Avcstl.ppt 05/2005Version 2.11 U.S.C.G. AUXILIARY EIGHTH WESTERN RIVERS REGION AID VERIFIER TRAINING VERIFYING A LIGHT'S CHARACTERISTICS Available on the

avcstl.ppt 05/2005 Version 2.1 1

U.S.C.G. AUXILIARYEIGHTH WESTERN RIVERS REGION

AID VERIFIER TRAINING

VERIFYING A LIGHT'S CHARACTERISTICS

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EIGHTH WESTERN RIVERS REGION -- AID VERIFIER TRAININGVERIFYING A LIGHT'S CHARACTERISTICS

INDEX TO TOPICS

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

DESCRIBING A LIGHT’S CHARACTERISTICS


TIMING A LIGHT

TECHNIQUES FOR TIMING LIGHTS

CHECKING A LIGHT'S FOCUS

WHEN IS A LIGHT CONSIDERED TO BE "WATCHING PROPERLY"?

REPORTING PRIVATE AID VERIFICATIONS

• IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC PRIVATE AID LIGHTS

REPORTING THE RESULTS -- SUMMARY



INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

• MOST LIGHTED AIDS TO NAVIGATION ARE EQUIPPED WITH A DAYLIGHT CONTROL– WHICH AUTOMATICALLY CAUSES THE LIGHT TO OPERATE (ON) DURING DARKNESS AND TO

BE OFF DURING DAYLIGHT

• EACH LIGHT IS UNDER ITS OWN CONTROL – THEREFORE ALL LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON OR GO OFF AT THE SAME TIME

• AID VERIFIERS MUST ASSURE THERE IS SUFFICIENT DARKNESS TO WHERE A LIGHT SHOULD BE OPERATING

– BEFORE REPORTING THE LIGHT AS "EXTINGUISHED" (DEFECTIVE)



DESCRIBING A LIGHT'S CHARACTERISTICS

THREE FACTORS ARE USED TO DESCRIBE A LIGHT'S CHARACTERISTICS: 1) LIGHT RHYTHM

– LIGHTED AIDS TO NAVIGATION ARE EITHER "FIXED" (CONTINUOUSLY ON) OR GENERALLY EXHIBIT RHYTHMS SUCH AS: "FLASHING", "OCCULTING", "ISOPHASE", ETC. (SEE NEXT CHART)

2) LIGHT PERIOD– FOR OTHER THAN "FIXED" LIGHTS, THE TIME IN SECONDS DURING WHICH THE

PATTERN OF FLASHES IS REGULARLY REPEATED

3) LIGHT (LENS) COLOR– RED AND GREEN (HAVE LATERAL SIGNIFICANCE)– WHITE AND YELLOW (HAVE NO LATERAL SIGNIFICANCE)

FOR EXAMPLE: A LIGHT WITH PUBLISHED CHARACTERISTICS OF "Fl G 6s" WOULD HAVE A FLASHING LIGHT RHYTHM, GREEN LENS COLOR,

ONE FLASH PER PERIOD, AND A PERIOD OF SIX SECONDS.



Light Rhythm

Light List

Example Description / Definition

Fixed F A light showing (ON) continuously and steadily.

Flashing FlTotal time light is OFF is longer than the total time light is ON and there is a single flash each period .

Occulting OcTotal time light is ON is longer than the total time light is OFF and the flashes are usually of equal duration.

Isophase IsoTotal time light is ON is equal to the total time light is OFF.

Group-Flashing Fl (2)Group of flashes, specified in number, is repeated in regular sequence and the flashes are of equal duration.

Composite

Group-FlashingFl (2+1)

Multiple groups in a period, each group having a different number of flashes, are repeated in regular sequence.


TABLE BELOW SHOWS LIGHT RHYTHMS TYPICAL ON THE INLAND RIVERS.




IF A LIGHT HAS PUBLISHED CHARACTERISTICS OF:

Fl (2) R 6s

WHAT IS THAT LIGHT'S:• LIGHT RHYTHM ________________________________________• LIGHT PERIOD _________________________________________• LIGHT (LENS) COLOR ___________________________________




• AIDS WITH FIXED CHARACTERISTICS– ARE CONTINUOUSLY "ON" AND ARE SHOWN IN THE LIGHT LIST WITH

CHARACTERISTICS OF "F R" (FIXED RED), "F G" (FIXED GREEN) OR "F W" (FIXED WHITE)

– SHOULD BE VERIFIED TO ASSURE THAT:• LIGHT IS IN FOCUS UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM -- LAMP FIXTURE IS NOT LEANING

MORE THAN 15 DEGREES, NOT COMPROMISED BY BRUSH OR TREES• LAMP IS IN GOOD SHAPE -- NOT EXTINGUISHED OR DIM, NOT COMPROMISED BY BIRD

NESTS OR FOULING

• AIDS WITH FLASHING CHARACTERISTICS

– IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE VERIFICATIONS, MUST ALSO BE TIMED TO VERIFY THAT THE CHARACTERISTICS ARE AS PUBLISHED IN THE LIGHT LIST.

