LORAN- C

1
Hyperbolic navigation systems
Hyperbolic navigation systems are created by
establishing a specific hyperbolic radio pattern over a
geographical area.

A hyperbola is a locus of all points in a flat plane that

have a costant difference of distance from two fixed
points.

2
3
4
5
ACCURACY OF Loran-C

Accuracy is affected by:

1-The accuracy of the trnasmitters

2-Variability in the speeds of propagation of the
transmitted signals
3-Geometry of the transmitting stations
4-Use oflat/long conversions versus Loran-c LOPs
5-Receiver quality and sensivity
6-Accuracy of Loran –c charts

6
Plotting present position on chart

You are using 7980 Southeast U.S. Chain and

tracking the W/Z secondary pair.
Your present position is displayed on the readout as.

W 13407.6 ms TD
Z 58948.2 MS TD

7
To Determine Your Exact Position You
Must Use An Enterpolator

8
9
10
11
12
13
 LORAN
(Long Range Navigation)
 Over the years, many ground based
electronic navigation systems were
developed prior to satellite based systems
becoming possible.
 Most of these have been taken out of
service, but LORAN still enjoys popularity
and is still widely used.

14
 LORAN (cont)

 The operating principles of the system are

similar to those now used by GPS.
 Ground stations, at known locations, transmit
signals at a predetermined time.
 These signals are received by vessels at sea,
and the time delay is used to form a range
LOP.

15
 LORAN (cont)
 First established in 1957. Loran C is
expected to remain operational until at least 2015.

 Theory-hyperbolic LOPs based on time differences

between master and secondary stations.
 Run by the Coast Guard
 Frequency: 100 kHz (LF)
 Range: 1200 nm
 Accuracy: 200-500 yds
16
1- System introduction
Like the Decca Navigator system, the Loran C is a
medium range electronic position fixing system
based on hyperbolic principles. In general, the base
line and coverage area of a chain is slightly greater
than Decca. Most of the chains are operated by the
US Government Chains are now being developed
by Saudi Arabia, North West Europe and Japan.

17
A chain comprises a master and from two to four
secondary stations (sometimes referred to as
slaves). The difference in arrival time of pulsed
transmissions is a measure of the vessel's position
within the hyperbolic pattern (Figure 7.1).

18
Detailed information regarding the
transmissions of the various chains is
promulgated in the Admiralty List of Radio
Signals (ALRS), Vol. 2 (NP 282), as are
coverage diagrams.

19
Components Of The Loran System
1-transmitting stations,
2-the Loran receiver and antenna,
3-the Loran charts.

20
There is a wide variety of on-board Loran C
receivers, but in general the information is
displayed in one of two ways:
1- As latitude and longitude, in which case it can
be plotted in the normal way on a standard navi-
gational chart; or

21
2- As a time difference or TD (usually two are
displayed simultaneously). In this case a special
lattice chart is needed. Some of the lattice charts are
normal navigational charts with a lattice overlay
printed on them. These are kept corrected via
Notices to Mariners and so can be used for
navigation in the normal way .
Other charts are just plotting charts where, after the
position lines have been plotted, the position
obtained has to be transferred to the navigational
chart.

22
All Loran C stations transmit at the same
frequency (100 kHz) and so, in order to
distinguish the signals of one chain from those
of an adjacent chain, the pulse repetition rate of
stations in the one chain is different from that
in the adjacent chain.

23
The Interval between the pulse
transmissions for a particular chain or
group of stations is known as the GROUP
REPETITION INTERVAL (GRI) and is
used to identify or designate the chain.

24
Within the chain, the transmission sequence
is always master followed by secondaries in
the order W , X, Y , Z.

25
Each secondary's transmission is delayed by
carefully calculated amounts such that, no
matter where a vessel is within the coverage
area, the signals will always arrive in the order
in which they are transmitted.

26
In order to distinguish the master
transmission from that of the secondaries,
the master transmits a group of nine pulses,
while each secondary transmission
comprises an eight pulse group. The
numbering of the lattice lines is lowest on the
secondary baseline extension and increases
toward the master baseline extension.

27
28
2 -Setting-up procedure
With there being so many manufacturers in the
market it is not possible to give a procedure
which will satisfy all equipments, but certain
operations apply to the majority of sets.

29
2.1 The notch Filters
These are provided on most sets to allow the
operator to suppress signals at frequencies
near to the 100 kHz Loran C transmissions.

30
Interfering signals may come from
1-equipment already on board the vessel,
2-others may be inherent in the area through
which the vessel is passing.

In both cases it is best if the source of the

signals can be removed. For signals
generated ashore this is not the task of the
ship, but such interference should be
reported.
31
It is important that the fılters are not set too
close to 100 kHz as they could then eliminate or
impair the incoming Loran signals. Interfering
signals should be checked periodically and the
notch filters adjusted as appropriate.

