Navigation Infrastructure
We have been working with both the General Lighthouse Authority in the UK and CETMEF, the French Lighthouse Authority, for over 10 years, supplying them with a range of electronic ‘Aids to Navigation’ (AtoNs). More recently we have been awarded a number of new contracts to supply our most advanced AToNs system products ever.
Our experience has allowed us to develop AIS solutions that satisfy the specific requirements for Aids to Navigation. We offer a range of maritime domain systems to mark and monitor offshore structures, including instrumented buoys, wind and wave energy farms, oil and gas platforms, offshore docks, pipelines etc. to improve navigational safety and prevent collisions.
We have the best solutions on the market today, our technical expertise and experience of working with the major customers and governmental body’s to provide aids to navigation (AToNs) solutions mean that we are second to none when it comes to low power consumption, environmental sealing, robustness, ease of installation, reliability and flexibility of the associated applications.
In 2001, and again in 2011, the General Lighthouse Authority, responsible for delivering a safe and cost-effective network of Aids to Navigation for the benefit and safety of all mariners in UK and Irish waters, and the French Lighthouse Authority (CETMEF), both leaders in AIS Aids to Navigation, chose our solutions.
AIS AToNs
AIS AToNs are used at sea to electronically mark hazards to navigation using VHF transmissions that can be observed by passing vessels equipped with AIS Class A or B transponder or AIS receive only display equipment.
McMurdo Marine Systems AIS AtoNs are fully IALA compliant and comprises two main types of AIS station; the Kanaton 1 (AIS transmitter) and the Kanaton 3 (AIS transmitter/receiver) which can support various other equipment interfaces.
Racon
Racon devices are used at sea to mark navigational hazards as RADAR targets for presentation on a ship navigational radar display. The word Racon comes from combining RAdar and beaCON.
The McMurdo Marine Systems HEKLEO-SX Racon is a frequency agile all-weather radar transponder that works on both "X" band (3cm wavelength), and "S" Band (10cm wavelength) frequencies.