NOTE: MANY PRIVATE AIDS ARE SHORE POWERED (VS BATTERY POWERED) AND MAY NOT USE A DAYLIGHT CONTROL TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THE LIGHT MAY BE "ON" 24 HOURS A DAY.

THIS IS NOT A DISCREPANCY.



NUMBER OF FLASHES EXPECTED IN ONE MINUTE IS CALCULATED BY:

1. DETERMINING THE "PERIOD" AND THE NUMBER OF FLASHES PER PERIOD FROM THE CHARACTERISTICS PUBLISHED IN THE LIGHT LIST

• EXAMPLE: IF THE PUBLISHED CHARACTERISTICS ARE SHOWN AS " Fl (2) R 6s", THE PERIOD IS SIX SECONDS AND THE NUMBER OF FLASHES PER PERIOD IS TWO.

2. DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF PERIODS PER MINUTE BY DIVIDING SIXTY SECONDS BY THE PERIOD

• EXAMPLE: A LIGHT WITH A PERIOD OF SIX SECONDS WILL HAVE TEN PERIODS PER MINUTE (60 DIVIDED BY 6)

3. MULTIPLYING THE NUMBER OF PERIODS PER MINUTE BY THE NUMBER OF FLASHES PER PERIOD

• EXAMPLE: [[TEN PERIODS PER MINUTE] X [TWO FLASHES PER PERIOD] EQUALS TWENTY FLASHES PER MINUTE .

VERIFICATION OF A LIGHT'S CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRES TIMING EACH LIGHT FOR THE NUMBER OF FLASHES EXPECTED IN ONE MINUTE




Fl (2) R 6s

DURATION OF EACH PERIOD = _____ SECONDS

NUMBER OF FLASHES PER PERIOD = _____ .

NUMBER OF PERIODS PER MINUTE = 60 / _____ = _____

NUMBER OF FLASHES PER MINUTE = _____ X _____ = _____

EXERCISE: DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF FLASHES EXPECTED IN ONE MINUTE

TIMING A LIGHT



Fl (2) R 6s

DURATION OF EACH PERIOD = __6__ SECONDS

NUMBER OF FLASHES PER PERIOD = 2 .

NUMBER OF PERIODS PER MINUTE = 60 / 6 = 10 .

NUMBER OF FLASHES PER MINUTE = 10 X 2 = 20 .

TIMING A LIGHT

EXERCISE: DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF FLASHES EXPECTED IN ONE MINUTE



Characteristics as Published in the Light List

Number of Periods per Minute

Number of Flashes per Period

Number of Flashes per Minute

Fl (2) R 6s(Typical LDB PAtoN) 10 2 20

Fl G 6s(Typical RDB PAtoN)

Fl (2) R 5s(Typical LDB Federal AtoN)

Fl G 4s(Typical RDB Federal AtoN)

EXERCISE: COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TABLE FOR THE LIGHT CHARACTERISTICS COMMONLY FOUND ON PRIVATE AND FEDERAL LIGHTED AIDS

(THE FIRST ENTRY IS FOR THE EXAMPLE USED ON THE PREVIOUS CHART).

TIMING A LIGHT



Characteristics as Published in the Light List

Number of Periods per Minute

Number of Flashes per Period

Number of Flashes per Minute

Fl (2) R 6s(Typical LDB PAtoN) 10 2 20

Fl G 6s(Typical RDB PAtoN) 10 1 10

Fl (2) R 5s(Typical LDB Federal AtoN) 12 2 24

Fl G 4s(Typical RDB Federal AtoN) 15 1 15

EXERCISE: COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TABLE FOR THE LIGHT CHARACTERISTICS COMMONLY FOUND ON PRIVATE AND FEDERAL LIGHTED AIDS

(THE FIRST ENTRY IS FOR THE EXAMPLE USED ON THE PREVIOUS CHART).

