Spare parts and repairs. Power able. avail Communication between bridge. 9. Every ship station shall carry a reasonable number of spares of such parts of both the main and emergency radiotelegraph equipments as are subject to undue wear, deterioration, or liability to accident. 10. One extra pair of head telephones, extra cords, and extra detectors must always be kept on hand. 11. A storage battery voltmeter, hydrometer, a supply of electrolyte, and distilled water should be a part of the regular equipment, but are not prescribed in terms by statute. The absence of these and similar inexpensive emergency articles will be brought to the attention of the master and of the company installing the apparatus by the radio inspector, in writing, and if after a reasonable interval they have not been supplied, the inspector will communicate the fact to the Commissioner of Navigation. 12. The vessel's electric power for the operation of the main equipment shall, at all times while the steamer is under way, be available for the radio operator's use. On steamers where the dynamo is not run continuously there should be an efficient means of communication between the radio room and the dynamo room, in order that the radio operator may signal for power, as the law provides that he may not leave his post of duty. 13. Efficient communication between the radio room radio room and and the bridge must be maintained. A speaking tube or telephone will comply with this requirement. A bell and messenger service will not be acceptable unless there are special conditions justifying this equipment. The speaking tube or telephone must terminate in the radio room and on the bridge, or in the chart room if readily accessible from the bridge. If the radio room is adjacent to or accessible from the bridge so that orders may be transferred direct, no means of communication will be required. Any arrangement calling for the services of a third person to transmit the message will not be satisfactory. The radio inspectors will notify the ship authorities whether the means of communication provided is satisfactory at the time of inspection. Continuous watch. Vessels in port. 14. On vessels of the United States it is the statutory duty of the master to see that one operator is on duty at all times. The radio service of the ship is under the supreme authority of the master. 15. Masters should require operators on duty to communicate with the officer on the bridge every half hour. 16. Operators must make entries on the radio log every 15 minutes, as evidence that a continuous watch is being maintained. The entries must, if possible, consist of the call letters of other stations communicating and a few words of the intercepted messages. 17. When vessels are in port the key to the radio room must at all times be on board in charge of the proper officer and the radio equipment shall be in such condition as to facilitate Government inspection. CLASSIFICATION OF SHIP STATIONS AND GRADES OF 18. First Class: Vessels having a continuous service. First class. There shall be placed in the first-class vessels which are intended to carry 25 or more passengers-(1) If they have an average speed in service of 15 knots or more; (2) if they have average speed in service of more than 13 knots, but only subject to the twofold condition that they have on board 200 persons or more (passengers and crew), and that, in the course of their voyage, they go a distance of more than 500 sea miles between any two consecutive ports. 19. Second Class: Vessels having a continuous watch Second class. but a service of limited duration. Other vessels placed in the second class must, during navigation, maintain a continuous watch for at least seven hours a day, and a watch of ten minutes at the beginning of every other hour. 20. Third Class: Vessels which have no fixed periods Third class. of service. All vessels which are placed neither in the first nor in the second class shall be placed in the third class. operators re 21. Service may be defined as preparedness to transmit Service and and receive radio messages or signals at the rate of at quired. least 20 words per minute. 22. Watch may be defined as preparedness to receive distress signals and call letters slowly. A "watcher" or cargo-grade operator will summon a first or second class operator if necessary. 23. All American vessels required by the act of July 23, 1912, to be equipped with radio apparatus, and operators must at all hours maintain a continuous watch; that is to say, an operator or watcher must be "listening in" continuously. This requirement is outside of and above the requirement based on the classification under which the ship's station is licensed. 24. Vessels voluntarily equipped are not required to maintain this continuous watch. Vessels voluntarily equipped are, however, subject to the following requirements as to watch according to the class assigned to them in their station licenses. 25. If a license of the second class be issued to a voluntarily equipped vessel, the station must maintain a continuous watch for at least seven hours a day and a watch of ten minutes at the beginning of every hour. 26. The grade of operators required on vessels of each class are prescribed in the London Convention Service Regulations, Article X. A continuous watch may be maintained by one commercial second-grade operator and one cargo-grade operator on cargo steamers. 27. Passenger vessels coming under the act of July 23, 1912, which carry or are licensed to carry 25 or more passengers, must be placed in the first class: "(a) If they have an average speed in service of 15 knots or more; (b) if they have an average speed in service of more than 13 Coast stations, definition of. RADIO LAWS AND REGULATIONS. knots, but only subject to the twofold condition that they have on board 200 persons or more (passengers and crew), and that in the course of their voyage they go a distance of more than 500 sea miles between any two consecutive ports." The service shall be carried on by at least two commercial first-grade operators. 28. Cargo vessels coming under the act of July 23, 1912, which are required to maintain a continuous watch, must be placed in the second class if continuous service is not maintained. On cargo steamers a continuous watch may be maintained by at least one commercial second-grade operator and one cargo-grade operator. 29. Passenger vessels coming under the act of July 23, 1912, but which are not required to be entered in the first class, may be entered in the first or second class, according to whether continuous service or continuous watch is maintained. The number and grade of operators required is determined by service or watch. On passenger vessels coming under the ship act but entered in the second class at least two second-grade operators are required to maintain continuous watch. 30. Cargo vessels which come under the act of July 23, 1912, and are required to maintain a continuous watch, may be placed in the first class, if continuous service is maintained. (For operators, see par. 28.) 