The Bridge-to-Bridge Act and the regulations of this part apply to the following vessels in the navigable waters of the United States:

(a) Every power-driven vessel of 20 meters or over in length while navigating;

(b) Every vessel of 100 gross tons and upward carrying one or more passengers for hire while navigating;

(c) Every towing vessel of 7.8 meters (26 feet) or over in length, measured from end to end over the deck excluding sheer, while navigating; and

(d) Every dredge and floating plant engaged, in or near a channel or fairway, in operations likely to restrict or affect navigation of other vessels. An unmanned or intermittently manned floating plant under the control of a dredge shall not be required to have a separate radiotelephone capability.

Vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must have a radiotelephone installation to enable the vessel to participate in navigational communications. This radiotelephone installation must be continuously associated with the ship even though a portable installation is used. Foreign vessels coming into U.S. waters where a bridge-to-bridge station is required may fulfill this requirement by use of portable equipment brought a board by the pilot. Non portable equipment, when used, must be arranged to facilitate repair. The equipment must be protected against vibration, moisture, temperature and excessive currents and voltages.

The bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone station will be inspected on vessels subject to regular inspections pursuant to the requirements of Parts II and III of Title III of the Communications Act, the Safety Convention, or subpart T of this part at the time of the regular inspection. If after such inspection, the Commission determines that the Bridge-to-Bridge Act, the rules of the Commission and the station license are met, an endorsement will be made on the appropriate document. The validity of the endorsement will run concurrently with the period of the regular inspection. Each vessel must carry a certificate with a valid endorsement while subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act. All other bridge-to-bridge stations will be inspected from time-to-time. An inspection of the bridge-to-bridge station on a vessel subject to subpart T of this part must normally be made at the same time as the inspection required under subpart T of this part and must be conducted by a technician holding one of the following: a General Radiotelephone Operator License, a GMDSS Radio Maintainer's License, a Radiotelegraph Operator License, a Second Class Radiotelegraph Operator's Certificate, or a First Class Radiotelegraph Operator's Certificate. Additionally, the technician must not be the vessel's owner, operator, master, or an employee of any of them. Ships subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act may, in lieu of an endorsed certificate, certify compliance in the station log required by section 80.409(f).

Use of the bridge-to-bridge transmitter must be restricted to the master or person in charge of the vessel, or the person designated by the master or person in charge to pilot or direct the movement of the vessel. Communications must be of a navigational nature exclusively.

The principal operating position of the bridge-to-bridge station must be the vessel's navigational bridge or, in the case of dredges, its main control station. If the radiotelephone installation can be operated from any location other than the principal operating position, the principal operating position must be able to take full control of the installation.

(a) The bridge-to-bridge transmitter must be capable of transmission of G3E emission on the navigational frequency 156.650 MHz (Channel 13) and the Coast Guard liaison frequency 157.100 MHz (Channel 22A). Additionally, the bridge-to-bridge transmitter must be capable of transmission of G3E emission on the navigational frequency of 156.375 MHz (Channel 67) while transiting any of the following waters:

(1) The lower Mississippi River from the territorial sea boundary, and within either the Southwest Pass safety fairway or the South Pass safety fairway specified in § 166.200 of the U.S. Coast Guard's Rules, 33 CFR 166.200, to mile 242.4 AHP (Above Head of Passes) near Baton Rouge;

(2) The Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet from the territorial sea boundary, and within the Mississippi River-Gulf outlet Safety Fairway specified in § 166.200 of the U.S. Coast Guard's Rules, 33 CFR 166.200, to that channel's junction with the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal; and

(3) The full length of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal from its junction with the Mississippi River to that canal's entry to Lake Pontchartrain at the New Seabrook vehicular bridge.

(b) [Reserved]

The bridge-to-bridge receiver must be capable of reception of G3E emission on the navigational frequency 156.650 MHz (Channel 13) and the Coast Guard liaison frequency 157.100 MHz (Channel 22A). In addition, the bridge-to-bridge receiver must be capable of reception of G3E emission on the navigational frequency of 156.375 MHz (Channel 67) while transiting in the waters of the lower Mississippi River as described in §§ 80.1011 (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this part.

(a) There must be readily available for use under normal load conditions, a power supply sufficient to simultaneously energize the bridge-to-bridge transmitter at its required antenna power, and the bridge-to-bridge receiver. Under this load condition the voltage of the power supply at the power input terminals of the bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone installation must not deviate from its rated voltage by more than 10 percent on vessels completed on or after March 1, 1957, nor by more than 15 percent on vessels completed before that date.

(b) When the power supply for a nonportable bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone installation consists of or includes batteries, they must be installed as high above the bilge as practicable, secured against shifting with motion of the vessel, and accessible with not less than 26 cm (10 in.) head room.

(c) Means must be provided for adequately charging any rechargeable batteries used in the vessel's bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone installation. There must be provided a device which will give a continuous indication of the charging current during charging.

(a) An antenna must be provided for nonportable bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone installations which is nondirectional and vertically polarized. The construction and installation of this antenna must insure proper operation in time of an emergency.

(b) In cases where portable bridge-to-bridge equipment is permanently associated with a vessel, the equipment must be provided with a connector for an external antenna of a type capable of meeting requirements of paragraph (a) of this section and § 80.71. The vessel must be equipped with an external antenna meeting requirements of paragraph (a) of this section and § 80.71, capable of use with the portable equipment during a normal listening watch.

Each nonportable bridge-to-bridge transmitter must be equipped, at each point of control, with a carrier operated device which will provide continuous visual indication when the transmitter is supplying power to the antenna transmission line or, in lieu thereof, a pilot lamp or meter which will provide continuous visual indication when the transmitter control circuits have been placed in a condition to activate the transmitter.

A durable nameplate must be mounted on the required radiotelephone or be an integral part of it. When the transmitter and receiver comprise a single unit, one nameplate is sufficient. The nameplate must show at least the name of the manufacturer and the type or model number.

Unless normal use of the required radiotelephone installation demonstrates that the equipment is in proper operating condition, a test communication for this purpose must be made by a qualified operator each day the vessel is navigated. If the equipment is not in proper operating condition, the master must be promptly notified. The master must have it restored to effective operating condition as soon as possible.