LORAN: Still Worth the Trouble?

[s/v 'Faith']

I cut and pasted the meat of the notice.

SUBJ: LONG RANGE NAVIGATION (LORAN-C) TERMINATION
1. EARLIER THIS YEAR, AFTER RELEASE OF THE PRESIDENTS FY10
BUDGET REQUEST THAT IDENTIFIED LORAN-C FOR TERMINATION

ON OCTOBER 28, 2009,THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE 2010 DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, WHICH DIRECTS THE COAST GUARD TO DISCONTINUE LORAN-C OPERATIONS NOT EARLIER THAN 4 JAN 2010 AS LONG AS CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET.

2. THE ACT REQUIRES THE COMMANDANT TO CERTIFY THAT
TERMINATION OF THE OPERATION OF THE LORAN-C SIGNAL WILL NOT
ADVERSELY IMPACT THE SAFETY OF MARITIME NAVIGATION, AND
FURTHER REQUIRES THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY TO CERTIFY THAT THE LORAN-C SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT NEEDED AS A BACKUP TO THE GPS SYSTEM OR TO MEET ANY OTHER FEDERAL NAVIGATION REQUIREMENT. WHEN THOSE CERTIFICATIONS ARE MADE, THE U.S. COAST GUARD SHALL, COMMENCING JANUARY 4, 2010, TERMINATE THE TRANSMISSION OF THE LORAN-C SIGNAL AND COMMENCE A PHASED DECOMMISSIONING OF THE LORAN-C SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE.

The full text is at: http://www.uscg.mil/announcements/al...09_alcoast.txt

[Cheechako]

I recently inherited a nice Furuno Loran with my current boat. I sold it on Ebay. Evidently some Fisherman prefer them.... go figure!

[twowheel]

What's LORAN?


















Hehe.....kidding. I was under the impression that it was already being decommissioned. Apparently not, but however will be shortly.

[scotte]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I recently inherited a nice Furuno Loran with my current boat. I sold it on Ebay. Evidently some Fisherman prefer them.... go figure!

Sure, all the fisherman with a big list of LORAN waypoints that they never converted over to lat/long! :-)

[David M]

I say the more navigation tools you have the better off you will be, even if some of those tools are quite primitive.

[Stillraining]

Like a sextant?.....

[MarkJ]

Like paper charts.