Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard Loran-C Calibration

Robert H. Miller

Abstract:	In some geographical areas actual line-of-position (LOP) values differ from those shown on nautical charts published by the National Ocean Survey. The U.S. Coast Guard has instituted a program to obtain independent positioning data for the purpose of correcting navigation charts. As a part of that program, a calibration of the Loran-e coverage along the eastern sector of the Gulf of Mexico and the Southeast seaboard was conducted in January 1981. For this calibration, the U.S. Coast Guard provided a defined vessel track of some 2250 nautical miles from Tampa Bay, Florida, around the Florida Keys, to the sea buoy at Norfolk, Virginia. All data were taken aboard the USCGC lngham during a total elapsed time of 16 days, which included the diversions of the vessel to meet U.S. Coast Guard operational requirements en route. Loran-e position fixes were obtained by Coast Guard Electronics Engineering Center (EECN) personnel using Coast Guard equipment. Independent position fixes were obtained by Kaman Tempo personnel using the Maxiran system in a range-range mode. The two systems were synchronized in time to record simultaneous position data at 3-minute intervals along the entire track. Four shore-based teams were involved in leap-frogging the Maxiran fixed-site transmitters through a total of 27 previously surveyed land sites to provide complete coverage of the data track. This paper describes the planning procedures for the execution of this field test and the operational aspects of test execution. Included are land-site reconnaissance and survey, installation and calibration of Maxiran equipment, data acquisition techniques, and test control procedures to insure continuity of operations.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 1985 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 15 - 17, 1985 San Diego, CA
Pages:	122 - 126
Cite this article:	Miller, Robert H., "Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard Loran-C Calibration," Proceedings of the 1985 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, San Diego, CA, January 1985, pp. 122-126.
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