Maritime and Aviation Communications

The Commission has adopted a Second Report and Order in PR Docket No. 92-257 which provides adaptive regulations and improves radio communications capabilities in the maritime services. Specifically, the Commission amends the maritime service rules to permit medium frequency (MF), high frequency (HF), and very high frequency (VHF) public coast stations to automatically connect marine radios with the public switched network (PSN); allow VHF public coast stations to serve units on land, provided priority is given to communications originating on vessels; eliminate the requirement for VHF public coast stations to provide a showing of channel loading prior to assignment of additional channels; require a minimum digital selective calling (DSC) capability on all MF, HF, and VHF radios; permit brief scanning transmissions in the 2-30 MHz band for the purposes of automatic link establishment (ALE); permit vessel and coast stations to utilize alternative data communications protocols on narrow-band direct-printing (NB-DP) frequencies; and eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens on the boating public.