TIMING A LIGHT



TECHNIQUES FOR TIMING A LIGHT

• TIMING A LIGHTED AID REQUIRES A TIMING DEVICE THAT WILL GIVE ELAPSED TIME– MANY WRIST WATCHES HAVE THIS CAPABILITY

• HOWEVER, EXPERIENCE HAS DETERMINED THAT A SPORTS WATCH– MAY BE EASIER TO USE WITH ITS LARGE BUTTONS AND DISPLAY– USUALLY INEXPENSIVE, AVAILABLE AT K-MART, WAL-MART, RADIO SHACK, ETC.– BUT, USUALLY DOESN'T HAVE ILLUMINATED DISPLAY (REQUIRES NIGHT-VISION

PROTECTED LIGHT SOURCE)

• ACTUAL TIMING:– MUST BE PERFORMED AT NIGHT– SHOULD START AND STOP AT THE END OF THE LAST FLASH IN A PERIOD TO ELIMINATE

'ANTICIPATION"– MUST BE PERFORMED AS A DEDICATED TASK, UNINTERRUPTED, BY AN INDIVIDUAL WITH

NO OTHER ASSIGNED TASKS.

EVERY AID VERIFIER WILL DEVELOP THEIR OWN "STYLE" FOR TIMING LIGHTS.THE FOLLOWING IS SUGGESTED ONLY AS A STARTING POINT

FOR AUXILIARISTS NEW TO AID VERIFICATION.



Fl (2) R 6sONE PERIOD

Fl G 6s

0,

0,

1, ,10

1, 2, ,19,20

ONE PERIOD

START STOP

TECHNIQUES FOR TIMING A LIGHT

OFF

ON

ON

OFF

START STOP



CHECKING A LIGHT'S FOCUS

• IN ORDER FOR A LIGHT TO BE CONSIDERED AS "WATCHING PROPERLY" – IT MUST BE LEVEL SO AS TO BE VISIBLE WITHIN THE VIEWING RANGE OF THE MARINER

• TOWER MOUNTINGS, AND A LEVELING PLATE WHICH ATTACHES THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY TO A TOWER OR OTHER STRUCTURE, ALLOW THE LIGHT'S HORIZONTAL POSITION TO BE ADJUSTED TO AN ACCEPTABLE "LEVEL" POSITION

– WHICH IS DEFINED AS +/- 15 DEGREES FROM THE HORIZONTAL.

• AID VERIFICATION WORKSHEET QUESTION "FIXTURE LISTING OVER 15 DEGREES?" IS REALLY ASKING:

– "IS THE LIGHT IN FOCUS AND/OR ARE ANY DAYBOARDS LEANING MORE THAN 15 DEGREES"?

• STRUCTURES (PILINGS, CELLS, CONCRETE PIERS, ETC.) MAY OFTEN BE LISTING AS MUCH AS 35 TO 40 DEGREES WHICH CANNOT BE FIXED WITHOUT TOTALLY REBUILDING THE AID

– HOWEVER, THE LIGHT MAY BE "IN FOCUS" (AND "WATCHING PROPERLY") BY USING THE LEVELING PLATE OR BY ADJUSTING THE MOUNTING HARDWARE.



• LIGHT IS IN PROPER FOCUS AND CAN BE SEEN UNOBSTRUCTED IN THE DIRECTION(S) AND FOR THE RANGE EXPECTED

• FLASHING LIGHTS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE "WATCHING PROPERLY" IF THE ACTUAL (TIMED) NUMBER OF SECONDS IS WITHIN PLUS OR MINUS THREE SECONDS INCLUSIVE (57.0 TO 63.0 SECONDS).

EXAMPLE: IF A LIGHT WITH PUBLISHED CHARACTERISTICS OF:

Fl (2) R 6s

ACTUALLY SHOWED TWENTY FLASHES IN 58.4 SECONDS,THE LIGHT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS "WATCHING PROPERLY".

WHEN IS A LIGHT CONSIDERED TO BE "WATCHING PROPERLY"




• IN THE PREVIOUS EXAMPLE, THE LIGHT SHOWED:

TWENTY FLASHES IN 58.4 SECONDS

• ALL WORKSHEETS HAVE FIELDS FOR ENTERING THE RESULTS:

FLASHES IN SECONDS

• USE THE PREPRINTED FIELDS OR ENTER THE INFORMATION AS SHOWN ABOVE.



• PREPRINTED PRIVATE AID WORKSHEETS HAVE FIELDS FOR ENTERING TIMING DATA.

