Showing 95 items
matching maritime signal
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Parks Victoria - Cape Nelson Lightstation
Instrument - Morse Code Key Set
The battery powered set, which dates from the second half of the twentieth century, comprises two main components, the electronic keyer with a single lever for tapping, and a transmitter (?), both connected by a keying cable. Morse code was invented in the 1830s by American, Samuel Finely Breese by using electrical signals to quickly transmit information over a long range. In the early 1890s Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi improved the technology to the point where it became an essential device used for commercial and government purposes. The first practical applications were demonstrated with maritime messaging, where this simple mode of communication was seen as a timely replacement for the historic practice of signaling by flags, lights and foghorns. Cape Schanck has an earlier Morse code key, which is original to the lightstation (CSLS 0035), and Cape Otway has another early example although its provenance to the lightstation has not been formally verified (COLS 0074). The Morse code set has first level contributory significance for its historical value as an earlier communications device that has since been made redundant by more sophisticated technologies.Morse code key set. Comprised of the tapping component and a metal box part with a white electrical cord.Yes -
Parks Victoria - Gabo Island Lightstation
Flags & Pennants, navigational, signal
The 41 alphabetic and numeric visual signalling flags (including substitute and answering pennants) have either square or pointed ends. They are made of bunting, a coarse fabric of worsted (open yarn wool) in various colour combinations. Some of the flags are marked with inscriptions, for example “B”. Attachments to the flags include hemp rope and metal clips. Each flag has its own galvanised canister and lid, each of which is painted grey and marked with a letter, number or word. The flags were used for communicating messages to passing ships. Knowledge of visual signalling was mandatory for all lightkeepers and all lightstations maintained a set of flags. Although used for centuries, visual flag signalling formally developed in the nineteenth century and was published internationally as a system in 1857. By the early twentieth century it had developed into an effective means of conveying all kinds of short range visual messages. The signal flags and canisters at Gabo Island form a complete set and are not historically linked to the lightstation and their provenance is unknown. It is known however that they originate from a lightstation in Victoria and for some years were on loan from AMSA to the Queenscliff Maritime Museum, where they were held in storage and not displayed. Three of the six lightstations that Parks Victoria manages have sets of signal flags in their collections. Forty navigational signal alphabet flags & numeral pennants. Flags are made of wool. -
Parks Victoria - Gabo Island Lightstation
Flag canisters
The 41 alphabetic and numeric visual signalling flags (including substitute and answering pennants) have either square or pointed ends. They are made of bunting, a coarse fabric of worsted (open yarn wool) in various colour combinations. Some of the flags are marked with inscriptions, for example “B”. Attachments to the flags include hemp rope and metal clips. Each flag has its own galvanised canister and lid, each of which is painted grey and marked with a letter, number or word. The flags were used for communicating messages to passing ships. Knowledge of visual signalling was mandatory for all lightkeepers and all lightstations maintained a set of flags. Although used for centuries, visual flag signalling formally developed in the nineteenth century and was published internationally as a system in 1857. By the early twentieth century it had developed into an effective means of conveying all kinds of short range visual messages. The signal flags and canisters at Gabo Island form a complete set and are not historically linked to the lightstation and their provenance is unknown. It is known however that they originate from a lightstation in Victoria and for some years were on loan from AMSA to the Queenscliff Maritime Museum, where they were held in storage and not displayed. In three of the six lightstations that Parks Victoria manages have sets of signal flags in their collections. Forty-one galvanised canisters with separate lids. The canisters are painted a grey/white colour and have either numbers, letters or words painted on the lid and on the cannister in black paint. There are variations in the style of canister and in the style of the inscriptions. -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Foghorn, 20th century
