Under its framework agreement with the General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland (GLAs), Tideland Signal has won a further order from Trinity House for seven of its -50dBm SeaBeacon 2 System 6 dual-band racons (radar beacons), bringing the total to 26 recently supplied for installation round the British and Irish coasts.
In most cases, the Tideland racons are being installed to replace older and less capable racons. One of the key features of the SeaBeacon 2 System 6 is its exceptional dynamic range, sensitivity of -50dBm for both X and S-band, and output, making it visible from greater distances. Because of its extremely economical power consumption it is highly suitable for remote, solar-powered installations as well as offshore and mains-powered installations.
SeaBeacon 2 System 6 can respond simultaneously and with a unique level of frequency accuracy to both X and S-band radars, even those with very narrow receiver bandwidths. The design gives operators an exceptionally clear indication of its identity and location, and proportional scaling ensures that the racon trace remains clearly visible on radar displays regardless of the range scale selected.
Another feature of the Tideland racon is that it can be programmed quickly and easily by the user at sea, rather than having to be pre-programmed in the factory. The GLA’s vessels carry a contingency stock of SeaBeacon 2 System 6 racons on board so that they are immediately available to replace older racons as they fail.
Tideland has supplied over 800 System 6 racons to customers all round the world, one of whom has calculated that cost-of-ownership is less than 5% of the initial investment. Tideland’s racons have proven extremely economical and reliable in operation, particularly compared with competing models, having established an average trouble-free service life to date of over 14 years for the System 6 model.