CFR > Title 46 - Shipping > CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY > SUBCHAPTER Q—EQUIPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL (parts 159 to 165) > PART 161—ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT > SUBPART 161.013—Electric Distress Light for Boats (§161.013-1 to §161.013-17) > 161.013-7—Signal requirements.

161.013-7—Signal requirements.

(a) An electric light must have a flash characteristic of the International Morse Code for S-O-S and, under design conditions,
(1) Each short flash must have a duration of 1/3 second;
(2) Each long flash must have a duration of 1 second;
(3) The dark period between each short flash must have a duration of 1/3 second;
(4) The dark period between each long flash must have a duration of 1/3 second;
(5) The dark period between each letter must have a duration of 2 seconds;
(6) The dark period between each
S-O-S signal must have a duration of 3 seconds.
(b) The flash characteristics described in paragraph (a) must be produced automatically when the signal is activated.