radio beacon

American  

noun

1. a radio station that sends a characteristic signal so as to enable ships or airplanes to determine their position or bearing by means of a radio compass.

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radio beacon British  

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: beacon.  a fixed radio transmitting station that broadcasts a characteristic signal by means of which a vessel or aircraft can determine its bearing or position

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Etymology

Origin of radio beacon

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Coast Guard teams received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon from the vessel, the FV Ethel May, that began broadcasting a signal as it went down around 7:30 p.m.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2023

A radio beacon was not activated and could have been non-functional, the report said.

From Washington Times • Oct. 9, 2019

A brief radio beacon can be very bright, and the briefer it is, the less it costs.

From Slate • Dec. 9, 2015

The sailboat’s position had been relayed to authorities by an emergency radio beacon.

From Scientific American • Apr. 5, 2012

In the vicinity of White Sand Bay he picked up the lighthouse’s radio beacon and, gaining confidence by the moment, made the big swing to the south.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson