h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: 143 - I Love You - A20478314
Author: GrumpyAlembic - U7670313

143

Hi, GrumpyAlembic

Your entry grabbed my attention because, like many landlocked citizens, I think lighthouses are fascinating because I don't live near one and don't see them all the time. (Well, actually, there is one a couple of hours from here, but that's a different story, and perhaps another entry someday).

I was left with a few questions, though.

I don't understand what the 1-4-3 sequence is. I get that it describes how the light flashes, but I thought a lighthouse just had one central light with a reflector that spun around at a steady rate. I also don't understand how that relates to 'I love you' or 'I miss you'

There are a couple of odd quotemarks at the beginning of the 2nd paragraph and end of the 4th. If the intervening text is all a quote, I'm afraid you'll need to rewrite it in your own words.

You mentioned that they tried to change the light sequence, but didn't say whether or not they were successful.

Nice start!

1-4-3 is the number of letters in the words: I-LOVE-YOU

Hi Milos

Thanks for your input I will do some editing.

The flashing is acheived by a combination of rotating lenses which focus the stationary light into a series of beams. As the lenses rotate an observer will see a sequence of flashes depending on the arangement of the lenses.

The light on its own is bright, but just a light. Sailors need to know if the light is significant. What is it, where is it located, is it stationary? If significant, it needs to be identified so that the mariner can set a safe course. Hence the coded flashes. Some lighthouses have more complex systems which change the flashing sequence and some times colour, depending on the sector. This helps mariners navigate areas away from the lighthouse. Portland Bill is able to indicate, for example, if you are heading for the Shambles Bank or Chesil Beach or in safer waters.

As to Minot's Ledge - I will need to check, but as far as I know it still flashes 1-4-3

I'm no expert on lighthouses just a romantic!

Traveller in Time avigating in coastal areas
"The flashing sequence is called the 'ISO' of the light. "

Some polishing up and this will make a beautiful little entry. It's a lovely story.

To avoid the "143 The ‘I love you or I miss you’ Lighthouse (42 16 12 N, 70 45 30 W)" looking like a second title, that information could be incorporated into the first paragraph perhaps?

As a complete dunce on how lighthouses work, what's the difference between a '1' flash, a '4' flash and a '3' flash? Is it the length of the gap between flashes that gives the number?

Like 143 would be flash, count 1 2 3 4, another flash, count 1 2 3, another flash, count 1 ...and start over?

Or
........

Thanks for this, I knew nothing about it before.

You are very welcome

The flashes are grouped with an occlusion between. For mariners the length of occlusion is an identifier on some lights.

For 143 it is:

one flash, occlusion, four flashes in quich succession, another occlusion, then the last group of three.

Exact timings I know not.

Editting is in hand and thanks for your suggestions.

I use it when writing a quick text message (by mobile) to my mrs when I have a break at work. Instead of coding in 'I love you' , I simply code in 143 and hit send. It's quicker, and she gets the idea )

Ditto, but not your Mrs - we use it on notes and cards as well

A lovely entry, and a nice change from some of the heavier pieces
I love lighthouses, pebble beaches and the sea in general.
My ex was a chief engineer, and we travelled all over the World, and I never got tired of looking out across the oceans...
Did anyone see the prog on Uk History about the Stevenson lighthouse?
Very sad but what a fantastic achievement!!

Hi tibbysoo1.

Nearly all lighthouses bring comfort out of the sadness of shipwrecks before they were built. The enigmatic part is that people are drawn to them, but their function is to ward off mariners from danger.

We all need a light in the dark!

I did see a prog some time back - was it about the Eddystone, I can't remember.

If lighthouses are your thing then there are some good web sites.

I'm not into them really its just the 143 story and having sailed a bit.

I suspect that this entry needs a bit more substance. It's a really interesting topic. Usually entries for the Edited Guide aren't allowed to have personal stuff in it, so the 'my poem' would need to be replaced by something like 'a poem', although I'm not sure that the poem works in the context of the entry.

Here's a really good link with lots of information: http://www.pbs.org/legendarylighthouses/html/natlgl.html

A quick Google has revealed that people buy replicas of the lighthouse as love tokens and there are quite a few suppliers. There are even newsletters, eg: http://www.lighthousedepot.com/Newsletter.cfm?val=37 - not sure it could be included as it is a commercial link.

See also: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/LHevolution.html (under Wave Swept Lighthouses) and this one: http://cyberlights.com/lh/mass/minots.htm which has a really good photo.

GA - just seen that you're very new on h2g2 - welcome! I'm not sure how much GuideML you know, so if you need help putting links in, just let me know - or ask one of the Scouts (I was a Scout for a few years). If I'm teaching you to suck eggs, feel free to tell me - I won't be offended.

Hello GA, hope you're enjoying yourself on h2g2.

I really enjoyed this entry, it's a lovely story. Would I be correct in assuming that the message was not concidered when the light sequence was designed, and only noticed afterwards? Could you clarify in the entry if it was intentional or not?

I'm also not sure what the poem adds to the entry.

Finally, I wonder what the other reviewers think about changing the title a little to reflect more what the entry's about? At the moment it doesn't really make it clear. Not sure what to change it to, though.

Fab effort, especially for a first-timer, well done! I look forward to seeing this on the Front Page.

Thank you!

It is very unlikely that 143 was in anyone's mind it would just have been a permutation on the posible codes with the equipment.

I feel a small edit coming on

Edit done!

Good luck with putting the links in GA.

There's also a typo 'Massachusets' should be 'Massachusetts'.

There's another line that says 'a year later', but doesn't give the benchmark date.

I'd like to see the entry expanded to show a bit more of its history and also maybe mention that people can buy miniature 143 lighthouses as love tokens. Having had a quick look around, there's a fair amount of material out there.

will do, but it will have to be tommorrow.
thanks.

How's this going Grumpy?