A small loss?

[happy daze john in oz]

The commissioner of Irish lighthouses has made the decision that all fog horns on lighthouses will no longer be need or used. They claim, that with the advent of GPS and satellite positioning, the fog horns are outdated.
However the fishing industry and small boat users are up in arms about it as many do not have the sophisticated equipment found on mainline shipping. Sea mists and fogs around the coast of Ireland have a habit of coming up with little or no warning leaving small craft in danger. As the fog horns are mechanical sounded I fail to see what the savings, or the reasoning behind this is. Are they still in use in U.K.

[Doc Vernon]

As i am not too updated with the Fishing Industry in Ireland and i suppose other places,i must agree that the abolition of these Foghorns will indeed create a lot of confusion and unnecessay danger to these Men who daily go out in all kinds of Weather.
I really wonder if The commissioner of Irish lighthouses did his homework on al this!
Would he risk his life in such treacherous situations,i think not!
How about all the Families as well,knowing that their Men and their livelyhood could well be at risk!
What a stupid idea!!
Hope that the Irsih and others will get the decision overturned!
Wonder if there is some sort of Petition that they could put on the Interenet,and let all have their Vote!
Cheers

[Graham Evans]

During the first Gulf War, the Yanks turned off the GPS during their tank assault, presumably to prevent the Iraqis finding out their positions. Also, are electronic charts any good when there's a blackout? What happens when all these electronic systems collapse? How are paper charts to be corrected when there is nobody left who knows how to do it? Without any buoys or lighthouses left, how will ships proceed? Glad I have now packed it up!!!!!!: The B.O.T won't know who to blame when there's a balls-up!