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radiobaliza / radiofaro

English translation: radio beacon / radio beacon

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:radiobaliza / radiofaro
English translation:radio beacon / radio beacon
Entered by: Jane Martin

17:03 Jan 21, 2016
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Telecom(munications)
Spanish term or phrase: radiobaliza / radiofaro
These two terms are in a list of telecommunication equipment subject to type approval by the Official Telecommunications Body in Bolivia.

Transmisor de **radiobaliza**
Transmisor de radiollamada
Transmisor de **radiofaro**
Transmisor digital
Transmisor AM

It seems to me that they are both translated into English as radio beacon but wondered if there is anyone out there who is more knowledgeable in this area than I am and could help out.

I did originally wonder if one was omnidirectional and one non-directional but that is not the case as I have found examples of 'faro omnidireccional' and 'faro non-direccional' TIA
Jane Martin
Local time: 01:21
radio beacon / radio beacon
Explanation:
These terms are better differentiated in Spanish than they are in English, probably for historical reasons.

radiofaro = a 'radio beacon' in the so-called fixed public radio service, commonly associated with aeronautical and maritime navigation systems. It is at a fixed, accurately-known position and serves a similar purpose to a traditional ‘light-house’ on the coastline, enabling navigators to establish their geographical position with respect to a known position. These radio beacons continuously transmit an ID signal, each on a specific frequency, similar in purpose to the flashing sequence of a lighthouse.

radiobaliza = a 'radio beacon' in the so-called maritime or aeronautical mobile services, comprising a transmitter fitted to an aircraft, or ship (or associated life-rafts, life-jackets and other life-saving equipment), which continuously transmits an ID signal on one internationally-shared distress frequency which is (supposed to be) continuously monitored by the coastguards, ships' radio officers, etc. It is used to pin-point survivors in search and rescue operations (analogy with a pyrotechnic flare fired from a sinking ship), not for navigation.

The problem in this ST is that both are (usually) translated as “radio beacon” in English.

I suggest:
radiofaro --> radio beacon (navigation)
radiobaliza --> radio beacon (search & rescue)


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2016-01-21 20:26:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just to expand slightly on an earlier comment about 'historical reasons':

Like many ‘modern’ technologies, the first developments were done by employees of UK/US companies, often working in almost complete isolation one from the other and with little or no regard for anything that was being done elsewhere. Having become the lingo of their respective specialisations (and, indceed, specific companies), the terminology adopted within whichever company's product ended up as the norm and later found its way into the international standards documents – including many cases where a particular term was found to have several quite different meanings, each depending on the context. However (for reasons perhaps best side-stepped here in the company of linguists, but not entirely unrelated to ‘hegemony’) no-one took it upon themselves to sort out the potential ambiguities. When the standards had to be translated, however, some effort was made to avoid the same problems. Hence the meaningful differentiation of ‘radio beacon’ in Spanish, which as it happens is seen in the French terms as well: radiophare / radiobalise.
Selected response from:

Jennifer Levey
Chile
Local time: 20:21
Grading comment
Thank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1radio beacon / radio beacon
Jennifer Levey
Summary of reference entries provided
International Telecommunications Union
Jessica Noyes

Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
radio beacon / radio beacon


Explanation:
These terms are better differentiated in Spanish than they are in English, probably for historical reasons.

radiofaro = a 'radio beacon' in the so-called fixed public radio service, commonly associated with aeronautical and maritime navigation systems. It is at a fixed, accurately-known position and serves a similar purpose to a traditional ‘light-house’ on the coastline, enabling navigators to establish their geographical position with respect to a known position. These radio beacons continuously transmit an ID signal, each on a specific frequency, similar in purpose to the flashing sequence of a lighthouse.

radiobaliza = a 'radio beacon' in the so-called maritime or aeronautical mobile services, comprising a transmitter fitted to an aircraft, or ship (or associated life-rafts, life-jackets and other life-saving equipment), which continuously transmits an ID signal on one internationally-shared distress frequency which is (supposed to be) continuously monitored by the coastguards, ships' radio officers, etc. It is used to pin-point survivors in search and rescue operations (analogy with a pyrotechnic flare fired from a sinking ship), not for navigation.

The problem in this ST is that both are (usually) translated as “radio beacon” in English.

I suggest:
radiofaro --> radio beacon (navigation)
radiobaliza --> radio beacon (search & rescue)


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2016-01-21 20:26:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just to expand slightly on an earlier comment about 'historical reasons':

Like many ‘modern’ technologies, the first developments were done by employees of UK/US companies, often working in almost complete isolation one from the other and with little or no regard for anything that was being done elsewhere. Having become the lingo of their respective specialisations (and, indceed, specific companies), the terminology adopted within whichever company's product ended up as the norm and later found its way into the international standards documents – including many cases where a particular term was found to have several quite different meanings, each depending on the context. However (for reasons perhaps best side-stepped here in the company of linguists, but not entirely unrelated to ‘hegemony’) no-one took it upon themselves to sort out the potential ambiguities. When the standards had to be translated, however, some effort was made to avoid the same problems. Hence the meaningful differentiation of ‘radio beacon’ in Spanish, which as it happens is seen in the French terms as well: radiophare / radiobalise.

Jennifer Levey
Chile
Local time: 20:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 156
Grading comment
Thank you.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Robin, this was exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for. Really helpful. J


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: This looks convincing, but do you have any references?
14 mins
  -> This is every-day knowledge to those of us who have spent years - nay, decades! - in the field of telecoms standardisation (ITU, etc.).
agree  Charles Davis
35 mins
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Reference comments


33 mins
Reference: International Telecommunications Union

Reference information:
I have found this glosssary very useful for telecom translations. It renders both your terms as "beacon", however. The link is unwieldy but I think it will get you there.
http://www.itu.int/net/ITU-R/index.asp?redirect=true&categor...

Jessica Noyes
United States
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks Jessica, another interesting glossary but your're right, both terms do seem to mean beacon.

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