Synopsis of Coast Guard Plans for Radio Aid to Navigation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The U. S. Coast Guard is improving and expanding LORAN-C service to the U. S. Coastal Confluence Zone and to the Great Lakes. Subsequently, LORAN-C usage will be extended to Harbors and Harbor Entrance Areas for precise navigation. All new LORAN-C stations will provide time and frequency information. LORAN-A will be phased-out completely by mid-1980. Radio beacon service is being modestly expanded with improvements in availability and reliability and will continue to provide valuable service to recreational boaters and small commercial vessels for the foreseeable future. The OMEGA system, being installed by the U. S. Navy with Coast Guard and partner nation assistance, now provides useful navigation service on many areas of the high seas. Verification of accuracy and service is in process. Seven of eight planned permanent stations are now in operation. The U. S. Coast Guard will eventually assume the U. S. Government's responsibilities for the management of OMEGA. LORAN-C The following sections describe plans that complete the implementation of the Secretary of Transportation's decision to provide LORAN-C radio navigation service throughout the Coastal Confluence Zone (CCZ) of the United States. These plans include the expansion of LORAN-C service for the West Coast and Alaskan Waters in early 1977, and partial expansion of LORAN-C service for the northeast coast and southeast coast of the United States including the Gulf of Mexico by 1978. Complete new LORAN-C service on the East Coast will be available in July 1979 when the existing East Coast chain will be terminated. The expansion of service to cover all of the Great Lakes will follow in February 1980. WEST COAST AND ALASKAN WATERS The North Pacific LORAN-C chain has been providing service since 1960 in the Bering Sea and along the Aleutian Islands. About March 1, 1977, a series of changes to the North Pacific chain began. One new secondary station located at Narrow Cape, Kodiak Island, Alaska, joined the chain and all stations began transmitting on a new rate. Operation will continue on this rate for the foreseeable future. About June 30, 1977, the secondary station at Sitkinak Island will stop transmitting permanently. This method of phasing-in the new station at Narrow Cape will permit the necessary changes with minimum disruption of service to existing users of LORAN-C and allow some time for the conversion of LORAN-C bottom obstruction data or fishing coordinates by the users. Construction of six additional U. S. stations and one Canadian station is complete. Following calibration and final technical adjustment of the new stations three new LORAN-C chains will be operationally certified. It is anticipated that this new service will become available on the following schedule:U. S. West Coast LORAN-C Chain April 1977Canadian West Coast LORAN-C ChainMay 1977Gulf Alaska LORAN-C ChainJune 1977 When the station at Sitkinak Island stops transmitting, about June 30, 1977, the LORAN-C chains and coverage for the West Coast and Alaska will be as shown in Figure 1.