NAVIGATION BEACONS

Evening Star, Issue 21624, 20 January 1934, Page 4

NAVIGATION BEACONS

Following the example of many of the principal maritime nations, of the world, the coastal authorities in countries as distant as Uruguay, Rumania, and Chinn are among the most recent to adopt the Marconi automatic wireless beacon as an aid to navigation for ships approaching and leaving their shores. , Automatic wireless beacons, transmitting omui-directioual signals which enable ships fitted frith wireless direction finders to take , bearings as and when required, have now become firmly established in the confidence of navigators on account of the convenience and simplicity of utilising their services.

The Marconi beacon transmitters are characterised by extreme simplicity in operation and ability to run for long periods without attention by skilled personnel The entire apparatus is controlled by a master clock, which switches on the transmitting apparatus at predetermined times, when the transmitter sends out a characteristic signal incorporating the call-sign allotted to the beacon, after which the plant shuts down till the next call is again automatically transmitted. Provision is made so that the calls can be transmitted at -comparatively long intervals during fine weather or continuously when foggy -weather or unfavourable conditions of visibility prevail in the vicinity of the beacon.