Forward: Information to Montgomery group. Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 10:31 PM Subject: Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Mike, Your email to Dwight Cornell has been forwarded to me. I am in charge of the communications center at Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet, Florida. Most of the info you requested is contained in a Coast Guard publication called the LIGHT LIST. It is printed by the U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. The Omega and similar systems have gone by the wayside with the advent of newer more high tech systems such as GPS and LORAN. As of January 2001, only 1 Coast Guard operated traditional marine radiobeacon remains. That is located at Ediz Hook, WA. LORAN A also has gone by the wayside. LORAN C has replaced that. We have a LORAN transmitting station 16 miles north of our station. It is located in Jupiter, Florida. LORAN C is a chain of transmitting stations separated by several hundred miles. There are 3 to 6 stations in a chain. One is the Master, and the other stations are the secondary stations. The secondary stations are indicated by Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, or Zulu. The newer systems are the GPS and DGPS. (differential GPS) These systems are extremely accurate and can tell you your course, speed, position, way points, and some of that same information on other ships in the area. GPS can now be interfaced into the newer VHF radios and show and transmit your position if you are in distress. You can also interface your GPS into your 406 EPIRB. Some new 406 EPIRBS have a GPS built right into them thus cutting down on the notification time, and constantly updating your position. Takes the "search" out of search and rescue. Notification time went from up to 6 hours with the 121.5 EPIRB, down to 1 hour with the 406 EPIRB, and now down to about 5 minutes with the new global satellite 406 EPIRB with GPS built in. Just like the telephone went from dial to push button, and from wired to wireless, and now to cellfones and even cellfones with video pictures, the electronic aids to navigation are making great strides to improve their capability. If you are a boating person, you appreciate this even more. Aircraft and vehicles also have GPS units. I hope this information is what you were looking for. Chris Abernethy