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§ 19 Communications equipment

Equipment for external communication shall be selected based on operational needs, the type of activity and defined hazard and accident situations, cf. Section 17 of the Management Regulations.
Communication equipment and associated power supplies shall be designed and protected so that their function can be maintained in hazard and accident situations.
Section last changed: 01 January 2011

When selecting equipment as mentioned in the first subsection, temporarily and permanently manned facilities should be provided with the following equipment:
  1. Two separate permanently installed maritime VHF radios with DSC,
  2. Radio beacons for helicopter navigation,
  3. Two separate permanently installed aero mobile VHF radios, as well as portable aero mobile VHF radios,
  4. One NAVTEX receiver, alternatively other accepted arrangements for reception of maritime safety information (MSI=Maritime Safety Information).
When selecting equipment as mentioned in the first subsection, evacuation and rescue equipment should be provided with the following equipment that is approved for such use in accordance with international and national standards:
  1. Lifeboats: One permanently installed VHF radio and one RADAR-SART or AIS-SART,
  2. Rafts: A necessary number of portable VHF radio sets and RADAR-SART or AIS-SART located so that they are easily accessible for bringing along in rafts, e.g. in escape chute containers,
  3. Man overboard boats (MOB boats): Watertight VHF that maintains communication under the conditions that the MOB boat is intended to operate under, and which does not prevent the crew from using both hands for manoeuvring the boat or to take part in rescue operations. A permanently installed VHF or an extra VHF.
Protection as mentioned in the second subsection, means, inter alia, that the equipment shall be located in such a manner that communication is not disrupted. The two maritime VHF radios with DSC should be located in separate rooms so that they cannot be made inoperable by a single incident. This also applies to the permanently installed aero mobile radios. VHF stations in lifeboats or MOB boats should be designed and located so that they can be used at the same time as the boats are manoeuvred with the engine at maximum revolutions.
With regard to the selection and design of communication equipment as mentioned in the first and second subsections, the NORSOK U-100 standard, Chapter 7.14 should be used for manned underwater operations.
It follows from the rules and regulations of the Norwegian Communications Authority that any work on or modification of approved equipment is not allowed. If these rules are violated, the approval will cease.