The closure of the Loran- C system in the United States occured on February 8, 2010. This is the official statement issued by the United States Coast Guard.
In accordance with the DHS Appropriations Act, the U.S. Coast Guard has terminated the transmission of all U.S. LORAN-C signals effective 2000Z 08 Feb 2010. At this time, the U.S. LORAN-C signal will be unusable and permanently discontinued.In Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard issued this advisory on January 20, 2010:This termination does not affect U.S. participation in the Russian American or Canadian LORAN-C chains. U.S. participation in these chains will continue in accordance with international agreements. The Canadian Coast Guard has also issued a statement, which is shown on their website.
The Coast Guard strongly urges mariners currently using LORAN-C for navigation to shift to a GPS navigation system and become familiar with its operation as soon as possible. The decision to cease transmission of the LORAN-C signal reflects the president's pledge to eliminate unnecessary federal programs.
If you have any further questions regarding LORAN please contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Public Affairs Office at 202-282-8010.
Sincerely,
USCG Navigation Center
Navigation Information Service
NAVCEN MS 7310
7323 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA 20598 - 7310
Tel: 703-313-5900
www.navcen.uscg.gov
On January 7, 2010, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) announced the termination of the U.S. Loran-C signal and phased decommissioning of the U.S. Loran-C infrastructure. The USCG will terminate the transmissions of all US domestic Loran-C signals including those covering the Great Lakes Loran-C Chain GRI 8970 and the Northeast U.S. Loran-C Chain GRI 9960 at 2000z on February 8, 2010. All U.S. Loran-C stations are expected to cease transmitting by October 1, 2010.ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING LORAN-C SERVICE The Loran-C systems in Canada and U.S. work in tandem. Once the U.S. service is discontinued, the Canadian system will not be operational. Consequently, Canada will also decommission its Loran-C system in 2010. The official date for termination in Canada has not been set at this time although, it is expected to take place on or before October 1, 2010.
Authorities in Canada and the U.S. will be collaborating on plans to discontinue Loran-C systems to minimize disruption in navigation services. Updates will be provided on CCG’s Notices to Mariners website, in CCG's monthly Notices to Mariners and on the CCG’s website as further detail becomes available.
Comments should be directed to the Manager, Aids to Navigation, Canadian Coast Guard, 200 Kent St., 5th floor, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0E6, e-mail at Joanna.Bellamy@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by phone at (613) 998-1405 within three months from the date of this notice. Any objections raised must state the facts on which they are based and should include supporting information on safety, commerce and public benefit.
The USCG sent out this end of era message on Feb 10/10:
R 082044Z FEB 10 ZUI ASN-AM1039000082
FM COGARD NAVCEN ALEXANDRIA VA
TO COGARD LORSTA JUPITER INLET FL
COGARD ESD DETAIL JUPITER INLET FL
COGARD LORSTA CAROLINA BEACH NC
COGARD ESD DETAIL SOUTH PORT NC
COGARD LORSTA KODIAK AK
COGARD ESU KODIAK AK
COGARD LORSTA ATTU AK
COGARD LORSTA HAVRE MT
COGARD LORSTA GEORGE WA
COGARD LORSTA CARIBOU ME
COGARD LORSTA BAUDETTE MN
COGARD LORSTA BOISE CITY OK
COGARD LORSTA DANA IN
COGARD LORSTA FALLON NV
COGARD LORSTA GILLETTE WY
COGARD LORSTA GRANGEVILLE LA
COGARD LORSTA LAS CRUCES NM
COGARD LORSTA MALONE FL
