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The Laws of Fiji

[MAT 30,070] VHF radio14 

14
(1) VHF radios capable of voice communication only, that operate in the band 156–174 MHz shall comply with the technical standards laid down in IMO Publication (Performance Standards for Shipborne Radio Communications and Navigational Equipment).
(2) VHF radios shall operate on at least channels 6, 16, 67, 68 and 71 and if practicable, all those channels additionally specified in IMO Publication (Performance Standards for Shipborne Radio Communications and Navigational Equipment).
(3) The VHF radio shall be available for operation from the position at which the ship is normally navigated or other remote station from which the ship may be navigated.
(4) Portable VHF radios shall be stored so that they are readily accessible.
(5) Where handheld VHF radios use batteries as their primary power source, the Radio operator shall ensure that procedures are in place to ensure that the batteries remain charged and at least one spare battery pack is available for each radio if charging facilities are not available on the ship.
(6) For permanently installed VHF radios, the power wiring shall be securely installed.
(7) The power wiring under subregulation (6) shall be large enough to ensure that there is no more than 500 mv voltage drop between the power source and the radio when the radio is transmitting at full power.
(8) Power connections from the VHF radios to any emergency power source shall be clearly labelled and accessible.
(9) The following provisions shall apply in relation to antenna feeders—
  • (a)the antenna feeder shall be of low-loss coaxial cable of the correct impedance, securely installed and as short as practicable;
  • (b)antenna feeders shall be protected from mechanical damage, in particular from abrasions or cuts to the outer sheathing which would allow water to penetrate and any connectors in the feeder or at the antenna shall be water proofed;
  • (c)the antenna shall be securely mounted—
    • (i)as high as possible;
    • (ii)where possible, a horizontal distance of at least 2 metres from other metallic objects; and
    • (iii)to give as close to vertical polarisation as possible.
  • (d)the gain of the installed antenna shall not be less than 2 dbi nor more than 8 dbi, and shall have a nominally uniform gain pattern in the horizontal plane.
(10) Where radios and antennas are duplicated for reliability, any switching that is provided to allow changing antennas and power between the radios shall be—
  • (a)unambiguously labelled; and
  • (b)arranged in such a way that the switching will not damage the radios, power sources or antennas.