47 U.S.C. § 353 — Radio equipment and operators

submitted 92 years ago by ch. 652 to r/title-47-TELECOMMUNICATIONS · 316 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

Certain ships must carry radio officers and keep radio watches for safety. Cargo ships without an automatic alarm, and required passenger ships, need at least two radio officers; cargo ships with a working alarm need at least one. Ships must keep a continuous radio watch at sea, and the alarm must stay on whenever no officer is on watch.

This section sets staffing and watch rules for ships that carry radiotelegraph stations, for safety. (a) Two radio officers required. A cargo ship that has a radiotelegraph station but no radiotelegraph auto alarm, and any passenger ship required to have a radiotelegraph station, must carry at least two radio officers. (b) One radio officer required. A cargo ship that has both a radiotelegraph station and a radiotelegraph auto alarm only needs to carry one radio officer — but that officer must have at least six months of prior service, combined, as a radio officer aboard United States ships. (c) Required watches. A U.S. ship with a radiotelegraph station must keep a continuous watch, staffed by radio officers, while sailing the open sea outside a harbor or port, whenever the station is not being used for regular traffic. The one exception: a cargo ship with a properly working auto alarm only needs to keep a watch of at least eight hours a day, combined, staffed by a radio officer. (d) Hours of watch. The Commission may set the specific hours for this watch, whenever it decides that is necessary for safety. (e) Operational status of auto alarms in open sea. On any U.S. ship equipped with a radiotelegraph auto alarm, that alarm must be running at all times while the ship sails the open sea outside a harbor or port, whenever the radio officer is not actively on watch.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

(a) Two radio officers required

Each cargo ship which in accordance with this part is equipped with a radiotelegraph station and which is not equipped with a radiotelegraph auto alarm, and each passenger ship required by this part to be equipped with a radiotelegraph station, shall, for safety purposes, carry at least two radio officers.

(b) One radio officer required

A cargo ship which in accordance with this part is equipped with a radiotelegraph station, which is equipped with a radiotelegraph auto alarm, shall, for safety purposes, carry at least one radio officer who shall have had at least six months’ previous service in the aggregate as a radio officer in a station on board a ship or ships of the United States.

Each ship of the United States which in accordance with this part is equipped with a radiotelegraph station shall, while being navigated in the open sea outside of a harbor or port, keep a continuous watch by means of radio officers whenever the station is not being used for authorized traffic: Provided, That, in lieu thereof, on a cargo ship equipped with a radiotelegraph auto alarm in proper operating condition, a watch of at least eight hours per day, in the aggregate, shall be maintained by means of a radio officer.

(d) Hours of watch

The Commission shall, when it finds it necessary for safety purposes, have authority to prescribe the particular hours of watch on a ship of the United States which in accordance with this part is equipped with a radiotelegraph station.

(e) Operational status of auto alarms in open sea

On all ships of the United States equipped with a radiotelegraph auto alarm, said apparatus shall be in operation at all times while the ship is being navigated in the open sea outside of a harbor or port when the radio officer is not on watch.

Source credit: (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 353, as added May 20, 1937, ch. 229, § 10(b), 50 Stat. 193; amended July 8, 1941, ch. 278, 55 Stat. 579; June 22, 1943, ch. 137, 57 Stat. 161; July 25, 1947, ch. 327, § 2(a), 61 Stat. 451; Aug. 13, 1954, ch. 729, § 1(d), 68 Stat. 705; Pub. L. 89–121, § 4, Aug. 13, 1965, 79 Stat. 513.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1934Enacted · Act of June 19, 1934, ch. 652 · 50 Stat. 193
1941Amended · Act of July 8, 1941, ch. 278 · 55 Stat. 579
1943Amended · Act of June 22, 1943, ch. 137 · 57 Stat. 161
1947Amended · Act of July 25, 1947, ch. 327 · 61 Stat. 451
1954Amended · Act of Aug. 13, 1954, ch. 729 · 68 Stat. 705
1965Amended · Pub. L. 89-121 · 79 Stat. 513

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 652 on 1934-06-19.

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