A marine foghorn gives an audible navigational signal to warn vessels of dangers, hazards and the presence of other vessels in fog conditions. The foghorn signal is a series of long and short sounds with short or long pauses between them. These common signals conform to a code called the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and provide such information as whether the vessel is under sail or motor, large or small, aground or at anchor. The designs of foghorns vary but they all use a column of air to make a loud sound. Some use vibrating plates or metal reeds, others force air through holes in a revolving cylinder or disc, sounding like a siren, and some use a clockwork mechanism to open the valves that let the air into the horn. They are usually built to meet particular specifications e.g. U.S.C.G. (US Coast Guard). This Tyfon plunger foghorn has a horizontal handle attached to a vertical rod that moves up and down inside a cylinder. When the handle is plunged down, in a similar way to a bicycle pump, the air is forced out of the bottom of the cylinder into a pipe with a bell-shaped horn on the end, making a loud, low sound. The wider base of the cylinder helps to keep it stable. The original type Tyfon foghorns were manufactured in about 1910 by Kochums Mechanical Workshop (Kockums Mechanical Werkstad, Ltd.), Malmo, Sweden. The company was established in 1840, became a Limited company in 1866, and established a shipyard at the Port of Malmo, Sweden, in 1870. The civilian ship production in Malmo ceased in 1987. As well as building ships the company built large industrial and agricultural machinery and maritime goods.this replica foghorn represents the design of a Swedish, Tyfon model 1910. It is an example of the type of safety equipment used on marine vessels to signal other vessels and signal to land. Replica foghorn; portable marine, plunger operation. It has a brass cylinder and adjustable brass horn. The plunger handle and base are wooden. Inscriptions are on the plaque on the horn and moulded into the air intake. Facsimile of a Kockums of Malmo, Sweden, Tyfon model 1910 Fog Horn.Impressed into the attached plaque "KOCKUMS MLK. VERKSTAD / MALMO SWEDEN" and "TRADE TYFON MARK" Also added to the plaque individually "288938" Molded around the circumference of the air intake "TYFON PATENT"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, foghorn, fog horn, tyfon foghorn, kockums mlk verkstad, malmo sweden, replica, warning signal, safety equipment, ship's equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - EPIRB Transmitter, c. 1983
This distress EPIRB unit (Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon) was found on the beach at Levy's Point, Warrnambool, in December 2000 by a Warrnambool resident. Local police were alerted at the time. This distress signal unit is a world-wide COSPAS/SARSAT, satellite assisted, SAR (Search and Rescue) system for location of distress transmissions emitted by an EPIRB. Offshore cruising vessels must have such a unit as part of its essential safety equipment. This model EPIRB relies on four satellites with orbit times of approximately 100 minutes. Earlier units relied solely on aircraft flying overhead to detect and forward on the EPIRB’s location to Search And Rescue authorities, whereas this new system utilises satellites. An employee from the Lokata firm provided additional information about the Lokata EPIRB units. They had a machined aluminium case with labels that were also made on site. The units could be activated manually or automatically released when a magnetic switch in the case casing was activated. This later model, circa 1983, would have been mounted externally on a vessel's bulkhead in a spring-loaded, stainless-steel protective 'skeleton' mounting, The unit released when the water pressure sensor detected a set time it was under the water, in a similar way that life crafts were released. Each unit was registered to a particular vessel - the vessel's details on this unit are indecipherable. The Lokata Company was established in 1970, designing and manufacturing marine products including communications. The company no longer makes products with the “Lokata” brand. In 2001 Sartech Engineering Ltd. took over the support for the Lokata EPIRB beacons. This emergency location device is a late 20th century invention to help save lives at sea. It adds to the history of maritime life, its risks, the lives lost as sea, and the many inventions aimed as rescuing and saving lives. The local area is notorious for the number of lives lost through shipwreck. It also carries stories of heroic efforts to save lives, and other inventions to help reduce the chance of accidents at sea.EPIRB unit; “Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon”. A distress communication unit for sending a distress location transmission in an emergency at sea. The EPIRB is a yellow, rectangular box with dials, buttons, indicator lights and instruction. An antenna protrudes from the top of the unit. The EPIRB unit sends a 406P (X) EPIRB, with 406M-Hz frequency, 48-hour duration signal. The maker was LOKATA Ltd in England. Remnants of a white label remain on the side. Circa 1980s."NAME OF VESSEL 'SERVICE IF SELF TEST FAILS' " “LO-KATA” moulded into the body. "406P (X) EPIRB" “Model 406” "Lokata Type No 92408" "UK Type approved to MPT 1278" "Class 2" "Made by Lokata Ltd, Falmouth Cornwall England TR10 8AE"" "LOKATE LTD. New North Road Hainault, Ilford Essex IG6 2UR" "ARMED / SAFE / TRANSMIT / CODE / DISPLAY / SET / wait / pass / fail / TEST" "IDENTIFIER / 1349:24034234N" [some characters may be different] "COUNTRY / DENMARK" "VESSEL IDENTITY / 124 [the rest is indecipherable]flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, emergency position indicating radio beacon, epirb, lokata ltd, marine safety equipment, satellite transmitting beacon, safety equipment, distress signal, life saving, safety at sea, shipwreck location, lo-kata, falmouth, emergency, beacon, radio signal, communication, marine equipment