FCC Rules and Regulations: Licensing, Responsibilities, Allocations, and International Agreements
The regulatory skeleton
Nearly every maritime question traces back to Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Part 2 holds frequency allocations, station identification, and RF-exposure rules; Part 80 governs ship stations; Part 87 covers aviation; Parts 90 and 95 cover land mobile and personal radio; Part 97 is amateur. Before reading answer choices, identify which service the question names and match it to its part.
Licensing
The General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) is a lifetime license: it is not renewed and carries no expiration date, a favorite trap. It is required to operate, repair, or maintain certain commercial transmitting equipment and to adjust transmitters at licensed stations. A separate ship-station license is normally required for a vessel's radio installation, and the station is operated under the responsibility of a licensed operator. The Bridge-to-Bridge Act requires power-driven vessels of 20 meters or more to keep a watch on VHF Channel 13 while underway in US waters.
Operator responsibilities
The licensee is responsible for proper operation, correct identification (call sign at the beginning and end of each exchange), and for preserving the secrecy of communications. Prohibited: false distress signals, obscene language, superfluous transmissions, and intercepting then disclosing messages not addressed to you (Communications Act Section 705).
International
The ITU Radio Regulations divide the world into three regions; the Americas are Region 2. US licenses and certificates are recognized abroad under treaty arrangements, but a station in foreign waters follows the host administration's rules.
Rule of thumb: name the service, then name the CFR part, then read the choices.