COGARD LORSTA MIDDLETOWN CA
COGARD LORSTA NANTUCKET MA
COGARD LORSTA PORT CLARENCE AK
COGARD LORSTA RAYMONDVILLE TX
COGARD LORSTA SEARCHLIGHT NV
COGARD LORSTA SENECA NY
COGARD LORSTA SHOAL COVE AK
COGARD LORSTA ST PAUL ISLAND AK
COGARD LORSTA TOK AK
COGARD LSU WILDWOOD NJ
INFO COGARD NAVCEN DET PETALUMA CA
CCGDEIGHT NEW ORLEANS LA//DPW//
CCGDELEVEN ALAMEDA CA//DPW//
CCGDFIVE PORTSMOUTH VA//DPW//
CCGDNINE CLEVELAND OH//DPW//
CCGDONE BOSTON MA//DPW//
CCGDSEVENTEEN JUNEAU AK//DPW//
CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL//DPW//
CCGDTHIRTEEN SEATTLE WA//DPW//
COMPACAREA COGARD ALAMEDA CA
COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA
COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-43/CG-541/CG-64/CG-7/CG-1//
COGARD C4ITSC ALEXANDRIA VA
COGARD SILC NORFOLK VA
COGARD TRACEN PETALUMA CA//LORAN/TE//
COMCOGARD SECTOR ANCHORAGE AK
COMCOGARD SECTOR BUFFALO NY
COMCOGARD SECTOR CORPUS CHRISTI TX
COMCOGARD SECTOR JUNEAU AK
COMCOGARD SECTOR LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER MEMPHIS TN COMCOGARD SECTOR MOBILE AL COMCOGARD SECTOR NEW ORLEANS LA COMCOGARD SECTOR NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND ME COMCOGARD SECTOR OHIO VALLEY LOUISVILLE KY COMCOGARD SECTOR SAULT STE MARIE MI COMCOGARD SECTOR SOUTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND MA COMCOGARD SECTOR UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER ST LOUIS MO COGARD CEU OAKLAND CA COGARD CEU CLEVELAND OH COGARD CEU JUNEAU AK COGARD CEU HONOLULU HI COGARD CEU PROVIDENCE RI COGARD CEU MIAMI FL COGARD CCENGCEN PORTSMOUTH VA COGARD ESU PORTSMOUTH VA COGARD ESU NEW ORLEANS LA COGARD ESU MIAMI FL COGARD ESU BOSTON MA COGARD ESU ALAMEDA CA COGARD ESU CLEVELAND OH COGARD BSU MIAMI FL COGARD BSU ALAMEDA CA COGARD BSU BOSTON MA COGARD BSU KETCHIKAN AK COGARD BSU KODIAK AK COGARD BSU SEATTLE WA COGARD BSU NEW ORLEANS LA COGARD BSU PORTSMOUTH VA NAVOBSY WASHINGTON DC FAA NORTHWEST MOUNTAIN RGN HQ SEATTLE WA FAA SOUTHWEST RGN HQ FORT WORTH TX FAA SOUTHERN RGN HQ ATLANTA GA FAA EASTERN RGN HQ JAMAICA NY FAA CENTRAL RGN HQ KANSAS CITY MO FAA WESTERN PACIFIC RGN HQ LOS ANGELES CA FAA ALASKAN RGN HQ ANCHORAGE AK FAA GREAT LAKES RGN HQ DES PLAINES IL FAA NEW ENGLAND RGN HQ BURLINGTON MA FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC NGA NAVSAFETY BETHESDA MD AIG 11964 AIG 11960 BT UNCLAS //N16562//
SUBJ: LORAN - END OF AN ERA1. I AM PLEASED TO CONGRATULATE ALL PRESENT AND PAST LONG RANGE NAVIGATION (LORAN) PERSONNEL FOR OVER 67 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING DEDICATION AND SERVICE IN PROVIDING A HIGHLY RELIABLE NAVIGATION SIGNAL.
2. ON 25 MAY 1942, LCDR L. M. HARDING RECEIVED ORDERS TO REPORT TO THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. WITH THIS ASSIGNMENT, LCDR HARDING BEGAN THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD'S ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN LORAN DEVELOPMENT CULMINATING WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LORAN-A IN 1943. FOR THE REMAINDER OF WWII, LORAN-A WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE ALLIED SUCCESS PROVIDING ACCURATE ALL WEATHER 24 HOUR RADIONAVIGATION FOR AIR AND SEA FORCES. BY THE END OF WWII, OVER 75,000 RECEIVERS AND 2.5 MILLION LORAN CHARTS HAD BEEN DISTRIBUTED.
3. FOLLOWING WWII, LORAN-A BECAME A TOOL PRIMARILY FOR CIVILIAN NAVIGATORS, HOWEVER, THE USAF USED LORAN-A AS LATE AS THE VIETNAM WAR. LORAN-A OPERATED IN THE 1750 TO 1950 KHZ BAND WHICH GAVE IT A DAY/NIGHT RANGE OF APPROXIMATELY 800/1600 NM, RESPECTIVELY, AND ACCURACY OF APPROXIMATELY 1 NM. LORAN-A REMAINED IN OPERATION IN NORTH AMERICA UNTIL 1980 SAVING MANY LIVES BY ALLOWING OFFSHORE BOATS IN DISTRESS TO PROVIDE ACCURATE POSITION REPORTS.
