Finally something smart not to spend money on. With the amount of money the government spends on keeping these dinosaurs open, they could probably buy everyone that still has loran C on their boat, a new GPS, twice over.

I was stationed on St. Paul and there have been talks about this for years...

All I can say is... I'll believe it when I see it!

Long live the T2 Pulse!!

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Finally something smart not to spend money on. With the amount of money the government spends on keeping these dinosaurs open, they could probably buy everyone that still has loran C on their boat, a new GPS, twice over.

Spoken like the only thing Loran-C is used for is navigation. Guess what ... Loran isn't just for navigation.

There are plenty of people who don't want to rely on a DOD system when DOD states they will go to SA without warning. Your "accurate" fix went from best to worst, and if you aren't notified prior to the switch, you'll be SOL. Going from 3 meters accuracy to 100 meters accuracy is good enough if your navigating in open waters. Harbor and harbor entrance could be a little tricker ... especially in the fog.

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Originally posted by JoeJester:

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Finally something smart not to spend money on. With the amount of money the government spends on keeping these dinosaurs open, they could probably buy everyone that still has loran C on their boat, a new GPS, twice over.

Spoken like the only thing Loran-C is used for is navigation. Guess what ... Loran isn't just for navigation.

There are plenty of people who don't want to rely on a DOD system when DOD states they will go to SA without warning. Your "accurate" fix went from best to worst, and if you aren't notified prior to the switch, you'll be SOL.

Exactly!!

LORAN is also used by utility companies too... among other corporations.

If LORAN really does close and GPS gets fried... I wonder how many people know celestial navigation!?!?! If you don't, you might want to get yourself a sextant and start practicing!

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If LORAN really does close and GPS gets fried... I wonder how many people know celestial navigation!?!?! If you don't, you might want to get yourself a sextant and start practicing!

Probably not very many. The CG did away with QM's years ago because of GPS also.

All things must end at some point.

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All things must end at some point.

I'm sure it will, but just not yet. Dual system navigations units (GPS/LORAN) have been available to the public for some time now. Is Loran still in the latest federal RadioNavigation Plan?

I'm sure there will be another round of user comments (poll) to hinder or help the demise of Loran. Of course, should Loran fall to the budget axe, President Obama would be the key person relegating alot of people to the unemployment line, I'm not talking Coasties either.

Like every other case, the President proposes and Congress disposes.

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Originally posted by QM:

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If LORAN really does close and GPS gets fried... I wonder how many people know celestial navigation!?!?! If you don't, you might want to get yourself a sextant and start practicing!

Probably not very many. The CG did away with QM's years ago because of GPS also.

When I was stationed on a 210, I was standing QMOW as an ET and the CO gave training on celestial navigation. It was extremely interesting!!

Also, we had a salty BMC that would get behind the desk and plot our position using LORAN. I would ask why he would do that and he said to keep up his navigation skills in case GPS went down.

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President Obama would be the key person relegating alot of people to the unemployment line, I'm not talking Coasties either.

There's already a huge line and I don't think a few more really matter to Washington. After all, it's cheaper to let them go and have them on unemployment for a while versus continuing to pay them and provide benefits forever. If that weren't true, no government employee would ever loose their job and I've seen a lot let go for the purpose of saving money. There would also be a huge savings in equipment costs and upkeep. Not saying it's right, but it's a reality.

Celestial navigation is very interesting and I enjoyed it, but unless a person stays up on it, it's easy to forget.

Only time in my life i almost got airsick was when on a predicted long search we took three pilots. We alternated flying and navigating. Nothing like flying faceing back and trying to workup a position in a bumpy Goat(HU16E) with loran A. Really enjoyed those trips to Sondestrom and Thule Greenland,Frobisher Bay NWT and Cape Christian from Argentia supplying the Loran Stations in C130B's in the 60's.

joedepilot,

If you have any pictures of those units, visit ...http://www.loran-history.info... and use the contact us form. Someone will get back to you with a real email address you can send them.

All photos are properly credited with the providers name.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1110,

Sorry i do not have any pictures. One of my mistakes was not taking camera with me visiting all those places.

Joe,

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Of course, should Loran fall to the budget axe, President Obama would be the key person relegating alot of people to the unemployment line, I'm not talking Coasties either.