32
2.2 Setting the GRI
Since all Loran transmissions are on 100 kHz, the
receivers are pretuned to that frequency .

The chain selector is set with the group repetition

interval (GRI), e.g. 7970; all stations in that chain
transmit at intervals of 79 700 microseconds.

33
Loran-c GRI rate table(1997)

34
Thus the receiver can look among the welter
of signals coming in at 100 kHz for signals
which recur at that rate, and lock on to and
extract them for further processing and finer
measurement of the time difference between
the master and each of the various
secondaries (Figure 7 .2).

35
36
37
Pulsed transmission
1-lower power output requirements,
2-better signal identification properties,
3-and more precise timing of the signals.

38
2.3 Obtaining the TDs
When the operator has switched on, set the notch filters
and selected the GRI, the receiver should automatically
lock to and commence tracking the Loran signals.
The display of the information derived from the incoming
signals can take many forms -from simultaneous lat./long.
display to a single time difference with others being
requested sequentially. Perhaps the most common method
at present is to display the two TDs selected by the receiver
on the basis of angle of cut of the position lines, signal
strength, etc. In any case, it is always possible to override
the automatic facilities and select other TDs, change to an
alternative chain or 'extend' the range by being prepared
to accept less precise matching techniques.
39
3- System faults

In addition to the receiver's internal testing

procedure, the overall transmission network is
selftesting. When transmission timing falls outside
tolerance, or other system faults are detected, a
'blink' procedure is ordered. This was so named
because, on the early visual (CRT) displays used
for matching signals and measuring time
differences, the signals were made to blink or flash
in order to warn the operator of a fault in the
system.
40
4 -Error sources and accuracy
Perhaps the most serious source of error is
contamination of the groundwave by skywave. In all
cases it is desired to match the phase of the
groundwave of the master with the phase of the
groundwave of the secondary (Figure 7.3), but
towards the edge of the coverage area and at night,
anywhere in the coverage area, the skywave can
cause problems with the automatic matching and
tracking of the two signals.
41
In some areas, skywave can even take over
completely. Since the skywave will have
travelled by a slightly longer route and
therefore have taken a longer time, the
measured time difference will be in error.

Much has and is being done in modern

receivers to eliminate skywave problems, but
with automatic receivers it can be very difficult
to know when skywave problems are present.

42
43
5 -Fixing position
5.1 Using an ocean chart with Loran C lattice
Under normal circumstances, the TDs taken
from the receiver can be plotted on the chart
using an interpolating (Decca-type) ruler. The
caution on the chart should be noted when
working in areas where the lattice lines are
pecked, indicating that skywave signals could be
present and so positions become less reliable.

Note There may be lines from more than one

chain on the same chart.
44
5.2 Using conventional navigational
charts
In order to convert TD readings to position lines
for plotting on a conventional navigational chart, a
series of publications (HO pub. no.221) is needed,
one volume for each master/secondary pair which is
being used. The method is tedious and should be
regarded as the exception rather than the rule, but
may be necessary in areas for which no lattice
charts have yet been produced.

45
5.3 Using Loran C plotting charts
These are lattice charts having a minimum of
navigational detail. After the chart has been
used to plot the TDs, the position is transferred
to the normal navigational chart. The chart is
overlaid with a grid, some 4° by 4° in lat./long.
At each grid intersection is a series of
corrections tabulated for day (D) and night (N)
and for ground/ skywave (G/S) comparison,
which should be applied to the observed TDs
before they are plotted.
46
5.4 Co-ordinate conversion
Facilities in some receivers will convert the
measured TDs to lat./long. and display this
information. The accuracy of the displayed
latitude and longitude will depend on a number of
factors, primarily:
1 The ability to recognize skywave and apply the
appropriate corrections
247- The geodetic datum to which the position is
referred.
The total correction will vary with time and
position.

47
position output is usually well within the
0. 25NM accuracy .

48
LORAN C OPERATIONS
Waypoint Navigation
A Loran receiver’s major advantage is its ability to accept
and store waypoints. Waypoints are sets of coordinates
that describe a location of navigational interest.
In keeping track of the vessel’s
progress, most receivers display the following parameters
to the operator:

49
Cross Track Error (XTE): XTE is the
perpendiculardistance from the user’s present
position to the intendedtrack between waypoints.
Steering to maintain XTE near zero corrects for cross
track current, cross track wind, andcompass error.

Bearing (BRG): The BRG display, sometimes called

the Course to Steer display, indicates the bearing
from thevessel to the destination waypoint.

50
Distance to Go (DTG): The DTG display
indicates thegreat circle distance between the
vessel’s present locationand the destination
waypoint.

Course and Speed Over Ground (COG and

SOG):
The COG and the SOG refer to motion over
ground ratherthan motion relative to the water.
Thus, COG and SOG reflect the combined
effects of the vessel’s progress throughthe water
and the set and drift to which it is subject.

51
52