Making the news today....

[nepia]

But a lighthouse light is directed horizontally seaward surely so not affecting the sky away from it.

 

I guess

[GarethM]

Think they did block the windows facing land in many places, but they have been talking about turning them off as satellite navigation is pretty much mandatory.

 

Bit like dab, FM & AM radio. AM uses like 500kw transmitter Vs DAB is something ridiculous like 1kw.

[waterbuoy]

Part of my marine work includes overlap with the NLB (Northern Lighthouse Board) and yes, the vast majority of their lights are directional.  However, anyone who has spent a night outside in the vicinity of a lighthouse will know that the light can be visible behind the itended direction - don't know why, maybe due to reflection of particles in the atmosphere?

 

The evolution of AToNs (Aids to Navigation) is rapid at present - Virtual and Electronic means such as signals transmitted on AIS are expanding, whereas only last year the lighthouse authorities discontinued their Differential GPS service.

 

I am a total luddite, and have always enjoyed looking at charts and maps, so was somewhat disappointed to hear that the UKHO is to discontinue printing paper charts.

 

Anyhoo, my original point was/is that it just struck me as rather ironic that the first Dark Light Sanctuary to be declared in Europe was on an island which has a lighthouse on it - nothing more than that!

[GarethM]

Whilst I'm not a completely illiterate luddite, maybe in reality a well educated yokel 🙂.

 

Is that to get away from using expensive satellites?. As Sky are slowly moving towards internet based services instead of a big satellite every few years.

 

I can foresee a rabbit hole of YouTube this evening.

[waterbuoy]

I think it is more because they are working with 'Virtual' AToNs.  For example, by transmitting an appropriate  signal on the AIS (Automatic Identification Syatem) 'system' they are able to replicate a 'virtual' lighthouse or navigation mark in the same way that a ship or other vessel is able to be represented on the AIS.  Vessels within range pick up this signal on their transceivers and it then plots automatically on their electronic charts

 

DGPS will still be needed by the vessels to plot their own position - the lighthouse authorities are simply keeping up with technology and, in so doing, ensure that their VAToNs are only received by those to whom they are directly rrelevant.

 

I guess that in the long term there may be savings to be made, but the reality is that they are also having to maintain some of the physical AToNs to keep up with international committments etc.

[coppice cutter]

1 hour ago, GarethM said:

 DAB is something ridiculous like 1kw.

Is that why it's so shit?

[GarethM]

Don't know, mines pretty good even in my rural backwaters.

 

They've turned off a lot of AM transmitters this month, from what I've seen on "Ringway Manchester" YouTube. Guessing it should be less interference?.

 

From my old physics class, AM bounces off the atmosphere. TV and FM are more line of sight, not sure about DAB, but guessing it's the same.

Edited February 23, 2023 by GarethM

[coppice cutter]

The weans bought me a DAB radio years ago when it was forecast to be a great thing.

 

There's fewer digital stations on it now than there was when I got it, although to be fair, internet radio has really caught on in a way that wasn't really envisaged back then.

 

Luckily the radio has FM on it as well and that's mostly what it stays on.

 

Classic FM at present for the sheep during housing.

[GarethM]

The older ones can't receive the newer DAB+ stuff. I found that it started tailing off, when I got a newer car it found hundreds tho.

 

Ended up buying a cheap new radio for the shed and it's got about 50 in the Faraday cage of a steel shed.

[coppice cutter]

Just now, GarethM said:

The older ones can't receive the newer DAB+ stuff.

Typical, another built in obsolescence product.

 

Never knew that.

 

I'll just stick with the old one and FM.