31. All vessels voluntarily equipped with radio apparatus and which have no specified hours of service or watch must be placed in the third class. 32. Any vessel voluntarily equipped may be placed in the first class if continuous service is maintained, or in the second class if a continuous watch, or a watch of limited duration, such as specified above for vessels of the second class, is maintained. 33. In all ship stations transmissions shall be made only by operators holding commercial first or second grade licenses or higher. 34. Continuous service shall be maintained by not lower than commercial first-grade operators. 35. Vessels which are voluntarily equipped with radio apparatus for their own convenience and for the correspondence of officers and crew must employ at least one commercial second-grade operator or higher. 36. Radio telephone apparatus on vessels not coming under the act of July 23, 1912, must be operated by a person holding a cargo-grade license or higher. 37. The owners of ship stations desiring to change the classification of a ship must apply for a new license. LAND STATIONS. 38. Coast stations are stations which transmit messages to vessels at sea or on the Great Lakes, or whose operations can interfere with the exchange of messages between ship and ship or ship and coast. The principal purpose of the regulation of radio communication, international and national, is to secure the greatest efficiency of maritime communication through this agency, especially as a means of promoting safety to life. definition of. 39. Inland stations are stations which can not transmit Inland stations, messages to vessels at sea or on the Great Lakes and whose operations can not affect the transmission of messages between ship and ship or ship and coast. This may be due to their geographical location or to their range, dependent on power and aerial, or conditions. In some instances actual inspection may be necessary to determine whether a station should be licensed as a coast station or an inland station. An operator or owner in doubt as to the classification of his station should communicate the facts to the radio inspector of his district when applying for a license. distress signals. 40. Stations are bound to give absolute priority to calls Wave lengths, of distress from ships, to similarly answer such calls, and to take such action with regard thereto as may be required. 41. The working of stations shall be organized as far as possible in such manner as not to disturb the service of other stations. 42. All coast stations (par. 38), excepting general and restricted amateur stations, are required to be able to transmit on the wave lengths of 300 and 600 meters for the purpose of transmitting or relaying distress messages or signals and messages relating thereto, if necessary. 43. Coast stations primarily intended for long waves and long-distance transmission may install an auxiliary antenna and auxiliary transmitter to comply with the short wave length requirements. 44. The international standard wave length is 600 meters, and the operators of all coast stations are required, during the hours the station is in operation, to "listen in" at intervals of not less than 15 minutes and for a period not less than 2 minutes, with the receiving apparatus tuned to receive this wave length, for the purpose of determining if any distress signals or messages are being sent and to determine if the transmitting operations of the "listening station" are causing interference with other radio communication. service. 45. General public service may be defined as "paid General public business," conducted on commercial wave lengths between ship and shore or ship and ship. 46. Limited public service may be defined as "paid business" between certain designated land stations, ships or lines of ships, and must be conducted on some authorized wave length other than 300 or 600 meters. 47. All special service must be conducted on some authorized wave length other than 300 or 600 meters, not interfering with general public service. 48. Limited commercial, special amateur, and all stations which have no authorized rates, shall not transmit or accept public correspondence from other stations, except in case of emergency. Classes. Service and operators required. General public. 49. If a general public-service coast station also maintains a limited commercial service with other stations on land or with vessels at sea, the limited commercial service must be conducted on some authorized wave length other than 300 or 600 meters, but this service can be authorized on a general public-service coast station license without stating the specific hours, it being understood that the limited commercial service is conducted only when no general public service business is on file. 50. If a general public-service coast station also maintains a public service between fixed points on land, the service between the land stations must be conducted on some authorized wave length other than 300 or 600 meters, and a separate form, No. 761, should be submitted covering "Limited public service," giving the exact hours of such service. CLASSIFICATION OF LAND STATIONS AND GRADES 51. Both coast stations (the words "coast stations," "shore stations," and "coastal stations" are used interchangeably) and inland stations are divided for the purposes of the administration of the act into the following classes: (1) Public-service stations, (a) general, (b) limited; (2) limited commercial stations; (3) experiment stations for the development of radio communication; (4) technical and training school stations; (5) special amateur stations; (6) general amateur stations; (7) restricted amateur stations. 52. CLASS 1.-(a) Public-service stations, general, are those open to general business between coast and ships "and include those operated by common carriers under the act of February 4, 1887, to regulate commerce, amended June 18, 1910. They are required to maintain a constant service when open. Every coastal station open to public service shall at all times be ready to receive messages of such wave lengths as are required by the international convention in force. (Sec. 4, first regulation, act of Aug. 13, 1912.) The station rates are authorized in the license and published in the Official Berne List. Whenever such stations do not insure a constant service, transmitting and receiving day and night without interruption, the Secretary of the Navy is directed to open naval radio stations within 100 miles thereof to public business. (Sec. 4, eighteenth regulation, act of Aug. 13, 1912.) The Secretary of War, is authorized by the act of May 26, 1900 (31 Stat., 206), to open Alaskan military stations to public service. 53. General public service shall be conducted only by operators holding commercial first-grade licenses or higher. Limited public. 54. CLASS 1.-(b) Public service stations, limited, are reserved for a limited public service, determined by the object of the correspondence or other circumstances inde |