OIC - ATON Flashcards
What buoyage system do we use in the United States?
International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Region B.
What is IALA?
International Association of Lighthouse Authorities
What is a junction in ATON?
A point where two channels meet when proceeding seaward.
What is a bifurcation in ATON?
The point where a channel divides when proceeding from seaward, or the place where two tributaries meet.
What is a floating ATON called?
Buoy
What is a fixed ATON called?
Beacon
How are solid red ATON buoys and beacons numbered?
Solid red ATON buoys and beacons bear even numbers.
How are solid green ATON buoys and beacons numbered?
Solid green ATON buoys and beacons bear odd numbers.
What kind of buoys or beacons do not have numbers?
Preferred channel, safe water marks, isolated danger, special marks, and information/regulatory ATON use only letters.
What is a Can buoy?
Cylindrical buoys, often referred to as “can buoys,” are unlighted ATON.
What is a Nun buoy?
Conical buoys, often referred to as “nun buoys,” are unlighted ATON.
What is a Beacon in ATON?
Beacons have day boards attached to a structure.
What lights have lateral significance in ATON?
Though there are white and yellow lights, only ATON with green or red lights have lateral significance.
What does R’8” FL R 4s mean?
Buoy “8” displays one single flash of red every4 seconds.
What are the five sound signals for ATON?
Electronic Horns
Sirens
Whistles
Bells
Gongs
If lighted, what characteristic does a safe water mark display?
They will display a white light with the characteristic Morse Code “A”.
What is a black and red horizontally banded buoy called?
Isolated Danger Mark
What is an isolated danger mark used for?
They are used to mark isolated dangers (wrecks or obstructions) which have navigable water all around.
If lighted, what characteristic does an isolated danger mark display?
Isolated danger marks display a white light with a “group-flashing” characteristic; and are fitted with a visually distinctive top mark, consisting of two black spheres, one above the other.
What is a yellow buoy of beacon?
Yellow buoys and beacons are called “special marks”.
What does a special mark do?
They mark anchorages, dredging/spoil areas, fishnet areas, and other special areas or features.
If lighted, what characteristic does a special mark display?
When lighted, special marks will display a yellow light with a Fixed (“F”) or Flashing (“Fl”) characteristic. Special marks may also be used to mark the center of the traffic separation scheme.
What are white and orange buoys or beacons?
Information and regulatory buoys and beacons indicate various warnings or regulatory matters.
If lighted, what characteristic does informational or regulatory marks display?
They will only display a white light and may display any light rhythm except quick flashing.
What does it mean when a buoy is watching properly?
When a buoy is “watching properly”, it is marking its charted position “on station” and properly displaying all other distinguishing characteristics.
What are the four types of beacons?
Daybeacons
Lighted beacons (minor lights)
Major lights
Light towers
What is a daybeacon?
Daybeacons are unlighted fixed structures fitted with a dayboard for daytime identification.
What is a lighted beacon?
Just as daybeacons are sometimes substituted for unlighted buoys, lighted beacons are substituted for lighted buoys.
What is a major light in ATON?
Major lights display a light of moderate to high candlepower. They may also have high intensity audible signaling devices, radio beacons and radar beacons (RACONs).
What determines whether an ATON light is a major or minor light?
Determining whether a light is major, or minor, depends upon its candlepower and the luminous range of the light.
What are ranges in ATON and what are their purpose?
Ranges are pairs of beacons located to define a line down the center of a channel or harbor entrance.
When looking at a range and the upper mark is seen to the left of the lower mark, where are you?
The vessel is to the left of the center of the channel.
When looking at a range and the upper mark is to the right of the lower mark, where are you?
The vessel is to the right of the center of the channel.
How are ranges lighted?
Most are lit 24 hours per day and may display either red, green, or white lights or combinations of the same.
What is the ICW and how much area does it cover?
Extending some 2,400 miles along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the U.S., the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a largely sheltered waterway, suitable for year-round use.
When you see an aid with a yellow square on it, how should you pass it?
The yellow square shows that the aid should be kept on the left side when traveling north to south/east to west.
When you see an aid with a yellow triangle on it, how should you pass it?
The yellow triangle shows that the aid should be kept on the right side when traveling north to south/east to west.
How are non-lateral aids marked in the ICW?
Non-lateral aids in the ICW, such as ranges and safe-water marks, are marked with a yellow horizontal band.
What is USWMS?
Uniform State Waterway Marking System
What does RACON stand for?
RACON is an acronym for Radar Beacon.
How does RACON look on a RADAR?
These beacons transmit a Morse Code reply when triggered by a boat’s radar signal. This reply “paints” the boat’s radar screen in the shape of dashes and dots representing a specific Morse Code letter, always beginning with a dash.
How many satellites are in the GPS system?
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a system of 24 satellites operated by the Department of Defense (DoD).
How many satellites are required for a GPS fix?
At least four.
How accurate is GPS?
Once the receiver has computed the range of at least four satellites, it processes a position that is accurate to within 13 meters horizontally.
How accurate is GPS?
10 meters, with a 99.7% probability.
What is the light list and how many volumes are there?
The Light List is a seven-volume, annual publication providing information on ATON maintained or authorized by the U.S. Coast Guard located on coastal and inland waters.
What is a LLNR in the Light List?
Light List Number
What is the characteristic of a fixed light?
A light showing continuously and steadily.
What is the characteristic of an occulting light?
A light in which the total duration of light in a period is longer than the total duration of darkness and the intervals of darkness (eclipses) are usually of equal duration.
What is the characteristic of an occulting light?
A light in which all durations of light and darkness are equal.
What is the characteristic of a flashing light?
A light in which the total duration of light in a period is shorter than the total duration of darkness and the appearances of light (flashes) are usually of equal duration
What is the characteristic of a quick flashing light?
A light in which flashes are produced at a rate of 60 flashes per minute
What is the purpose of ATON?
Safe efficient flow of commerce.
What are the OIC’s responsibilities with ATON?
Observe the functioning ATON within the unit’s AOR. Report to OPCON any aids that are not working properly or are off station.
What is the difference between a lateral and cardinal system?
Lateral: Buoys and beacons indicate the sides of the channel or route relative to a conventional direction of buoyage.
Cardinal: Uses a buoy to indicate the location of a danger relative to the buoy itself.
What is a Morse ‘A’ Buoy?
Entrance marker, flashes white 1 short 1 long, marks the entrance to a channel or isolated danger, safe to pass on all side. [red and white in color]
What are the two types of junction buoys?
Nun/ Can
What is a danger buoy?
A black buoy with a red stripe, two black spheres atop the buoy, marked with a letter. Flashes two short every five seconds.
Where does the ICW go and where does it run?
2,400 miles from Manasquan, NJ to Brownsville, TX. It runs southerly along the Atlantic and westerly on the Gulf Coast.
Who assigns battery stickers on ATON?
District
What buoy would flash 2 + 1?
A preferred channel buoy (junction buoy)
What buoy would quick flash?
A turn
A front range (white)
What is a mid-channel marker?
Junction buoy
What are examples of damaged ATON?
Missing day board
Not showing proper characteristic
What are examples of destroyed ATON?
Piling split or missing
What is WAMS?
Waterways Analysis and Management
How often is WAMS?
Conducted every 5 years.
What does a mooring buoy look like?
White with a horizontal blue stripe.
