MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

NOTIFICATION

Merchant Shipping

New Delhi, the 3rd July, 1968

G. S. R. 1283—In exercise of the powers conferred by section 296 read with sub-section (2) of section 458 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958), and in supersession of the Indian Merchant Shipping (Direction Finders) Rules, 1956, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely :-

1.       Short title, application and commencement—(l) These rules may be called the Merchant Shipping (Radio Direction Finders) Rules, 1968.

          (2)      They shall apply to—

                   (a) Indian ships of sixteen hundred tons gross or more; and

                   (b) ships other than Indian ships, of sixteen hundred tons gross   or more                       while they are at any port or place in India or within  the territorial  waters of India.

          (3)      They shall come into force at once.

2.       Definitions—in these rules—

(1)      “Act” means the Merchant Shipping  Act, 1958 (44 of 1958);

(2)      “existing installation” means—

(a)  an installation wholly installed on board a ship before the 26th   May 1965; and

(b) an installation part of which was installed on board a ship       before the 26th May 1965 and the rest of which consists either of parts Installed in replacement of identical part or parts which comply with the requirements of these rules;

          (3) “interference” means any radiation or any induction which endangers the functioning of a radio navigation service or obstructs or repeatedly interrupts radio service operating in accordance with these rules;

4.       Climatic and durability tests—(I) The radio direction-finder existing Installation;

          (5) “radio inspector” means a person appointed as such under it section 10 of the Act;

          (6) “Schedule” means a Schedule to these rules;

          (7) in relation to classes of emission—”Class Al” means telegraphy by on-off keying without the use of a  modulating audio frequency  “Class . A2” means telegraphy by the on-off keying of an imp1itud&modul audio frequency e audio frequencies, or by ‘ the on-off keying of the modulated emission;

“Class B” means damped waves;

3.       Provision of radio direction. finders—Every ship shall be provided with a radio direction complying with the requirements  specified in the First Schedule. 

4.       Climate and durability tests—-(l) The radio direction-finder required to be provided by these rules shall be such that it will be free from mechanical defects, and, shall comply with the following tests, namely—   . :

          (a) while undergoing the vibration, dry heat and low temperature tests    specified in the Second Schedule;

          (b) w subjected to the damp heat tests specified in paragraph 3(4) of the said  Schedule, and

          (c) the other tests specified in the said Schedule.

          (2) The radio direction-finder aerial system referred to in the First Schedule shall be such that after undergoing the mould growth tests required by the Second Schedule no mould growth will be pre sent on it. 

5.       Interference with Reception—(l) At no time when a ship is at sea interference or mechanical noise produced by a radio direction-finder required by these rules or by other equipment in the ship shall be of such intensity as to prevent the efficient determination of radio bearings by means of the radio direction-finder

          (2) Any ship which is provided with a radio direction-finder not being an existing installation shall also be provided with a communal aerial system for all broadcast receivers in respect of which it is impracticable to erect efficient and properly installed aerials which—

          (a) are outside a radius of 15.2 metres from the radio direction-finder aerial, or

          (b) do not rise above the base of the radio dir or

          (c) can be lowered quickly and stowed easily when the radio direction-finder is in   Use. 

6.       High voltage parts—(l) All parts and wirings of the equipment specified in these rules in. which the . direct and alternating voltage (other than radio frequency voltages) combine at any time to give an instantaneous voltage greater than fifty volts shall be protected from accidental access.

          (2) All parts and wirings of an equipment specified in these rules (other than the parts and wiring of a rotating machine) in which the direct and alternating voltages (other than radio frequency volt- ages) combine at any time to give an. instantaneous voltage greater than two hundred and fifty volts shall . be isolated automatically from all sources of e1ectrical energy when the means of rotection are removed . 

7.       Supply of electrical energy—There shall be available in every ship while it is at sea at all reasonable times when it is not in port, a supply of electrical energy sufficient for the operation of the radio direction-finder in accordance with these rules, and for testing purposes, and for the charging of any batteries which are a source of  electrical energy for the radio direction-finder. 

8.       Charging of batteries—(l)If Batteries are provided as a source of electrical energy for the radio direction-finder, means shall be provided on every ship for the charging of such batteries from the ship’s I main source of electrical energy. The master of the ship shall cause t such batteries to be tested once a day by Voltmeter and once a month by Hydrometer, and shall cause any battery which is found not to be fully charged to be brought up to that condition as soon as possible.

