Goodbye LORAN-C, its been a great journey

[Ray Garcia]

I remember the first time I powered on my Apelco LORAN, I was amazed what it could do.

The Coast Guard's Director of Prevention Policy announced Thursday publication in the Federal Register of plans to cease broadcasting the North American Loran-C signal on Feb. 8.

As a result of technological advancements during the last 20 years and the emergence of the U.S. Global Positioning System, Loran-C is no longer required by the armed forces, the transportation sector or the nation's security interests, and is used by only a small segment of the population, the publication stated.

President Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget supported the termination of outdated systems and specifically cited the terrestrial-based North American Loran-C system as such an example. The president did not seek funding for the Loran-C system in fiscal year 2010. Termination was also supported through the enactment of the 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill.

The Loran-C system was not established as, nor was it intended to be, a viable systemic backup for GPS. If a single, domestic national system to back up GPS is identified as being necessary, the Department of Homeland Security will complete an analysis of potential backups to GPS. The continued active operation of Loran-C is not necessary to advance this evaluation.

The notice can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov , docket number: USCG-2009-0299. For information on terminations, reductions and savings contained in the fiscal year 2010 budget, including Loran-C, visit www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/TRS

[Joe Myerson]

Ray,
I'm surprised I haven't received notification of the termination of LORAN-C, as I signed a petition to keep the system, and was notified of endless hearings.

The system did work--at least within a certain distance of the coastline (I once sailed on a boat that relied on LORAN-C to cross the Gulf of Maine and arrive at the entrance to Yarmouth, NS, harbor in dense fog).

When I bought Creme Brulee, she was equipped with a Sea Ranger LORAN unit, which the PO relied on. He said he never bothered buying "one of those GPS things" because the LORAN worked well enough.

I removed it after the first sailing season. I think the unit is sitting somewhere in the cellar--time to haul it to the dump, I guess.

--Joe

[Ray Garcia]

Joe,

The notice just came out yesterday...

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/ ... 6480a78d3f

Sigh

[The Patriot]

... I once sailed on a boat that relied on LORAN-C to cross the Gulf of Maine and arrive at the entrance to Yarmouth, NS, harbor in dense fog ...

Small world. I had a similar experience in 1989 on a trip from Provincetown to Pubnico NS, just below Yarmouth. I followed a LORAN TD line in dense fog pretty much all the way into Pubnico Harbor. Little did I know then the dangers that lurked on either side thanks to the strong current in that area. A local fisherman pretty well decided I had a loose screw somewhere.

It is unfortunate that the US government is apparently ending LORAN (which, BTW, I don't yet quite believe). I can think of a number of situations (e.g., the south shore of Newfoundland) where this service can still be quite beneficial. It will be interesting to see what "The Powers That Be" decide about a backup to GPS.

[Oswego John]

Armond, Ray, Joe and all,

I know somewhere between very little to nothing about Loran C so excuse this maybe foolish question.

It has been mentioned that Loran C is provided by the US government. It has also been mentioned that it was used to sail to Newfoundland, which is beyond US territory. Does Canada sponsor Loran C in conjunction with the US, or is it soley under the aegis of the US?

If Canada does provide Loran, do you think that they might continue to provide it should the US cease to? Would Canada's Loran spill over into the northern regions of the US? I'm wondering if the US Loran is compatible with other Loran providers, should there be other providers.

As you can tell, I'm really not up on this subject.

Just wondering.
O J

[Ray Garcia]

OJ - I would have to think Canada and LORAN-C stations elsewhere are very soon to follow ending their transmission. It has been quite a while since i've used LORAN since I sold the unit along with my other boat. But, I imagine the unit would have worked with the Canadian transmission sites. Personally it marks a milestone for me seeing this technology come and go in my 22 years of boating.

Status update on Canada Long-range Navigation (Loran C)

LORAN C is an electronic positioning system with an accuracy within 400 metres which was implemented by the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) in the 1970s. Today, a large majority of mariners navigating Canadian waterways have come to rely more on modern navigational technologies such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Differential GPS. In 2002, it was concluded that the LORAN C navigation system is not required for the purposes of marine security in Canada.

