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LORAN REVISITED

LORAN REVISITED

Now that several years have passed since the LORAN-C budget was killed, it might be a good time to revisit that decision. Unlike other decisions, this was partially undone; despite the inexcusable demolition of many resources (e.g., towers, transmitters) a few sites were spared, and cooperative effort between the Coast Guard and UrsaNav Inc. procuced successful results. More recently, congressional action authorized establishment of a terrestrial backup timing system for GPS by 2020.


For brevity here it suffices to make a few surface-scratching notes. The vast majority of us in the navigation community recognized the potential benefit of LORAN (and an extended form eLORAN) as a crucial backup — at extremely low cost — to be used when GPS is unavailable.  Many of us, furthermore, anxiously pressed for sanity (e.g., my “2-cents worth”  written, to no avail, in 2009).


What’s different now, conceivably, is a combined effect of multiple factors:
* The USCG/UrsaNav success surpassed goals that had been stated earlier.
* Awareness of GPS vulnerability (therefore need for backup) has increased considerably with repeated instances of GPS jamming in both maritime and airborne operations.
*
Persistent efforts by the RNT Foundation and others have resulted in Congressional action.


An utterance appearing in Coordinates Magazine’s March 2012 cover story was reached from a different context, but its importance prompted me to cite it in the April 2012 cover story  — and to repeat it here: “Do we really need to wait for a catastrophe before taking action against GNSS vulnerabilities?”


Once again I’m adding my voice to the chorus of those speaking out before it’s too late.

By James Farrell 09 May, 2023
A look back in time by James L Farrell, PHD - 2023
11 Apr, 2020
Apologies for little posting lately. Much activity included some with deadlines; this will focus primarily on the few years leading up to Covid.
11 Apr, 2020
GNSS Aided Navigation & Tracking
By James Farrell 30 Aug, 2018
Apologies for little posting lately. Much activity included some with deadlines; this will be limited to the past twelve months. In 2017 my involvement in the annual GNSS+ Conference again included teaching the satnav/inertial integration tutorial sessions with OhioU Prof. Frank vanGraas. Part I and Part II are likewise being offered for Sept 2018. Also...Read More
28 Jun, 2018
Once again I am privileged to work with Ohio University Prof. Frank vanGraas, in presenting tutorial sessions at the Institute of Navigation’s GNSS-19 conference. In 2019, as in several consecutive previous years, two sessions will cover integrated navigation with Kalman filtering.  Descriptions of the part 1 session and part 2 session are now available online. By way of...Read More
30 Apr, 2018
The Institute of Navigation’s GNSS+ 2018 Conference provides me the privilege of collaborating with two of the industry’s pillars of expertise. Ohio University Professor Frank van Graas and I are offering fundamental and advanced tutorials.  Then on the last day of the conference I’m coauthored with William Woodward, Chairman of SAE Int’l Aerospace Avionics Systems Division and hardware lead...Read More
24 Apr, 2018
A new SAE standard for GPS receivers is a natural complement to a newly receptive posture toward innovation unmistakably expressed at high levels in FAA and Mitre (ICNS 2018).  Techniques introduced over decades by this author (many on this site) can finally become operational. 1980s euphoria over GPS success was understandable but decision-makers, lulled into complacency, defined requirements in adherence...Read More
22 Mar, 2018
At April’s ICNS meeting (Integrated Communications Navigation and Surveillance) as coauthor with Bill Woodward (Chairman, SAE International Aerospace Avionics Systems Division), I’ll present “NEW INTERFACE REQUIREMENTS: IMPLICATIONS for FUTURE“.  By “future” we indicate the initiation of a task to conclude with a SAE standard that will necessitate appearance of separate satellite measurements to be included...Read More
16 Jul, 2016
A recent video describes a pair of long-awaited developments that promise dramatic benefits in achievable navigation and tracking performance.  Marked improvements will occur, not only in accuracy and availability; over four decades this topic has arisen in connection with myriad operations, many documented in material cited from other blogs here. 
12 Feb, 2016
For reasons, consider a line from a song in Gilbert-&-Sullivan’s Gondoliers: “When everybody is somebody, then nobody is anybody” — (too many cooks) For consequences, consider this question: Should an intolerable reality remain indefinitely intolerable? While much of the advocacy expressed in my publications and website have focused on tracking and navigation, this tract concentrates...Read More
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