Inspector's certificate. Master's certificate. Vessels about to clear in violation. Vessels clearing in violation. Government vessels. 175. Whenever practicable the radio inspector shall satisfy himself on his visit before the departure of a steamer subject to the act of July 23, 1912, that the apparatus is efficient and in good working order within the meaning of the act, and if satisfied he shall issue a certificate in the form in Appendix A (Form 752). The duplicate of these certificates will be filed with the collector of customs as a record of the radio equipment on vessels sailing from his port. 176. These certificates will be issued only if the inspection is made within two hours of sailing time. 177. For each clearance the master of a steamer coming under the act of July 23, 1912, is required to furnish to the customs officer a certificate in the form in Appendix B (Form 753). Such certificate shall be retained in the files of the collector of customs. Whenever the radio inspector is absent from his home port he will notify the collector of customs, who will arrange for the collection of certificates and survey of equipment. 178. Where a steamer subject to the radio law is without the apparatus and the operators prescribed, or either of them, and is about to attempt to leave port, the radio inspector or customs officer visiting the vessel shall-(a) Furnish the master with a memorandum (stub of Form 771) of the particulars in respect of which the law has not been complied with and the penalty; (b) if convenient, notify the vessel's agents or the proper person in charge of the apparatus so that the necessary corrections may be made before sailing. 179. If a steamer clears in violation of the law, the radio inspector or customs officer shall submit to the collector of customs of the port a written report, stating the exact nature of the violation, the section of the law violated, and the penalties involved and all of the circumstances in connection therewith which will be of service to the collector and to the Secretary of Commerce in determining what action shall be taken. A copy of the report will be forwarded to the Commissioner of Navigation. 180. Statements should be obtained from operators, ships officers, or other witnesses at the time the violation is discovered and should accompany the report to the collector of customs. 181. The collector of customs will report the case to the Secretary of Commerce in the usual manner as a navigation fine case. 182. Merchant vessels chartered by the United States Government are subject to the act of August 13, 1912, in every case, if the radio apparatus is owned and operated by a commercial company. 183. Merchant vessels chartered by the United States Government for the transportation of persons or supplies are subject to the requirements of the ship act (act of July 23, 1912), if the vessel is controlled and operated by the owners. Vessels commanded wholly or in part by Government officers are not subject to the ship act. 184. Government vessels or vessels chartered by the Government are subject to the act of August 13, 1912, if the radio equipment is owned and operated by private interests. 185. The ship act does not authorize the refusal of clear- Clearance. ance in case of violation of its provisions, but specifically provides for the imposition of a fine in a sum not more than $5,000. 186. The act does not apply to a vessel at the time of Entry. entering a port of the United States. Radio inspectors and customs officers may, however, accept as evidence of the efficiency of the apparatus and the skill of an operator messages shown to have been transmitted and received by him over a distance of at least 100 miles, by day, during the voyage to the United States. OPERATORS ON FOREIGN VESSELS. 187. In so far as licensed operators are concerned a sharp distinction should be drawn between the act of July 23, 1912, which requires apparatus and operators for radio communication on steamers, and the act of August 13, 1912, to regulate radio communication. Inspection operators. 188. The act of July 23, 1912, amending the act of June 24, 1910, is designed to promote safety at sea through the employment of apparatus and operators to transmit and receive distress calls and other calls relating to perils and aids to navigation. It provides that in the case of American and foreign vessels subject to its provisions "the radio equipment must be in charge of two or more persons skilled in the use of such apparatus." This act does not require that the operators shall be licensed, and the penalty prescribed in section 3 of the act is not incurred by the master of a vessel whose operators are "skilled in the use of such apparatus," even though they may not be licensed. 189. The act of August 13, 1912, is designed to execute in behalf of the United States the International Radiotelegraphic Convention and thus to promote orderly exchanges by radio communication. For this purpose the Inernational Radiotelegraphic Convention (Service Regulations) provides that the service of the station on shipboard shall be carried on by a telegraph operator holding a certificate issued by the Government to which the vessel is subject. 190. Section 3 of the act of August 13, 1912, carries out this provision of the International Convention by providing licenses for operators on American vessels. If an unlicensed person serves in charge or in supervision of the use and operation of the apparatus both he and his employer are liable to a fine of not more than $100 or imprisonment for not more than two months or both. of Radio stations of the United States. Supplements. Call letters. Official list. International list. Rates. This section and penalty do not apply to operators on foreign ships. But operators on the ships of foreign nations signatory to the International Radiotelegraphic Convention, as shown above, are required to have certificates or licenses from their own governments, and if not so certificated, the obligations of the convention have not been observed. The convention in the Service Regulations provides for this situation. 