          (2) The master of every ship shall maintain or cause to be maintained a separate record and whenever any batteries providing source of electrical energy for radio direction-finder are charged, or r when such batteries are tested daily by a Voltmeter, or when such batteries are tested monthly by a Hydrometer, as required by sub rule (1), he shall make or cause to be made appropriate entries in ion.. I the said records in regard to such charging or testing of batteries.  The said record shall be placed on. board together with records of calibration maintained under rule 13 and shall be made available to ! the radio inspector for inspection at any reasonable time. 

9.       Installation of radio direction-finder—(l) The radio-direction finder shall be installed in such a position that efficient determination of radio bearings by means of the radio direction-finder will not be lied hindered by extraneous noises.

          (a) The radio direction finder aerial system referred to in the First Schedule shall be mounted in such a manner that the efficient determination of radio bearings by means of the radio direction-finder  is hindered as little as possible by the proximity of aerial, derricks, 01’ wire halyards, or other large metal objects.

          (b) Unless the feeder cables connecting the radio direction- l9nder aerial system with the receiver forming part of the radio         direction-finder consist of solid electric screened cable, they shall be protected by metal tubes which are bonded to earth. The joints of the feeder cables shall be water-tight. 

10.     Means of communication—(l) In every ship, an efficient two. way means of calling and voice communication shall be provided between the receiver of the radio direction-finder and the bridge from which the ship is normally navigated.

          (2) In every such ship. an efficient means of signaling shall be provided between the receiver of the radio direction-finder and  the ship’s standard compass or gyro compass repeater, if any.

11.     Restriction on use of the radio direction-finder—The radio direction-finder shall not be use purpose other than the business of the ship; or

          (b) for keeping the radio watch required by the rules framed under section 296 of           the Act. 

12.     Calibration—(1) The Master of every ship shall cause the radio direction finder to be calibrated in accordance with this rule as soon as practicable after it has been installed in the ship and whenever any change is made in the position of the radio direction finder aerial system.

          (2) The radio direction-finder shall be calibrated by two persons;. the one being experienced in the taking of radio bearings and the other experienced in the taking of visual bearings. The calibration shall be carried out by taking simultaneous radio and visual bearings of a calibrating transmitter, and such bearings shall be taken at inter- vals of not greater than 5 degrees throughout 360 degrees on a frequency between 285 Kc/s and 315 Kc/s.

          (3)      Calibration tables and curves shall be prepared on the basis, if the    bearings taken in accordance with sub-rule (2).

          (4)      The Master of every ship shall cause the calibration tables and curves  prepared in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this rule to be verified  by means of check-bearings—

                   (a)      at intervals not exceeding twelve months; and

                   (b)      whenever any change is made in any structure or fitting on deck   which is likely to affect the • accuracy of the radio direction-finder.

          If such verification shows that the calibration tables or curves are materially inaccurate, the Master f the ship shall cause the radio direction-finder to be recalibrated as soon as practicable in the manner specified in sub-rules (2) and (3). 

13.     Records of calibration and verification—The Master of every ship shall cause the following records to ‘be kept on board in a place accessible to an person operating the radio direction-finder, and to be available for inspection at any reasonable time by a radio in spector, namely— .

          (a)      a list or diagram indicating the condition and position, on the most recent  occasion on which the radio direction.. finder was calibrated, of—

                   (i) the aerials, and

                   (ii) all movable structures on board the ship which . might affect the     accuracy of the radio direction- finder; ‘ .

          (b)      the calibration tables and curves which were prepared on the most recent   occasion on which the radio direction finder was calibrated,

          (c)      a Certificate of Calibration in the form specified in the Third Schedule,  relating to the most recent occasion on which the radio direction-1 as ‘ calibrated and sign ed by the persons making the calibration ; and

          (d)      a record, in the form specified in the Fourth Schedule of check taken for    the verification of calibration, the bearings being numbered in the order in  which they were taken. 

14.     Wiring, diagram and instructions—A schematic wiring diagram of the radio direction-finder and a book containing adequate instructions as to the use of the radio direction-finder shall be avail- able at all times on board for use by any person operating or testing the radio direction-finder.

15.     Fees—Fees shall be levied under these rules at the rates and for the purposes specified in the Fifth Schedule.

16.     Penalty—Any person who commits a breach of these rules shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees and if the breach is a continuing one, with a further fin. which may extend to fifty rupees for every day after the first          during which the breach continues.

