Don't
Throw That Old Loran-C
By: Captain Tony Denslow
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 Hold
on there. Don’t throw that old LORAN-C unit
away! Just like clothing and hair styles, they may
become fashionable again.
The Department of Transportation, Homeland Security
and the Coast Guard are pondering this very issue,
asking themselves if they really want to shelve
the old radio navigation system.
Their reluctance comes on the heels of a move by
the Chinese to develop a missile that could destroy
communications satellites in the event of a war.
Right now, the LORAN system is our backup.
And we all know the value of a backup plan. After
all, parachutists were some of the first outdoor
adventure guys (kinda like us anglers) to recognize
the value of jumping with two chutes.
I know this is a situation of national security,
but if it’s available to fishermen why not
have something extra to pull out of your bag of
tricks?
Before GPS came along to guide us to our favorite
fishin’ hole, there was the LORAN, a product
of scientific ingenuity back in the 1960’s.
Remember that? Seems like a long time ago to me.
In it’s day, it was regarded as a miracle
of science. No longer did we have to rely on dead
reckoning and the radio to guide us in on a hotspot
that a buddy found. Nope. We discovered longitude
and latitude, plus TD numbers.
Most of the time, as I recall, LORAN worked, but
on occasion adverse weather, sunspots and who knows,
maybe hordes of mayflies, would KO reception and
it was back to dead reckoning again.
Then GPS went public back in the 90’s and
suddenly navigation seemed simplified, with accuracy
and dependability, since L-L’s were beamed
to us via space satellite. Pretty soon all the boaters
and fishermen tossed their old nav units and bought
GPS (Global Positioning System).
But LORAN (LOng-RAnge Navigation) never went into
mothballs. It was updated and it kept humming away
because the military, maritime interests and aircraft
used the radio beacon system along with GPS.
LORAN is a system of radio towers that were erected
all over North America back in the 60’s. Their
low-frequency beacons triangulate to produce a position.
Later, the system expanded over much of the globe.
Then, on Jan. 12 China announced that it was developing
a missile that would have the capability of destroying
our GPS in the event of a war. So, for that reason,
LORAN may get new life, another update and expansion
into the ultimate backup.
According to a filing a few days ago in the Federal
Resister, the U.S. Department of Transportation
and the Department of Homeland Security is considering
the need to continue to operate or invest in the
North American LORAN–C Radio navigation System
beyond this year.
DOT and Homeland Security are proposing:
(1) Decommissioning the LORAN system.
(2) Maintaining the system as currently configured.
(3) Whether further investment in modernizing and
improving LORAN is in the public interest (ie the
China threat).
The government is seeking comment on their proposals
and will probably hold public hearings and meetings.
An update would have to be funded by Congress. What
could result is a beefed up “Enhanced LORAN.”
In October a study group of the International Loran
Association came up with a report on eLORAN improvements.
The report for lawmakers and policy makers was refined
in November at the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center
by an international team of authors.
A revamped system, If that is the way it goes, will
take advantage of up-to-date technology to give
it greater accuracy and performance.
LORAN-C units are still being sold today. They are
inexpensive and easy to install, about the same
as a GPS unit. Stay tuned on the LORAN debate. A
backup system is always a good thing. I have a backup
car, a backup computer, telephone and TV. Why not
a backup navigation tool? |
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