191. The act of July 23, 1912, as stated, requires that on American and foreign ships the operators must be "skilled in the use of such apparatus," but does not require that they must be licensed. To facilitate commerce and simplify administration, operators presenting American licenses or foreign certificates are accepted as "skilled in the use of such apparatus," except where there may be special reasons to doubt the operator's skill or reliability. Where operators on American or foreign ships do not have such licenses or foreign certificates, radio inspectors or customs officers under the act of July 23, 1912, may accept other competent evidence of skill or may examine such operators. OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL LIST OF COAST AND SHIP 192. The list of land and ship stations of the United States, including amateurs, giving call letters, wave lengths, nature of service, etc., can be procured from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., at a nominal price. 193. Supplements to this list are issued quarterly and the list is revised annually, as of July 1. Information concerning amateur stations will not be included in the supplements, but in the annual edition only. 194. The introduction to the list of "Radio Stations of the United States" contains information concerning the assignment of international and amateur call letters. 195. A copy of the Official Berne List, and supplements as issued, are required as a part of the equipment of every station open to general public service. 196. The International List of Radio Stations of the World (edition in English) can be procured from the International Bureau of the Telegraphic Union (Radiotelegraphic Service), Berne, Switzerland. 197. In addition to the information contained in the pamphlet of the United States stations, published by the Bureau of Navigation, the international list shows geographical locations, normal ranges in nautical miles, radio systems, and rates. 198. The international list includes the Government and commercial land and ship stations of the United States. The list is divided into three parts. The first part contains a list of ship stations, grouped by countries and arranged alphabetically; the second part contains a list of land stations arranged in the same manner; and the third part contains tables of land line and cable charges from coast radio stations to inland and various other points. In computing the total word rate applicable to a radiogram from a ship station to an inland point or vice versa, the three rates must be added. The rates in the international list are stated in francs. For approximate purposes 1 franc equals 20 cents and 5 centimes equals 1 cent. Supplements to the international list will be issued monthly, and will contain new stations and tables of alterations. call-letter list. 199. The International Alphabetical List of Call International Letters (stations of the world) is also issued by the international bureau at Berne, and supplements will be issued monthly. 200. Neither the international list proper nor the supplements will contain a list of amateur stations. to international 201. Inquiries as to the subscription price of these lists Subscriptions should be made direct to the Berne bureau, at the address list. given above. (See par. 196.) Remittances to Berne should be made by international postal money order. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. tions. 202. Stations equipped to receive only do not require Receiving stalicenses. 203. Operators of receiving stations do not require licenses, but all persons are required to maintain secrecy in regard to messages, as provided in the act of August 13, 1912, nineteenth regulation of section 4. 204. Distances under the radio laws are computed in Distances. nautical miles. 205. No fees are charged for any operator or station license. Fees. 206. Licensed stations must be operated by or under Licenses. the direct supervision of properly licensed operators. 207. Amateur stations within 5 miles of naval or military stations need not have been in actual opertion on or before August 13, 1912, to obtain a license for a restricted amateur station. Censorship of messages. 208. The master of a vessel shall have the right to censor all messages addressed to or transmitted by a radio telegraph station on board his vessel, but such master shall not divulge to any person (other than the properly authorized officials of the Government, or a competent legal tribunal) or make any use whatever of any message coming to his knowledge through the exercise of such censorship, nor shall the master or any operator divulge to any person (other than the properly authorized officials of the Government, or a competent legal tribunal) or make any use whatever of any message (other than a message of distress) coming to his knowledge and not intended for the said station. 209. The transmission of superfluous signals by any ship or coast station is absolutely prohibited; trials and practices are forbidden except under such circumstances as to preclude the possibility of interference with other stations. 210. No person shall transmit or make a signal containing profane or obscene words or language. 211. Additional or amendatory regulations will be issued from time to time as they may appear necessary. |