Sec. 80.1059  Special requirements for Class S EPIRB stations.

    (a) A Class S EPIRB station must be able to float or be permanently 
secured to a survival craft.
    (b) A Class S EPIRB able to float must meet the following:
    (1) Be watertight and float in calm water with at least 5 cm (2 in.) 
of the EPIRB out of the water and the base of the antenna at least 5 cm 
(2 in.) above the water, with the antenna in a vertical position 
completely above the water surface;
    (2) Be ballasted to right itself from a position 90 degrees from its 
upright position in one second or less;
    (3) Meet the requirements in Sec. 80.1053 (a)(4) through (9) after 
free fall into water 3 times from a height of 20 meters (67 ft.).
    (c) A Class S EPIRB intended to be permanently secured to a survival 
craft is not required to float in water.
    (d) Additionally, all Class S EPIRB's must meet the following:
    (1) Be capable only of manual activation by an on-off switch 
protected by a guard to prevent inadvertent operation;

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    (2) Be designed to be deployed, its controls actuated, or its 
antenna erected, each by a single action task which can be performed by 
either hand;
    (3) Meet the requirements in Secs. 80.1053 (a)(4) through (a)(8) and 
(b) through (i) of this part;
    (4) Class S EPIRBs may provide either continuous or intermittent 
operation. If the EPIRB is designed for intermittent operation, the duty 
cycle must be from 50 to 60 per cent and the period two minutes plus or 
minus 12 seconds. In either event, the EPIRB must meet the power output 
characteristics described in Sec. 80.1053(a)(8) of this part;
    (5) If testing of an EPIRB with Coast Guard coordination is not 
possible, brief operational tests are authorized provided the tests are 
conducted within the first five minutes of any hour and are not longer 
than three audio sweeps or one second whichever is longer;
    (6) Have a designation that indicates it is a ``Class S'' EPIRB.
    (e) Applications for type acceptance must include a letter from the 
manufacturer stating that the EPIRB meets the requirements in paragraphs 
(b) and (d), or (c) and (d) of this section.
[ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  56 FR 11517 , Mar. 19, 1991]