Loran C for Dummies

[biloxiriver]

I tried to post this earlier but it didn't seem to post, so will try again. I want to learn to use my Loran C unit; it is a Ratheon EchoNav730 combined Loran C/Fishfinder. Anyway the manual for the unit is far to technical so I am trying to find a users manual for beginners. Anyone happen to know where I can find one?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

Loran C for Dummies

The Sub-title is,......."Buy a GPS"...........

Loran IS Technicial,...... And Outdated...........

 

[cgBosun3]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

The Coast Guard shut down LORAN a few years ago. Any signals you might get from a master/slave in another country would be wildly inaccurate.

LORAN units make a pretty good fish haven if you empty the guts out of the cabinet...

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

LORAN has not been shut down, according to USCG. This is on their site:

While the Administration continues to evaluate the long-term need for continuation of the LORAN-C radionavigation system, the Government will operate the LORAN-C system in the short term. The U.S. Government will give users reasonable notice if it concludes that LORAN-C is not needed or is not cost effective, so that users will have the opportunity to transition to alternative navigation aids. With this continued sustainment of the LORAN-C service, users will be able to realize additional benefits. Improvement of GPS time synchronization of the LORAN-C chains and the use of digital receivers may support improved accuracy and coverage of the service. LORAN-C will continue to provide a supplemental means of navigation. Current LORAN-C receivers do not support nonprecision instrument approach operations.

However, LORAN is difficult to use and technical to learn. There is no simple way to learn it. You should get a GPS and use that instead. There is no reason for having LORAN on a near-shore recreational boat. Its only use is as a backup for long-distance off-shore use, and then you have to carry LORAN-compatible charts and know how to use them.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

biloxiriver...I have one of those Raytheon EchoNav 730's in my boat, bought it brand new probably 10 or 11 yrs ago. Has been a great unit not only for LORAN-C but the plotter, fish finder, temp gauge and paddle wheel speedometer make it an all round instrument.

Not that hard to use once you get it setup for your area, iyou may have to do a master reset and then key in some locals coordiantes, manual is pretty good and easy to follow.

ps...I also have a hand held Garmin GPS and periodically match them up and the old LORAN-C stands up pretty well.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

Stands up but doesnt compare? Sorry HUGE GPS fan.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

I have had Loran on boats and it is no more hard to use than a gps. Because it is uses triangulation with time delays from the antennas, it can think that you can be in one of two places if all the loran reciever can see is two antennas. This however is rarely a problem since once set, the loran receiver knows where you last were and the other possible location is hundreds of miles away.

That being said, I would never operate a Loran again. If I still had a Loran on my boat, I would remove it and put a GPS in its place. GPS is a hundred times more accurate than Loran.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

Well as usual most people go off on a tangent. The question was asked about using a specific brand and model of a LORAN-C not a discussion about LORAN-C vs GPS, that's been done many times over almost like asking what brand of oil to use.

I don't want to start any arguments but what about the person who said LORAN-C was discontinued a couple of years ago, obviously a well informed person. And what about "No reason for having LORAN-C on a near shore recreational boat" what do you think they used before GPS became affordable for boaters?

Sorry for the rant but I see this as just another post that goes off the rails.

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

Oh, would my sentence be better if it said:

"No longer any reason for having LORAN-C on a near shore recreational boat"

There, is that more to your grammatical taste?

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

No...it still makes no sense, are you saying if someone has a LORAN-C that is working fine and meets the requirements of the boater that he should just chuck it and go spend a few hundred dollars on a GPS, what will the GPS do for him that the LORAN-C won't?

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

Let him use common maps and charts and operate it more easily.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

No...it still makes no sense, are you saying if someone has a LORAN-C that is working fine and meets the requirements of the boater that he should just chuck it and go spend a few hundred dollars on a GPS, what will the GPS do for him that the LORAN-C won't?

By the time a Common Man,
Learned How to make Sense of the #s produced by a Loran-C,...........
It Will be Shut-Down,+ Obsolete......................

