Progress Report on the Gettysburg Workshop Sixteen Months Later

Abstract

Sixteen months have passed since the 5–7 June 1974 Gettysburg Workshop that was sponsored jointly by the Coast Guard and the Wild Goose Association. Significant action has been taken and progress is being made on the recommendations documented in the Workshop Proceedings. This paper examines the recommendations and discusses progress toward meeting the Workshop challenges as viewed by the author. In particular, progress is discussed concerning future workshops, Coast Guard receiver requirements, the CCZ implementation time table, new Loran–C rate structure, CCZ rate assignments, Loran–C charting, East Coast Loran–C chain reconfiguration, Loran–C system standards, Loran–C User Handbooks, Loran–C R&D efforts, CCZ Loran–C Monitor Plans, midcontinental Loran–C plans and Loran–C for area navigation. Unfortunately, progress has not been made on some important workshop recommendations. These are discussed with respect to what action should be taken and who should accept the challenges. This paper serves as the first documented update report on the Loran–C Workshop. Subsequent update reports are invited to announce and highlight continuing progress toward fulfilling all the workshop mandates.