47 U.S.C. § 324 — Use of minimum power

Page 174 TITLE 47—TELECOMMUNICATIONS § 320 § 320. Stations liable to interfere with distress signals; designation and regulation The Commission is authorized to designate from time to time radio stations the commu- nications or signals of which, in its opinion, are liable to interfere with the transmission or re- ception of distress signals of ships. Such sta- tions are required to keep a licensed radio oper- ator listening in on the frequencies designated for signals of distress and radio communications relating thereto during the entire period the transmitter of such station is in operation. (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 320, 48 Stat. 1090.) § 321. Distress signals and communications; equipment on vessels; regulations (a) The transmitting set in a radio station on shipboard may be adjusted in such a manner as to produce a maximum of radiation, irrespective of the amount of interference which may thus be caused, when such station is sending radio com- munications or signals of distress and radio communications relating thereto. (b) All radio stations, including Government stations and stations on board foreign vessels when within the territorial waters of the United States, shall give absolute priority to radio communications or signals relating to ships in distress; shall cease all sending on frequencies which will interfere with hearing a radio com- munication or signal of distress, and, except when engaged in answering or aiding the ship in distress, shall refrain from sending any radio communications or signals until there is assur- ance that no interference will be caused with the radio communications or signals relating thereto, and shall assist the vessel in distress, so far as possible, by complying with its instruc- tions. (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 321, 48 Stat. 1090; May 20, 1937, ch. 229, § 7, 50 Stat. 191.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1937—Subsec. (a). Act May 20, 1937, struck out provi- sions which required radio stations on shipboard to be equipped to transmit radio communications or signals of distress on the frequency specified by the Commis- sion, with apparatus capable of transmitting and re- ceiving messages over a distance of at least 100 miles by day or night. § 322. Exchanging radio communications be- tween land and ship stations and from ship to ship Every land station open to general public serv- ice between the coast and vessels or aircraft at sea shall, within the scope of its normal oper- ations, be bound to exchange radio communica- tions or signals with any ship or aircraft station at sea; and each station on shipboard or aircraft at sea shall, within the scope of its normal oper- ations, be bound to exchange radio communica- tions or signals with any other station on ship- board or aircraft at sea or with any land station open to general public service between the coast and vessels or aircraft at sea: Provided, That such exchange of radio communication shall be without distinction as to radio systems or in- struments adopted by each station. (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 322, 48 Stat. 1090; May 20, 1937, ch. 229, § 8, 50 Stat. 191.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1937—Act May 20, 1937, provided for radio communica- tions with aircraft stations. § 323. Interference between Government and commercial stations (a) At all places where Government and pri- vate or commercial radio stations on land oper- ate in such close proximity that interference with the work of Government stations cannot be avoided when they are operating simulta- neously, such private or commercial stations as do interfere with the transmission or reception of radio communications or signals by the Gov- ernment stations concerned shall not use their transmitters during the first fifteen minutes of each hour, local standard time. (b) The Government stations for which the above-mentioned division of time is established shall transmit radio communications or signals only during the first fifteen minutes of each hour, local standard time, except in case of sig- nals or radio communications relating to vessels in distress and vessel requests for information as to course, location, or compass direction. (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 323, 48 Stat. 1090.) § 324. Use of minimum power In all circumstances, except in case of radio communications or signals relating to vessels in distress, all radio stations, including those owned and operated by the United States, shall use the minimum amount of power necessary to carry out the communication desired. (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 324, 48 Stat. 1091.) § 325. False, fraudulent, or unauthorized trans- missions (a) False distress signals; rebroadcasting pro- grams No person within the jurisdiction of the United States shall knowingly utter or trans- mit, or cause to be uttered or transmitted, any false or fraudulent signal of distress, or commu- nication relating thereto, nor shall any broad- casting station rebroadcast the program or any part thereof of another broadcasting station without the express authority of the originating station. (b) Consent to retransmission of broadcasting station signals (1) No cable system or other multichannel video programming distributor shall retransmit the signal of a broadcasting station, or any part thereof, except— (A) with the express authority of the origi- nating station; (B) under section 534 of this title, in the case of a station electing, in accordance with this