EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULE NO. 297 ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OP
THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND
COMMUNICATIONS
Subsection 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.
Subsection 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.
Subsection 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.
Subsection 9(7) provides that standards relating to receivers may consist of such requirements as to -
(a) the performance, design, finish and construction of those receivers; and
(b) markings, warnings, instructions or other statements to be impressed on, worked into, or annexed or affixed to, or to accompany, those receivers
as are necessary or convenient to be made for or in relation to:
(c) the operation of those receivers; and
(d) the prevention or reduction of prescribed interference, or risk of prescribed interference, to any uses or functions of those receivers.
The Minister for Transport and Communications published a notice in the Gazette of 11 January 1989 setting out a proposed standard and inviting interested persons to comment on it by 10 March 1989. The proposed standard was also circulated for comment to importers and suppliers. The standard was signed by the Minister for Transport and Communications on 30 July 1990.
NOTES ON CLAUSES
PART 1 - PRELIMINARY
Clause 1 | - Provides for the citation of the standard as ‘Ministerial Standard 274’. |
Clause 2 | - Interpretation |
Clause 3 | - Provides that this standard applies to coast stations, limited coast stations, ship stations and handheld stations designed or intended for the purpose of, or purposes which include radiotelephony operation in the VHF International Maritime Mobile Service. Where the station is designed for other purposes as well, the standard does not apply to the station in so far as it is designed or intended for those other purposes Compliance with the standard is also not mandatory for ship stations aboard vessels subject to the Navigation Act 1912. |
PART 2 - GENERAL | |
Clause 4 | - Provides that certain information must be displayed on a device, the requirements for the display and circumstances where some information is not to be displayed. |
Clause 5 | - Requires that access to adjustment mechanisms which could permit operation of a device contrary to the technical requirements applying under the standard be restricted. |
Clause 6 | - Provides that a visual indication of transmission must be incorporated within a transmitter and sets a requirement for the channel switching control. |
Clause 7 | - Provides that in general a transmitter will only be operational on certain channels and frequencies specified in item 2 of the Schedule. Where alternative channels are included in the device, the device must provide a clear indication of which channels are in use. Upon being switched on the device should initially operate on the channels specified at item 2 of the Schedule. Other requirements concerning transmitter channels are specified. |
Clause 8 | - Requires a device to meet operating standards imposed by Parts 3 and 4 when operating within a specified temperature range and within a specified voltage range. |
PART 3 - TRANSMITTER | |
Clause 9 | - Provides for the purposes of Part 3 ‘transmitter’ means a radiotelephony transmitter of a coast station, limited coast station, ship station and handheld station. |
Clause 10 | - Provides that a transmitter will only be capable of operation in 2 specified modes. |
Clause 11 | - Sets maximum limits for the carrier frequency error of a transmitter. |
Clause 12 | - Ensures that a transmitter is capable of operation on both the International and Australian distress and safety channels. |
Clause 13 | - Provides that a transmitter shall not operate on specified channels. |
Clause 14 | - Provides the minimum and maximum limits for output carrier power of a transmitter. |
Clause 15 | - Provides that the design of a transmitter will protect it from possible damage when operating at maximum power. |
Clause 16 | - Sets the maximum frequency deviation under any modulation conditions. |
Clause 17 | - Sets out the minimum frequency deviation requirement of a transmitter with external microphone gain control. |
Clause 18 | - Sets out the modulation characteristics for a transmitter. |
Clause 19 | - Sets the maximum power levels for out-of-band emission from a transmitter. |
Clause 20 | - Sets maximum power levels for spurious emissions from a transmitter. |
PART 4 - RECEIVER | |
Clause 21 | - Provides that for the purposes of Part 4 ‘receiver’ means a radiotelephony receiver of a coast station, limited coast station, ship station and handheld station. |
Clause 22 | Provides that a receiver shall be capable of demodulation of specified emission modes. |
Clause 23 | Requires a receiver to be fitted for reception on mandatory distress and safety channels. |
Clause 24 | Sets the permissable level for reference sensitivity of a receiver. |
Clause 25 | Provides standards for adjacent channel selectivity of a receiver. |
Clause 26 | Sets the minimum levels for the blocking immunity of a receiver. |
Clause 27 | Sets the minimum levels for the intermodulation immunity of a receiver. |
Clause 28 | Sets the minimum levels for the spurious response immunity of a receiver. |
Clause 29 | Sets the maximum power limit of any spurious signal from a receiver. |
Clause 30 | Provides a standard for the audio frequency response of a receiver. |
Clause 31 | Sets the maximum squelch opening and closing level of a receiver. |
Clause 32 | Sets the minimum level of audio power at a telephone handset when incorporated with a receiver. |