In message , Les
Crossan writes
Everyone -

What's the commonest way of measuring wave height electronically (apart
from satellite) for the likes of ships, oil rigs and harbourmasters? A
friend of mine needs to measure wave height / sea height from the side
of a harbour and use the output (RS232 / RS485 over radio modem) to
control the lighting on the side of a building!

Names of suppliers would be much appreciated...

Google hasn't been my friend really with this so I'm posting here for
ideas.... any yachtsmen or merchant seamen in here?

Cheers - Les

Les,

Some suggestions (can't guarantee that all are still manufactured):

Waverider buoy manufactured by Datawell b.v in The Netherlands.
Downward-looking radar manufactured by Marex.
Laser system manufactured by EMI.
Baylor wave staff.

A moored floating buoy fitted with an accelerometer (e.g. the Waverider)
is the most commonly used system, but the mooring can be quite
expensive. The others I have listed require a structure (e.g. an oil
platform) on which they can be mounted. A harbour wall might do.

Norman.
(delete "thisbit" twice to e-mail)
--
Norman Lynagh Weather Consultancy
Chalfont St Giles 85m a.s.l.
England