World War II-era navigation system shutting down

Platapus · 02-08-10, 08:21 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/02/08/l...own/index.html

Quote:

In a series of small ceremonies, the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday afternoon will shut down Loran-C, a navigation and timing system that has guided mariners and aviators since World War II.

Even though it will save some bucks, I don't know if this is such a good idea. As the article points out, it is not a good idea to put all your navigation eggs in to one GPS basket.

Task Force · 02-08-10, 08:38 PM

hmm... yea, what happens if the gps goes down... not good.

Luckless · 02-08-10, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Task Force

hmm... yea, what happens if the gps goes down... not good.

Then people should use their backup navigation tools. If you can't safely navigate without GPS in the first place, you shouldn't be attempting to navigate in the first place.

Task Force · 02-08-10, 08:46 PM

yea... Im sure they would have other nav tools... Compass, ect...

Oah... welcome to the forums.

Rip · 02-08-10, 09:04 PM

Aww crap. Can I erase all my Loran-C and NAVSAT knowledge from my head and make some more room newer stuff. I think I could still list all the stations although I would have to look up frequencies.

Platapus · 02-08-10, 09:15 PM

It was a good simple system that worked.

02-08-10, 09:18 PM

A big problem there is that, all of the big powers are capable of downing each-others satelights. Loran Charlie may not be as modern, but is more reliable.

They seem to be intent on making a show of saving pennies, as many other programs are throwing dollars out the window.

razark · 02-09-10, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckless

Then people should use their backup navigation tools. If you can't safely navigate without GPS in the first place, you shouldn't be attempting to navigate in the first place.

But that would mean that people would need to know what they're doing! