relating to ships in distress; shall cease all sending on frequencies which will interfere with hearing a radio communication or signal of distress, and, except when engaged in answering or aiding the ship* in distress, shall refrain from sending any radio communications or signals until there is assurance that no interference will be caused with the radio communications or signals relating thereto, and shall assist the vessel* in distress, so far as possible, by complying with its instructions.
Source credit: (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 321, 48 Stat. 1090; May 20, 1937, ch. 229, § 7, 50 Stat. 191.)
- 1934Enacted · Act of June 19, 1934, ch. 652 · 48 Stat. 1090
- 1937Amended · Act of May 20, 1937, ch. 229 · 50 Stat. 191
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 652 on 1934-06-19.
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