Sec. 80.303  Watch on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16).

    (a) During its hours of operation, each coast station operating in 
the 156-162 MHz band and serving rivers, bays and inland lakes except 
the Great Lakes, must maintain a safety watch on the frequency 156.800 
MHz except when transmitting on 156.800 MHz.
    (b) A coast station may be exempted from compliance with the watch 
requirement when Federal, State or Local Government stations maintain a 
watch on 156.800 MHz over 95% of the coast station's service area. 
Requests for an exemption must include a chart showing the receiving 
service area of the inland water public coast station. The coordinates, 
to the nearest minute, and the receiving service area of the Government 
stations maintaining the continuous watch on 156.800 MHz must be 
indicated on the same chart. The service area of these stations must be 
calculated using criteria specified in subpart P of this part.
    (c) If the government station(s) providing the 156.800 MHz watch 
over the service area of an exempt station temporarily discontinues that 
watch, the exempt coast station upon receiving notice of this condition 
must maintain the watch on 156.800 HMz during the discontinuance. 
Automated maritime communications systems' compliance with this 
requirement is limited to the use of existing facilities.
[ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  52 FR 35245 , Sept. 18, 1987]

                       Ship Station Safety Watches