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LORAN-C Phase-Out Starts Feb. 8

The Coast Guard says LORAN-C isn't necessary for maritime navigation and the Department of Homeland Security says it's not needed as a backup for GPS, so by Feb. 8, you may not have it available to you, either. That has some pilots very concerned about the lack of a land-based redundancy for GPS. That doesn't seem to concern authorities who call it "an antiquated system no longer required by the armed forces, the transportation sector or the nation's security interests." The decision considers that LORAN-C is only used by "a small percentage of the population," and that those users "will have to shift to GPS or other systems." The bottom line is this: "LORAN-C is no longer prudent use of taxpayer funds and is not allowed under the 2010 DHS Appropriation Act," according to the Coast Guard.

Officially, "In accordance with the DHS Appropriations Act, the U.S. Coast Guard will terminate the transmission of all U.S. LORAN-C signals effective 2000Z 08 Feb 2010," writes the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard's Federal Register announcement clarifies that the Feb. 8 date is just the beginning of the shutdown and some signals may still be floating around after the date. According to the Federal Register notice, LORAN stations are expected to cease all LORAN-C transmissions by Oct. 1, 2010.

Here's a good article although a bit dated:

http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/categories/bga/Sole-Source-Dead-Long-Live-Loran_920.html

I'm opposed to cancelling cheap, effective, redundant systems that can be used to entirely replace the GPS systems in an emergency. GPS can be blocked or eliminated very easily in an attack whereas LORAN would be very difficult to interrupt. It's a bad deal to save a few bucks by shutting down a solid, dependable, cheap, and proven navigation system in favor of the pie-in-the-sky magic that is GPS.

My Northstar M1 Loran C was more accurate than my GPS. It flew many non-published approaches than I'd like to admit to. There were several dead spots however when switching from one area to another. Those dead spots were about 10 to 15 miles in span before recovery.

Got it on a special, new, in 1994, for $900 installed. The avionics guy who installed it told me Loran C was gonna be phased out in 2000. That's 16 years of use for $900! I really wish they would keep it funded. It was far more accurate than the NDB approaches you're supposed to use. Unlike my ADF which would spin wildly every time I keyed my microphone, or a lighning strike was in the area, that Loran was perfect!