Are you thinking the POTUS stayed awake at night in order to turn off Loran C? Perhaps it was someone in Homeland Security or Defense that thought it might be redundant.

Pat, I believe President Obama loses sleep about nothing. His mortgage is not in jeopardy. He does not have car loans, payroll to make, his oil to keep his office at 75 is in the tank, he’s got a job for four to eight years and after that he’ll earn millions at speaking, his food costs are paid as is his jet and helicopter operation and maintenance. And, if he makes promises that cost trillions, he just makes more money and passes the bill of to our children. The country is headed towards a nanny state. More and more people depend totally upon his ‘charity’- paid for using the money other people earned. The people’s agenda is being implemented. The media remains in his pocket and, if anyone stands against his agenda, the media plays the race card.

Where the heck should he lose sleep?

Oh wait, this is about Loran. Close it and see who complains!

I was the last CO on Lorsta Johnston Island. For months before we closed, daily messages were sent out telling everyone exactly when we were shutting down. Within ten minutes of turning off the transmitters for their last time, we had two calls asking us what happened to our signal and when we would correct our problems. And this was in the middle of nowhere. Can’t wait to see what happens near populated areas!

IMHO, LORAN will only go away after the FAA implements a new navigation system... I believe they're currently the biggest users (and funders) of LORAN.

What may happen is that the CG may no longer be responsible for LORAN operations - the function being transferred back to DoT, automated and outsourced.

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More and more people depend totally upon his ‘charity’- paid for using the money other people earned.

With the exception of the word "totally," your statement would seem to apply to everyone on this board. I ain't ashamed of my dependency on the federal teat; I feel like I, and everyone else here, earned/earns their keep. Wait, I've got it - we can turn all CG missions/functions over to the Auxiliary and wean ourselves in the pursuit of a stand-on-your-own-two-feet state. Next, disband the Army and hire Blackwater. Oops, I almost forgot all that contract money would be 'stolen' from honest citizens who actually work for a living in private enterprise. God forbid I should steal one more dime from the money Bernie Madoff or the chairman of AIG earned. I'll bet the real cause of Enron's collapse was the distraction of an unfair tax burden on Kenny Boy, as W called him.

Geez, this is tougher than I thought. Just how do we accomplish legitimate governmental functions without advancing the nanny state agenda?

Tongue firmly in cheek, unabashed teat-sucker sends.

X-ray, Tino, Synch, Peak Volts, ECD......START BLINK!!!

I guess I can let it go now.

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What may happen is that the CG may no longer be responsible for LORAN operations - the function being transferred back to DoT, automated and outsourced.

Good point and excellent recommendation, if it hasn't already been addressed! It should be DOT's baby, anyway. Let them argue for its budget.

Lost my first wife while serving my year RESDU at LORSTA Sitkinak. Best 'loss' I ever sustained.

No more Restricted Duty ribbon??

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Originally posted by JoeJester:

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Finally something smart not to spend money on. With the amount of money the government spends on keeping these dinosaurs open, they could probably buy everyone that still has loran C on their boat, a new GPS, twice over.

Spoken like the only thing Loran-C is used for is navigation. Guess what ... Loran isn't just for navigation.

There are plenty of people who don't want to rely on a DOD system when DOD states they will go to SA without warning. Your "accurate" fix went from best to worst, and if you aren't notified prior to the switch, you'll be SOL. Going from 3 meters accuracy to 100 meters accuracy is good enough if your navigating in open waters. Harbor and harbor entrance could be a little tricker ... especially in the fog.

Joe,

Spoken like a non navigator there!

First off, there are very few harbors not under a D-GPS Signal, which would mean you would keep the 3-10 meters with SA on or off. Sure, in a National Emergency, DOD could flip the switch on the "D" also I guess. I would say the likelyhood of DOD ever engaging SA again is near zero. The purpose of originally having SA was to defeat the potential accuracy of a GPS based munition from an adversary. Weapons guidance has moved past that stage to more accurate guidance systems.

Even then, only a fool would use LORAN-C as their prmary means of navigation in a harbor, especially a large vessel. In fog, radar nav is as or more accurate than LORAN-C and has the benifits of double checking AID position and traffic.

Just the thoughts of a guy with 4 OOD letters, two Navigator designation letters and more than 7 years on the bridge of cutters..