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7339733
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Letter from Robert S. Ingersoll to the President submitting the Partial Revision of the Radio Regulations
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7339733
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Letter from Robert S. Ingersoll to the President submitting the Partial Revision of the Radio Regulations
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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7339733
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1975-06-20
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6
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1975
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
WASHINGTON
June 20, 1975
The President:
I have the honor to submit to you, with a view to
its transmission to the Senate for advice and consent
to ratification, the Partial Revision of the Radio
Regulations (Geneva 1959), with a Final Protocol signed
on behalf of the United States at Geneva June 8, 1974,
with a reservation.
The Partial Revision was adopted at the World
Maritime Administrative Radio Conference, under the
auspices of the International Telecommunication Union
held at Geneva April 22-June 8, 1974.
The texts of the Partial Revision, with Annexes,
and the Final Protocol are contained in a bound volume,
designated Final Acts, which also includes texts of a
Partial Revision of the Additional Radio Regulations
(Geneva 1959), to which the United States is not a party,
and of resolutions and recommendations which do not
require action with a view to ratification on the part
of the United States.
The Radio Regulations (Geneva 1959) were transmitted
to the Senate on June 9, 1960 (S. Exec. I, 86th Congress,
2d session) and, after ratification, came into force for
the United States on October 23, 1961 (TIAS 4393, 12 UST
2377). The Radio Regulations were once previously
The President,
The White House.
Digitized from Box 12 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
- 2 -
revised with respect to the Maritime Mobile Service at
Geneva November 3, 1967. Those revisions were submitted
to the Senate (S. Exec. E, 90th Congress, 2d session)
and, after ratification, entered into force for the
United States April 1, 1969.
The Partial Revision submitted herewith further
revises the 1959 Radio Regulation with respect to the
Maritime Mobile Service. With one exception which is
noted below, the Partial Revision is consistent with
United States interests. Some of the specific provisions
which were included in the Revision are summarized as
follows:
1. Digital selective calling provisions were
adopted, including two complements of frequencies and
provisions whereby the International Radio Consultative
Committee (CCIR) will develop technical and operational
details.
2. Thirty-seven new duplex radiotelephone channels
were provided at the expense of telegraphy channels and
by reducing channel spacing of existing telephony channels.
3. Provisions were made for operational use of
narrow band direct printing telegraphy.
4. The Radio Regulations were modified to provide
for on-board (intra-ship) radio communications and six
radio frequencies were so designated.
5. Oceanographic data transmission provisions were
retained unchanged.
6. The provisions for ship wideband facsimile and
special transmission systems were retained.
- 3 -
7. An improved voice maritime distress system was
adopted.
8. Technical parameters for maritime, single
sideband, High Frequency transmitters were updated.
9. Maximum power limits were agreed for High Fre-
quency ship and coast stations respectively.
10. Supplementary High Frequencies for distress
purposes were agreed for use in various areas of the
world, including in particular Mexico, Central America,
South America, and the South Pacific.
11. An international distress, safety, and calling
frequency for the maritime mobile Very High Frequency
radiotelephone service was designated.
12. Provisions were made in the Radio Regulations
for a new Ship Movement Service which will be the radio
regulatory basis for operations of vessel traffic systems
in the United States.
13. Several modifications were made to the Radio
Regulations to provide for improved communications between
ships and aircraft, particularly for on-scene search and
rescue operations.
14. An entirely new A-1 Morse telegraphy calling
system was adopted.
15. Minimum provisions to implement maritime
satellites were adopted.
16. A new Radio Operators General Certificate was
adopted.
The Final Protocol contains a United States reserva-
tion as follows:
- 4 -
"The Delegation of the United States of America
formally declares that the United States of America
does not, by signature of these Final Acts on its
behalf, accept any obligation -in respect of the
Frequency Allotment Plan for Coast Radiotelephone
Stations Operating in the Exclusive Maritime Mobile
Bands between 4000 kHz and 23000 kHz and the
associated implementing procedures, and that, although
the United States of America will observe the pro-
visions of the Plan and implementing procedures to
the extent practicable, pending the results of a
future World General Administrative Radio Conference,
the United States of America reserves its right to
take such measures as may be necessary to protect
its maritime radiotelephony interests."
This reservation was made because the frequency allotment
plan, from the United States viewpoint, created impractical
sharing arrangements both within United States allotments
and externally. Due to the multitude of allotments (up
to 36 countries) on each channel, the elimination of use
priorities, the adoption of unworkable implementation
procedures, and the authority given to the International
Frequency Registration Board to make allotments on an
arbitrary basis, the revised allotment plan and its
associated procedures were felt to be incompatible with
the official and public correspondence needs of the United
States.
The Partial Revision will come into force on
January 1, 1976 for Governments which, by that date, have
- 5 -
notified the Secretary General of the International
Telecommunication Union'of their approval thereof.
As has previously been the case with revisions of
the Radio Regulations, the Department of State, the Federal
Communications Commission, and your Director of Telecom-
munication Policy concur in recommending that the Partial
Revision and Final Protocol submitted herewith be
transmitted to the Senate for its consideration and
approval at an early date.
Respectfully submitted:
argmall