4. LORAN-C WAS INTRODUCED IN 1957 AND GRADUALLY REPLACED LORAN-A. DURING THE 1970S AND 1980S, THE LORAN-C SYSTEM WAS EXPANDED TO MEET USER NEEDS ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL US AND GULF OF ALASKA. LORAN-C OPERATED AT 100 KHZ, GIVING IT A LONGER RANGE THAN LORAN-A WITH AN ACCURACY OF APPROXIMATELY
0.25 NM. OTHER LORAN SYSTEMS RECEIVED EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING:LORAN-B (IMPROVED VERSION OF LORAN-A), LORAN-D (MODIFIED LORAN-C DESIGNED FOR SHORT RANGE USE BY USAF BOMBERS), LORAN-F (UNMANNED DRONE NAVIGATION), AND ELORAN (TERM GIVEN TO THE NEXT GENERATION SYSTEM). THIS LEGACY OF LORAN SYSTEMS FURTHER UNDERSCORED LORAN'S IMPACT TO NAVIGATION DURING DECADES OF SERVICE.
5. AT 1958Z 08 FEBRUARY 2010 LORAN-C SIGNAL TRANSMISSIONS CEASED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DHS APPROPRIATIONS ACT. PRIOR TO TERMINATION, COAST GUARD MEN AND WOMEN STOOD THE WATCH, ENDURING LENGTHY FAMILY SEPARATIONS AND REMOTE DUTY LOCATIONS IN THE HARSHEST CLIMATES ALL WHILE MAINTAINING 99.7% CHAIN AVAILABILITY. YOUR DEDICATION ENSURED MISSION SUCCESS IN TIMES OF BOTH WAR AND PEACE. ALTHOUGH THE LORAN SIGNAL HAS CEASED, YOUR SERVICE IS STILL NEEDED TO SUPPORT OTHER CRITICAL MISSION AREAS.
THANK YOU, MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD, FOR THE HONOR, RESPECT, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY YOU DISPLAYED OVER 67 YEARS OF LORAN SERVICE.6. BRAVO ZULU TO ALL PAST AND PRESENT LORAN GUARDIANS ON A JOB WELL DONE!
BT
NNNN
Coast Guard to decommission 35-year old Loran-C Station Caribou
CARIBOU, Maine – The Coast Guard is holding a decommissioning ceremony for its Long Range Aids to Navigation (LORAN) Station in Caribou, Maine, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. The LORAN-C station was commissioned in November of 1974, marking 35-years of service. It transmitted the American northeast 9960 and Canadian East Coast 5930 navigation and timing signals and had crew of four active duty Coast Guard members.Termination of the LORAN-C program was supported through the enactment of the fiscal year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. Transmission of the American signal ended on February 8, 2010, and the Canadian signal was terminated on August 3, 2010.
LORAN Station Caribou has the distinction of being the last station to transmit an American Loran signal, thus ending the 67-year LORAN-C program.
LATEST UPDATE ON LORAN-C
The U.S. Coast Guard,, in accordance with the DHS Appropriations Act, terminated the transmission of all U.S. LORAN-C signals on 8 February 2010. On 1 August 2010, the U.S. transmission of the Russian-American signal was terminated, and on 3 August 2010, all Canadian signals were shut down by the USCG and the CCG.
The European Union had decided that the potential security advantages of Loran are worthy not only of keeping the system operational, but upgrading it and adding new stations. This is part of the wider Eurofix system which combines GPS, Galileo and nine Loran stations into a single integrated system.
However, in 2014, Norway and France both announced that all of their remaining transmitters, which make up a significant part of the Eurofix system, will be shut down on 31 December 2015.[34] The two remaining transmitters in Europe (Anthorn, UK and Sylt, Germany) will no longer be able to sustain a positioning and navigation Loran service, with the result that the UK announced its trial eLoran service would be discontinued from the same date.
In this announcement about the closure of Loran-C, Metrology News provides an excellent map which shows the North American coverage areas before the shutdown.
Credits and References:1) USCG http://www.navcen.uscg.gov
2) CCG http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/eng/CCG/ATN_Loran_C
3) Jeffrey Herman <jeffreyh(at)hawaii.edu>
4) http://seawavesmagazine.blogspot.com/2010/08/coast-guard-to-decommission-35-year-old.html
5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loran-CApr 15/19