While the Canadian government continues to evaluate the long-term need for this system, LORAN C will remain fully operational. Should a decision be made to discontinue this service, users will be given reasonable notification and advised through Notices to Mariners allowing adequate time for a smooth transition to alternative aids to navigation.

At this time, there are 5 transmitting sites in Canada, namely Cape Race (Nfld.), Comfort Cove (Nfld.) and Fox Harbour (Labrador) on the east coast and Port Hardy (B.C.), Williams Lake (B.C.) on the west coast. In addition, there are 4 control and monitor sites at St. Anthony (Nfld.), Williams Lake (B.C.), Montague (P.E.I), and Sandspit (B.C.). The total estimated cost of the Loran-C program in Canada is $2.229M.

The LORAN C service in Canada will be in operation until further notice.

Spokesperson:

Officer, Operational Requirements
Canadian Coast Guard
Ottawa, (Ontario)

[John Danicic]

Not that I had anything against Loran but I never used it and it was the first thing I tossed when I bought the boat in 2002.

There is a plugged hole in my after deck where the wire went to the rail-mounted antenna. I still remember the fiberglass slivers I got in my hand after grabbing that wretched thing.

Loran is joining the august group of unsupported technology: 8 track tape, cassettes, VHS, any computer made before 2004, rotary phones, floppy disks, dot matrix printers and cathode ray TVs. So what goes next?

Sail on

John Danicic
CD36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior - The Apostle Islands
CDSOA # 655

[Joe Myerson]

John,

I got splinters when I took down my Loran-C mast, too.

You're probably right -- but ask a commercial fisherman about Loran. They love it because it can take you back to the exact location where you put in a waypoint.

Still, if the government is looking for a backup in case the satellite system fails or the GPS frequencies are jammed, LORAN-C was already there.

But technology marches on, and GPS is wonderfully simple to use.

--Joe

[bill2]

I do not have sufficient technical expertise to really have an opinion - but I won't let that stop me . . .

I had been told ( or read ? ) that Loran was for civilians and GPS was for the military. The logic was that GPS had the capability - in time of military need - to be encrypted or shut down. Hence any reliance on it would be futile.

With that mindset - Loran would still be there to navigate - or would have before this latest announcement .

Hmmmm . . . guess its time to follow up with that sextant and paper chart training .

[Troy Scott]

Well, there is still RDF, which works pretty well. AM radio stations and NDBs are great for radio direction finding. And where there are airports near the coast there are VORs which work fairly well. And don't forget inertial navigation.

Accurate position can be determined by many methods, and/or by combining methods. For example, one LOP can come from a RDF and another using a visual compass sighting to a known object. Where the two lines intersect is your position.

Deduced reckoning is surprisingly accurate when regularly corrected by triangulation.

These methods work, and they keep you thinking geometrically. It's good to keep these skills sharp.

[Tracuman]

Darn,
Now I not only have to pull out the original Loran-C that was on the boat (and I kept there for conversation reasons), but I guess I'll have to lower my asking price $100

[Len]

Take out your old radio direction finders ! They probably still work. Maybe not if the signal is digital? Our TVs have gone digital will our radios follow. Will our RDFs also become obsolete? How will we live without them?

[Joe CD MS 300]

I have heard the "repeatability" of LORAN and its ability to bring you back to the same spot many time but never really understood what that meant or how a system that is significantly less accurate 400 meters vs. 10? meters could be more accurate in returning to the same spot. Would it be the same spot 400 meters off?

[The Patriot]

I have heard the "repeatability" of LORAN ... but never really understood ... how a system that is significantly less accurate 400 meters vs. 10? meters could be more accurate in returning to the same spot ...

I suspect the situation can be explained by examining how a mathematician defines "accuracy," and "precision."

[Joe Myerson]

Joe,

As I understand it, LORAN does not give you as precise a chart position as GPS, especially when WAAS is functioning. However, if you mark a spot with LORAN, you'll be able to go back to that same mark with uncanny accuracy.

But all that's academic now, anyway.

--Joe M.