I was bored this morning and waiting for the coffee machine to finish so I dug into the law on this. Nalu the info you provide is essentially correct - you may not transmit from your ship while on Land. However, there are several sections in Title 47 Part 80 which governs the Marine Radio Serivce that are more on point.
First of which:
Sec. 80.89 Unauthorized transmissions.
Stations must not:
(a) Engage in superfluous radiocommunication.
(b) Use telephony on 243 MHz.
(c) Use selective calling on 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz.
(d) When using telephony, transmit signals or communications not addressed to a particular station or stations. This provision does not apply to the transmission of distress, alarm, urgency, or safety signals
or messages, or to test transmissions.
So Title 47 Part 80.89(d) specifically allows for test transmissions. (Oh in radio terminology - voice communciations are called Telephony). This subpart does appear before the section that forbids transmission while on land. In my opinion, test transmissions are not forbidden no matter where they are, because they are specifically excluded from the definition of forbidden communications.
Further Title 47 Part 80.96 specifically allows for maintenance testing.
Sec. 80.96 Maintenance tests.
Stations are authorized to engage in test transmissions necessary for maintenance of the station. Test transmissions must conform to appropriate test operating procedures.
Further along in Title 47 Part 80.101 procedures for testing radio equipment are contained.
Sec. 80.101 Radiotelephone testing procedures.
This section is applicable to all stations using telephony except where otherwise specified.
(a) Station licensees must not cause harmful interference. When radiation is necessary or unavoidable, the testing procedure described below must be followed:
(1) The operator must not interfere with transmissions in progress.
(2) The testing station's call sign, followed by the word ``test'', must be announced on the radio-channel being used for the test.
(3) If any station responds ``wait'', the test must be suspended for a minimum of 30 seconds, then repeat the call sign followed by the word ``test'' and listen again for a response. To continue the test, the operator must use counts or phrases which do not conflict with normal operating signals, and must end with the station's call sign. Test
signals must not exceed ten seconds, and must not be repeated until at least one minute has elapsed. On the frequency 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz, the time between tests must be a minimum of five minutes.
(b) Testing of transmitters must be confined to single frequency channels on working frequencies. However, 2182 kHz and 156.800 MHz may be used to contact ship or coast stations as appropriate when signal reports are necessary. Short tests on 2182 kHz by vessels with DSB (A3) equipment for distress and safety purposes are permitted to evaluate the compatibility of that equipment with an A3J emission system. U. S. Coast Guard stations may be contacted on 2182 kHz or 156.800 MHz for test purposes only when tests are being conducted by Commission employees, when FCC-licensed technicians are conducting inspections on behalf of
the Commission, when qualified technicians are installing or repairing radiotelephone equipment, or when qualified ship's personnel conduct an operational check requested by the U.S. Coast Guard. In these cases the test must be identified as``FCC''or``technical''.
If you've got a good case of insomnia feel free to follow
This Link to read Title 47 part 80.
Anyhow hope that puts it to rest
VHF test needed in Philomath
ron m
Linear Mode
