Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the Beacon Arcade lighthouse simulator and maritime training device.
Who is the Beacon Arcade designed for?
The Beacon Arcade is designed for anyone who needs to learn or practise lighthouse signal recognition. This includes sailing students preparing for their coastal or offshore certificate, maritime instructors teaching navigation courses, boat club members running group training nights, and experienced sailors who want to sharpen their night navigation skills. The device is equally useful for individual home study and structured classroom training.
How is it used for educational purposes?
The device connects via its own WiFi hotspot to any smartphone, tablet, or computer browser. From the control interface, you select a light characteristic — for example isophase, group flashing, or quick flashing — and the Beacon Arcade displays it in real time. The built-in training game challenges users to identify patterns under timed conditions, making it suitable for both self-study and instructor-led sessions. No special software or app is required.
How realistic is the simulation?
The Beacon Arcade reproduces 27 light characteristics based on international maritime standards as published in official nautical publications. Each pattern is timed to match the real-world period of its lighthouse equivalent. The optional rotation mode simulates the sweeping beam of a rotating lighthouse, adding a further layer of realism. The simulation is intended to be as close as practically possible to what a navigator would observe on the water at night.
What power source does it require?
The Beacon Arcade is powered via a standard USB-A to USB-C cable. Any phone charger or USB power bank with a USB-A port is compatible. No proprietary charger or power adapter is included or required. This makes it easy to power the device at home, in a classroom, on a boat, or anywhere a USB power source is available.
What are the installation requirements?
There is no software installation required. Plug in the USB-C power cable, connect your device to the BeaconArcade WiFi network, and open 192.168.4.1 in any browser. The entire setup takes under a minute. No internet connection, no app download, and no account creation is needed. Full step-by-step instructions are available in our installation guide.
Can it be used indoors?
Yes. The Beacon Arcade is specifically designed for indoor use. Because it creates its own WiFi network and requires only a USB power source, it can be used in any room — a study, a classroom, a sailing club meeting room, or a boat cabin. Dimming the lights or using it in a darkened room enhances the training experience and makes the light characteristics easier to observe and distinguish.
Is it relevant for real maritime navigation?
Yes. All 27 light patterns are drawn from the same system of lighthouse characteristics used in real-world maritime navigation and official nautical charts. Practising with the Beacon Arcade builds genuine recognition skills that transfer directly to night navigation at sea. Maritime instructors and sailing schools use it as a supplement to chart work and on-the-water training to improve student preparedness before their first night passage.
What light patterns are included?
The device includes fixed, flashing, group flashing, isophase, occulting, group occulting, quick flashing, interrupted quick flashing, Morse code, and sector lights — covering all major lighthouse characteristic types encountered in standard maritime navigation. All patterns are selectable from the browser-based control panel.
Is it suitable for youth and scout groups?
Absolutely. The Beacon Arcade Scout Edition is a version of the device featuring a scout emblem, and a portion of each sale goes to support Swedish Scouts and youth maritime education. The simple setup and interactive training game make it engaging for younger learners, and the educational depth ensures it remains valuable as students progress.
How do I get support if something goes wrong?
Contact us at info@beaconarcade.com and we will respond within one to two business days. Most issues are resolved quickly through the setup guide available at beaconarcade.com/installation.
Still have questions?
Send us a message at info@beaconarcade.com and we will get back to you within one to two business days.