[Milsurplus] Lighthouse radio beacons of the past

[Tom Brent]

Hue, there are a few publications that listed marine non-directional
beacons (NDB's), the most common one being the annual *"Radio Navigational
Aids" *published by the United States Navy Hydrographic office. I have a
number of these from the war years and I occasionally see them offered on
the E place. By 1975, it appears to have been taken over by the Defense
Mapping Agency Hydrographic Center.

The Yaquina Head Light Station you mentioned was sequenced with the Cape
Arago and Columbia River (lightship) beacons, all on 304 KHz. In later
years, Cape Blanco, Cape Disappointment and Wilapa Bay were added to the
sequenced group.

While almost all of the marine beacons are gone, some live on as
aeronautical NDB's, of which there are still thousands worldwide. There is
a dedicated group of DXers that chase them and an online database (updated
daily) that lists all active ones as well as many decommissioned NDB's
going back to the 1990's. Reception distances can be surprising. Here on
the West coast, Australian NDB's are occasionally heard, one as far as
8,000+ miles away, not bad for 25 watts on 486 KHz.

Regards to all.

Tom Brent
Texada Island, BC
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