• TIME EACH LIGHT AND RECORD THE RESULTS IN THE PROPER FIELDS ON THE WORKSHEET

EXAMPLE: " 20 FLASHES IN 58.4 SECONDS"

• IF YOU NEED TO IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC LIGHT FOR PRIVATE AIDS WITH MORE THAN ONE LIGHT

BEGIN WITH THE MOST U/S LIGHT AS #1 AND:


Number ofLights Nomenclature for Light Identification /Location

2 U/S, D/S

3 U/S, MIDDLE, D/S

4 MOST U/S, U/S, D/S, MOST D/S

5 MOST U/S, U/S, MIDDLE, D/S, MOST D/S



IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC PRIVATE AID LIGHTS(EXAMPLE: FIVE-LIGHT FACILITY)

FOR THE MOST UPSTREAM LIGHT:– "MOST U/S = 10 Flashes in 59.4 Seconds", or– "#1 = 10 Flashes in 59.4 Seconds"

FOLLOWED BY:– "U/S = 10 Flashes in 61.3 Seconds", or– "#2 = 10 Flashes in 61.3 Seconds"

THEN:– "MIDDLE = 10 Flashes in 56.4 Seconds", or– "#3 = 10 Flashes in 56.4 Seconds"

AND:– "D/S = EXTINGUISHED", or– "#4 = EXTINGUISHED"

FINALLY:– "MOST D/S = 10 Flashes in 60.1 Seconds, Lamp Dim, Lens Cracked", or– "#5 = 10 Flashes in 60.1 Seconds, Lamp Dim, Lens Cracked"

WHICH OF THE ABOVE EXAMPLES WOULD BE CONSIDEREDAS "WATCHING PROPERLY"?


• IF ANY TIMINGS ARE OUTSIDE THE TOLERANCE, CHECK “NO” AFTER THE ENTRY

“ IS LAMP TIMING CORRECT? YES ( ) or NO ( ) ____________________ ”

OTHERWISE, IF CORRECT, CHECK THE “YES”

• “LAMP APPEARS TO BE ( ) GOOD, or ( ) DIM, or ( ) EXTENGUISHED REMARKS ________________”

IF A LIGHT IS EXTINGUISHED, CHECK “ ( ) Extinguished ” ON THE FORM AND INDICATE IF A LIGHT FIXTURE IS VISIBLE.

IF LIGHT IS GOOD, CHECK: “ ( ) Good ” ON THE FORM

• IF THE VERIFICATION OF AN AID SHOWS THAT ALL ASPECTS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE (NO DISCREPANCIES), THEN CHECK THE BOX “

“ ( ) WATCHING PROPERLY ” NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE FORM.





• IF ANY DISCREPANCIES, SUCH AS EXTINGUISHED LIGHTS, ARE CONSIDERED "CRITICAL" THEY SHOULD BE REPORTED VIA VHF MARINE RADIO TO THE AOR GROUP. "URGENT" DISCREPANCIES SHOULD BE REPORTED VIA PHONE TO THE GROUP OR THE AOR CUTTER.

– RECORD THE FACT THAT SUCH COMMUNICATION WAS MADE ON THE FORM IN THE SECTION:

“CRITICAL ( ) or ( ) URGENT DISCREPANCY REPORTED VIA VHF ( ) or ( ) PHONE TO : __________________________”

• THE AID VERIFIER (AND ONLY THE AID VERIFIER) SHOULD PRINT THEIR NAME AND EMPL ID NUMBER AND SIGN THE WORKSHEET.

• THE DATE AND TIME IS ALWAYS THE DATE AND TIME OF THE INSPECTION.


NOTE: PER D8(OAN) ALL EXTINGUISHED LIGHTS ON PRIVATE AIDS AND BRIDGES ARE CONSIDERED "CRITICAL" DISCREPANCIES AND SHOULD BE HANDLED IN THE SAME MANNER AS

"CRITICAL" FEDERAL AIDS (LOCAL NOTICES TO MARINERS, TRACKING, RE-VERIFICATION, ETC.).



REPORTING THE RESULTSSUMMARY

• ACCURATE AND THOROUGH REPORTING REQUIRED– COAST GUARD PERSONNEL RECEIVING YOUR REPORTS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE

ACTION BASED ON THE DATA REPORTED

– MAY INVOLVE CONTACTING OWNER OF AID OR BRIDGE TO GET DISCREPANCIES CORRECTED

– BE VERY SPECIFIC IN DESCRIBING DISCREPANCIES AND THE LOCATION (FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH LIGHT) OF EACH DISCREPANCY

– ATTACH PICTURE IF POSSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE

• NOTHING LESS THAN 100 PERCENT COMPLETE, DEFECT-FREE REPORTS ARE ACCEPTABLE



I have the following comments regarding the Eighth Western Rivers Region Aid Verifier training presentation "Verifying a Light's Characteristics". Please indicate chart number. (attach copies of marked-up charts as appropriate):

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INSTRUCTOR / STUDENT COMMENTS FORM

Mail this form to:Michael “Mike” D. Stanley, DSO-NS9539 22nd StreetPerry, Kansas 66073-5056

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Avcstl.ppt 05/2005Version 2.11 U.S.C.G. AUXILIARY EIGHTH WESTERN RIVERS REGION AID VERIFIER TRAINING VERIFYING A LIGHT'S CHARACTERISTICS Available on the