EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULE 1987 NO 266 ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER FOR LAND TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT
Sub-section 9(1) of the Radiocommunications Act 1983 (‘the Act’) provides that the Minister may, by instrument in writing, make standards for specified devices or devices included in a specified class of device.
Sub-section 9(2) of the Act provides that before making a standard the Minister shall publish the standard that he proposes to make and invite interested persons to make representations in connection with the proposed standard.
Sub-section 9(5) of the Act provides that standards relating to radiocommunications transmitters may consist only of such requirements as to -
(a) the performance, design, finish and construction of radiocommunications transmitters; and
(b) markings, warnings, instructions or other statements to be impressed on, worked into, or annexed or affixed to, or to accompany, radiocommunications transmitters,
as are necessary for or in relation to -
(c) the operation of those radiocommunications transmitters;
(d) the prevention of prescribed interference, or risk of prescribed interference, to any other uses or functions of those radiocommunications transmitters; and
(e) the prevention or reduction of interference, or risk of interference, to radiocommunications.
The Minister for Communications published a notice in the Gazette of 24 June 1987 setting out the proposed standard and inviting interested persons to comment on it by 28 August 1987. The proposed standard was also circulated for comment to importers and suppliers. The standard was signed by the Minister for Land Transport and Infrastructure Support on 20 October 1987.
The standard applies to radiocommunications transmitters in emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB’s) for use in the maritime mobile service. EPIRB’s are designed and intended for use on the internationally recognised emergency carrier frequencies to provide homing information to facilitate search and rescue operations.
Part 2 of the standard sets out general requirements for the design of an EPIRB. The requirements restrict access to adjustment mechanisms which could permit operation of the device outside the technical parameters set in the standard (Clause 6). The requirements also restrict the size, type and arrangement of antenna which can be used on an EPIRB, as well as restricting access to connection mechanisms for external antenna. Provision is made for connection to a facility for measurement purposes (Clause 8).
Where an EPIRB has been tested for compliance with this standard, details of the compliance statement certificate, the manufacturer’s name, the manufacturing country’s name, the model designation, and a warning against improper use of the device are to be displayed on the EPIRB (Clause 5).
Part 3 of the standard sets the technical requirements for the transmitter in an EPIRB. The transmitter is to be capable of operation only on the internationally recognised emergency carrier frequencies and may operate on those frequencies either simultaneously or sequentially (Clause 10). Maximum limits are set for frequency error (Clause 11) and carrier field strength (Clause 12). The type of carrier emission is restricted (Clause 13), the modulation characteristic and repetition rate are set (Clause 14) and a maximum limit is set for spurious radiation (Clause 15). Restrictions are imposed on the mode and mechanism for operation (Clause 16) and testing (Clause 18) of an EPIRB. The standard also requires the design and construction of the transmitter to provide for protection from certain specified types of damage (Clause 17).