Time/frequency and transportation

U. S. Coast Guard P a c i f i c Area 630 Sansome S t r e e t San Francisco, CA 94126 A b s t r a c t -The Department o f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n d e c i s i o n i n 1974 t o implement Loran-C as the radionavigation' system for the Coastal Confluence Zone has r e s u l t e d i n t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e system i n areas where it d i d n o t e x i s t p r e v i o u s l y and planned reconfiguration o f e x i s t i n g system networks i n o t h e r a r e a s . I n v i e w o f t h e programmed phase o u t o f t h e Loran-A system, users w i l l b e r e q u i r e d t o c o n v e r t f r o m Loran-A t o Loran-C usage. For some users, l i k e 'large merchant vessels, this conversion may n o t be v o l u n t a r y . A b r i e f h i s t o r i c a l r e v i e w o f t h e L o r a n -C system i s presented which includes fundamental system concepts and characteristics. Current developments are examined, fo1:lowed i n t u r n b y those which are expected or desired i n t h e f u t u r e . Time proven, the system i s shown t o be capable o f s e r v i n g n o t o n l y t h e t r a d i t i o n a l m a r i n e n a v i g a t o r , b u t a h o s t o f o t h e r a p p l i c a t i o n s as w e l l , b o t h i n l a n d on the ground and i n t h e a i r , i n many areas ' o f t h e w o r l d .

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