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lustyd

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Has anyone else noticed that lighthouses are gradually being "turned down"? On entry into Howth, Dublin, Arklow and Padstow we noticed that lights the book says are between 9-15M visible are in fact useful only to around 1M even on a clear dark night. It appears the enviromentals are getting some traction on our safety lights :mad:
 
It should be said, however, that Milford Haven with their own refinery is still very much like daytime 24x7 and as such is unnaffected :D
 
lustyd said:
Has anyone else noticed that lighthouses are gradually being "turned down"? On entry into Howth, Dublin, Arklow and Padstow we noticed that lights the book says are between 9-15M visible are in fact useful only to around 1M even on a clear dark night. It appears the enviromentals are getting some traction on our safety lights :mad:
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Yes - I've noticed - considering just how low power lighthouse bulbs actually are (the apparent brightness is all in the focussing fresnel lenses) it seems quite unnecessary.
 
sarabande said:
how much is "distance visible" due to height ASL, and how much to brightness ?
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Well, assuming that they're not chopping down the towers, the number of chart corrections I did last winter that consisted of reducing light distances confirms that they're systematically reducing power.

Pete
 
Similar story for the latest corrections on the 2400 West Country chart pack

- St Mary’s, Peninnis Head -
Reduce range of Lt from 17M to 9M in 49°54’·27N 6°18’·22W (ILNW 121/11)

- Isles of Scilly -
Reduce range of Bishop Rock Lt from 24M to 20M in 49°52’·37N 6°26’·73W (ILNW 121/09)

- Start Point -
Reduce range of F.R Lt at Start Point Lt Ho from 12M to 9M in 50°13’·34N 3°38’·54W (ILNW 166/11)

I don't see any notices to say they're temporary and going back to original ranges - perhaps someone else does see later updates.
 
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Martin_J said:
Similar story for the latest corrections on the 2400 West Country chart pack

- St Mary’s, Peninnis Head -
Reduce range of Lt from 17M to 9M in 49°54’·27N 6°18’·22W (ILNW 121/11)

- Isles of Scilly -
Reduce range of Bishop Rock Lt from 24M to 20M in 49°52’·37N 6°26’·73W (ILNW 121/09)

- Start Point -
Reduce range of F.R Lt at Start Point Lt Ho from 12M to 9M in 50°13’·34N 3°38’·54W (ILNW 166/11)

I don't see any notices to say they're temporary and going back to original ranges - perhaps someone else does see later updates.
Click to expand...

I updated my Eastern English Channel passage chart several months ago. That of course shows most of the big lights, the ones that are being reduced. Reductions in range all along the Channel, on both sides.

Presumably GPS is the justification. Cue standard discussion on what the probability is of it failing.

Pete
 
prv said:
I updated my Eastern English Channel passage chart several months ago. That of course shows most of the big lights, the ones that are being reduced. Reductions in range all along the Channel, on both sides.

Presumably GPS is the justification. Cue standard discussion on what the probability is of it failing.

Pete
Click to expand...

Probably right, the issue I have is that these lights would be better being off completely in order to force the use of GPS. A halfhearted solution gives the impression that GPS is the backup. Entering Howth (Ireland) there is a light with sectors which flashes 2 every 7s. In the Dublin entrance there is a very very bright red which flashes 2 every 7s. This caused us to ignore the fact that we knew where we were and turn back to sea while we discussed it despite the GPS being accurate as usual. When then MK1 eyeball sees the correct light in the wrong direction, tech goes out the window. We eventually saw the Howth light which is a pointless little thing - still showing 9M on the chart (even latest updates) but visible to nowhere near that in reality.
 
The three General Lighthouse Authorities for Great Britain and Ireland have recently published their Visual Aids to Navigation Plan for the next ten years or so, which is available HERE.

Part of their thinking is that with the near-universal use of electronic aids to navigation, they consider:
■ visual AtoN will not be the primary means of position fixing in the majority of situations;
■ visual aids to navigation will continue to have an important role in hazard warning, spatial awareness and confirmation of position;

As part of this, they seem to consider that long range visibility of lighthouses is less important than shorter range conspicuity and reliability.
 
lustyd said:
Probably right, the issue I have is that these lights would be better being off completely in order to force the use of GPS. A halfhearted solution gives the impression that GPS is the backup. Entering Howth (Ireland) there is a light with sectors which flashes 2 every 7s. In the Dublin entrance there is a very very bright red which flashes 2 every 7s. This caused us to ignore the fact that we knew where we were and turn back to sea while we discussed it despite the GPS being accurate as usual. When then MK1 eyeball sees the correct light in the wrong direction, tech goes out the window. We eventually saw the Howth light which is a pointless little thing - still showing 9M on the chart (even latest updates) but visible to nowhere near that in reality.
Click to expand...
Which is all very well until the Americans decide to turn the GPS satellites off, for any reason!:eek:
 
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