Rapporteur's Report - Eurofix/Loran-C Communications
Background
Discussion continues in the United States regarding the capabilities of the loran system to provide a terrestrial back-up radionavigation system for GPS. Both the engineering and academia communities have explored the possibilities of an enhanced loran (yet to be fully identified). Meanwhile, there has been no change in the policy, either in the United States or Europe, regarding the future of the loran system.
A meeting was hosted by IALA on September 13-14, 2004 to consider the future of Loran-C. Fifteen countries were represented by either those members operating a loran system or neighboring countries that received coverage from existing stations. In summarizing the results of the meeting, it was noted that the number of marine users of loran is decreasing, and that there is no over-whelming requirement to retain loran as a maritime service.
Developments
One of the issues brought up during discussions about back-up system was that most electronic navigation rely on precise time and that GPS is also the source of time for those systems. It has been proposed that Loran-C could provide both the back-up navigational signal and precise time. Currently, in the U.S., Loran-C provides a precise frequency signal but not precise time. A change in operational status could modify the signal and link each station with UTC.
NELS
The International Agreement concerning the establishment and operation of the civil Loran C in North West Europe and the North Atlantic (known as the NELS agreement) has been denounced by Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway. The denunciation will come into force on 1st January 2006.
France intend to continue transmitting signals from the two French stations, while discussions are on-going between France and the Faeroe Islands (Ejde) as well as Germany (Sylt) to continue the operation of those stations. Norway presently plans to discontinue and de-commission their four stations.
The Eurofix signals will remain on air but not supported so long as the Loran-C stations at Lessay, Sylt, Boe and Verlandet are on air as part of NELS. The continuation of these signals is not clear after 1st January 2006
U.K. Loran trial
Work continues to implement a trial Loran-C service at Rugby in central England. An existing radio facility is to be used to transmit a Loran signal using existing masts and the transmitter originally destined for Loophead in Ireland. The ownership of this transmitter is due to be handed over to France (as the result of a previous cost-sharing arrangement between France, the Netherlands and France) and discussions are ongoing regarding the loan of the transmitter by France to the United Kingdom.
Status
There continue to be a number of Loran-C related developments that should be monitored.
Colin Day; Stewart Shoulta
RNAV22 / 5 / 2