For a Hundred Bucks,........ You can get a cigarette pack sized plastic box, that'll put an "X" on a Map of where you Are....................
In Color....................
I call That,...... Cheap,+ Easy............

My New/ old Houseboat I bought last summer,.. "Mom's Paycheck"........
It has a Working Loran-C mounted on the helm,.......
And,........

Ayuh,....... It's headed for the Trash Heap........................Antena,+ All.........

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

Understand that some of the older LORAN-C's would be enough to scare anyone away from using them however this particular model converts all the numbers to Lat and Long, easy to input or store waypoints, plots your course on the screen, gives the water temp, can give you speed in the water (paddle wheel) or SOG whichever you prefer, this unit is not replaced with some $100 hand held GPS that you need a magnifying glass to see.

Again...this post is not LORAN-C vs GPS, it's a about a poster asking for some help with his LORAN-C. Enough said, just let the post die.

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

Then I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions, I didn't realize there was a LORAN that did all that; the ones I've used were more complex. So I have to wonder what there is to learn about it, if it's that easy?

 

[Boatist]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

I have a different brand Loran-C, (Furuno LC90). I also have a GPS on board. The Loran C I have can use TD but I have always used it in Lat and Long. It is simpler to program routes and waypoints than my garmin GPS. Also in repeatability very accurrite, GPS may beet it by 5 feet. Having two type systems to find your way is never a bad thing. Russians or china could easily take out 24 satellites or in time of war US could put in a mode where only Military could use GPS.

I could be wrong but I believe airplanes are still useing Loran C.

Any unit new to you your going to have to read the book and learn to set up. I found my loran eaiser than my GPS.

Must learn how to set WAYPOINTS then to add waypoints to a route. Then just pick how you want unit to guide you to your waypoints. I like bearing and range. Some like a pointer. I still use the Loran C on my boat as primmary unit and the Gps as a backup.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

In 1993 the government decided to decommision the Loran program, but promised to keep all antenna active for 20 years. The Coast Guard will stop transmitting in 2013. Not sure what some of you mean by Loran being difficult to use. It's functionality is almost identical to GPS. Loran units convert TD lines into lat and long which of course can be plotted on any marine chart, not some special chart. TD lines alone cannot be plotted, it's impossible unless you're charting on a globe because the lines are curved on a flat map. They were never drawn on charts to aid in plotting a postion, but rather to show the user how many stations you were likely to pick up in a given area and their relative angle to each other. It's the angle of the TD lines relative to each other that determines the unit's accuracy. briver, good luck, I hope you get it figured out. You've got a relic there.d

 

[turbo15479]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

I am an ex charter captain and used Loran C for years. It is not hard to learn to use. I had/have a King unit and I was able to master its use in a few fishing trips. My unit was quite accurate. As with any electronics they are a convenience and usually very dependable but anything electronic can fail. You should have an accurate compass and know how to navigate back to port taking into account wind and drift without the use of electronics. If you have a working Loran I would not hesitate to use use it because electronics change quickly and what you buy today will be updated by tomorrow. This way when you finally need to replace you will be buyimg the latest out there.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

3 year old thread

 

[vanworm]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

In 1993 the government decided to decommision the Loran program, but promised to keep all antenna active for 20 years. The Coast Guard will stop transmitting in 2013. Not sure what some of you mean by Loran being difficult to use. It's functionality is almost identical to GPSS. Loran units convert TD lines into lat and long which of course can be plotted on any marine chart, not some special chart. TD lines alone cannot be plotted, it's impossible unless you're charting on a globe because the lines are curved on a flat map. They were never drawn on charts to aid in plotting a postion, but rather to show the user how many stations you were likely to pick up in a given area and their relative angle to each other. It's the angle of the TD lines relative to each other that determines the unit's accuracy. briver, good luck, I hope you get it figured out. You've got a relic there.d

If this first sentence is true then the government still owes me three more years of loran navigation, since they shut it down in 2010. An antique navigation system goes well on my antique boat. I should start a class action law suit, who's with me.
ps I like antique threads/posts also.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Loran C for Dummies

My loran "A" seems slow. Maybe I can join you? whats your handle I will call you on CB 19