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The
General Lighthouse Authorities' (GLAs) public marine
Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) is
a satellite based navigation system. It is the
newest element of the mix of visual, audible and
electronic aids to navigation provided by the three
General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and the
Republic of Ireland under their Marine Navigation
Plan. It is an open system - available to all mariners
- and is financed from light dues charged on commercial
shipping and other income paid into the General
Lighthouse Fund. DGPS can assist the safe passage
of all classes of vessels from cargo ships, cruise
liners and fishing vessels to small yachts, by:
.monitoring
the integrity of the US NAVSTAR Global Positioning
System (GPS)
. improving
accuracy for safe navigation in waters where the freedom to
manoeuvre is restricted.
The
DGPS is a network of 14 ground-based reference
stations providing transmissions with coverage
of at least 50 nautical miles around the coasts
of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland,
of which 4 are in the Northern Lighthouse Board
area of Scotland and the Isle of Man.
Girdle Ness - East Coast
Sumburgh Head - Orkney & Shetland
Butt of Lewis - North West,
Stirling - Central Scotland
Details of the locations, ranges and transmission characteristics of all
of the GLAs DGPS reference stations at the lighthouse sites are given in
the accompanying tables. |
- Live WebCam at Mull of Galloway