Section 80.383 - Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system frequenciesThis section describes the carrier frequencies available for use in the Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) systems within the designated geographic radio protected areas.
(a) Assigned frequencies: Vessel Traffic Control Frequencies
| Carrier frequencies (MHz) | Geographic areas |
| 156.250 | Seattle. |
| 156.550 | New York, New Orleans,2 Houston, Prince William Sound,2 Berwick Bay. |
| 156.600 | New York, New Orleans,2 Houston, San Francisco,2 Sault Ste. Marie.2 |
| 156.700 | New York, New Orleans,2 Seattle, San Francisco.1 |
1 Private coast station licenses for the use of this frequency will not be renewed beyond November 1, 1997. Continued use until expiration must be on a noninterference basis to Coast Guard VTS communications.
2 Private coast station licenses for the use of this frequency in this area will expire at the end of the current license term or five years after the adopted date of the final rule, whichever comes first. Continued use until expiration must be on a noninterference basis to Coast Guard VTS communications.
(b) The U.S. Coast Guard designated radio protection areas for VTS are as follows:(1)New York. The rectangle between north latitudes 40 degrees and 42 degrees and west longitudes 71 degrees and 74 degrees 30 minutes;(2)New Orleans. The rectangle between North latitudes 27 degrees 30 minutes and 31 degrees 30 minutes and West longitudes 87 degrees 30 minutes and 93 degrees;(3)Houston. The rectangle between north latitudes 28 degrees 30 minutes and 30 degrees 20 minutes and west longitudes 93 degrees 30 minutes and 96 degrees;(4)Seattle (Puget Sound). The area encompassed between the United States-Canadian border and a line drawn from 49 degrees North 121 degrees West on the United States-Canadian Border, to 46 degrees 30 minutes North 121 degrees West, then to 46 degrees 30 minutes North 125 degrees West, then to 48 degrees 30 minutes North 125 degrees West, and then east to the United States-Canadian Border;(5)San Francisco. The rectangle between north latitudes 39 degrees and 37 degrees and west longitudes 120 degrees 50 minutes and 123 degrees 20 minutes; and(6)Prince William Sound. The rectangle between North latitudes 61 degrees 17 minutes and 59 degrees 22 minutes and West longitudes 149 degrees 39 minutes and 145 degrees 36 minutes.(7)Sault Ste. Marie. The rectangle between North latitudes 45 degrees and 47 degrees, and West longitudes 83 degrees and 85 degrees.(8)Berwick Bay. The rectangle between North latitudes 28 degrees 30 minutes and 30 degrees 30 minutes, and West longitudes 90 degrees 50 minutes and 92 degrees.(c) The use of the frequencies shown in paragraph (a) of this section is permitted in areas outside the Coast Guard radio protection areas provided there is no interference to VTS communications within the VTS areas.51 FR 31213, Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at 52 FR 35245, Sept. 18, 1987; 54 FR 8746, Mar. 2, 1989; 55 FR 46514, Nov. 5, 1990; 58 FR 16504, Mar. 29, 1993; 61 FR 26120, May 24, 1996; 61 FR 26466, May 28, 1996; 63 FR 53313, Oct. 5, 1998