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Articles

1979: Vol. LVI, No. 1

Accurate Chart Latticing for Loran-C

Submitted
August 7, 2015
Published
2015-07-10

Abstract

Unless the Loran-C lattice has much the same accuracy as any other feature shown, the chart is out of balance. There is not much point in charting hazards with great precision if the mariner must allow a large margin for positioning error in his navaid. The Canadian Hydrographic Service’s calibration program aims eventually to improve our knowledge of radio wave propagation so that we can rely on a calculated lattice with only a very few check points to verify the predictions. While we work towards this, we also map the lattice in the field so that we can put it on the chart accurately now. We calibrated the Canadian West Coast Loran-C chain in the Spring of 1977, using Satnav offshore to give the ± 150 m accuracy needed for latticing small scale charts. We looked for and found the predicted coastal " phase recovery " using Trisponder and sextant fixing. And we made observations on shore by helicopter and calibration van to give propagation data for future predictions.