FIRST SCHEDULE

(See rule 3)

          1.       The direction-finder shall consist of a radio receiver, an associated direction-finder aerial system and Goniometer suitable for the determination of both bearing and sense by aural-null method.

          2.       (a) The mechanical parts of the direction-finder aerial sys tern other than ball bearings, hose clips, set screws and other similar small parts shall consist of non-magnetic material.

          (b) In all respects the mechanical and electrical construction and the finish of the equipment shall conform to good standards of engineering  practice.

          3.       No vibrators or primary cells shall be employed. The equipment shall operate from the ship’s mains and shall not cause any of the supply leads to be earthed.

          4.       The equipment shall be suitable for use with headphones.

          5.       Technical characteristics of the receiver shall comply with the following

          (a) Frequency Range —225 Kc/s to 525 Kc/s.

          (b) Types of reception —Al and A2.

          (c) Sensitivity (for loop aerial system)

Field  strength required for 20 decibel Signal/Noise ratio :-

(e)      The protection against second channel or image frequency shall be over 90  decibels at 500 Kc/s.

          (f)       The protection against LF. break-through shall be over 90 decibels at                                    500 Kc/s.

          (g)      The overall gain of the receiver shall be such that the first circuit noise  may be amplified to load the head- phones output to one milliwatt on  “wide” band-width in both A and A positions of reception. -
          6.       The receiver shall not produce a field exceeding 0.1 micro- volt per metre at a distance of one nautical mile from the receiver.

          7.       Fluctuations of plus or minus 10 per cent in the supply voltages shall not produce perceptible change in output.

          8.       (a) After the receiver has been switched on for 5 minutes, the tune frequency shall not change by more than one part in one thousand in any further period of 5 minutes.

                   (b) a change of 5 per cent in any one of the supply voltages to the receiver or to a power unit associated therewith ha1l not cause the tune frequency to change by more than three parts in ten thousand.

                   (c) a change of ambient temperature of 4 degrees • centigrade within the range of Zero degree centigrade to 50 degree centigrade applied after the receiver has been switched on for one hour shall .. not cause the tune frequency to change by more than one part In one thousand.

          9.       The tuning scale shall be calibrated directly in frequency.

          10.     The Goniometer shall be provided with a circular bearing indicator scale with marking at each one degree interval. Degree markings shall be distinctive at each fifth degree marking and more (instinctive at each tenth degree marking with numerical indication . 

11.     After due allowance has been made for any site errors the . bearing as indicated by the scale of the Goniometer shall be within one degree of the correct bearing. This requirement shall be met at all frequencies in the range of frequencies specified in paragraph 5 of this Schedule and throughout the 360 degrees of azimuth re —:- gardless of the previous setting of the bearing indicator.

12.            Changes in the setting of the bearing indicator from the position or positions of minimum output of 5 degrees and 90 degrees in either direction shall cause the audio-frequency output to increase by not less than. .18 decibels and not less than 35 decibels respectively.

SECOND SCHEDULE

[ rule 4(1)]

Climatic and Durability Tests

1.       In this Schedule

          (a)      references to Class X equipment shall be construed as references to the                     direction-finder aerial system;

          (b)      references to Class B equipment shall be construed as references to each   part of the direction-finder other than the direction-finder aerial system.

2.       (1)      Class X equipment shall be subjected to all the tests in given in the following Table, and Class B equipment shall be subjected to the test named opposite the letter B thereof:

          Provided that Class X equipment shall not be subjected to the Immersion test if it is subjected to the Rain test at a static pressure of not less than 3.164 or more than 3.867 kg. per square centimetre.

TABLE
 

1.       For inspection o a ship made by a radio     inspection with a view to granting the certificate under subsection (3) of purpose. Section 204 of the Merchant Ship- ping Act, 1958. 

2.           For inspection of a ship made by a radio inspector or any other officer authorized in this behalf in respect of any other matter in connection with a direction finder, on a Written application of the owner or master of the ship—-- - — - 

(a)         in the case of a ship of under 5000 tone gross  

(b)        in the case of a ship of under 5000 tone gross or more  

Rs. 60/for each visit subject to a maximum Rs. 240 for all visits made for the same purpose. 

Rs. 60/for each visit subject to a maximum Rs. 240 for all visits made for the same purpose.

Rs. 60 for each visit subject to a maximum for all visits made for the  same

[NO. 30-MD(8) / 67]
JASWANT SINGH, Under Secy.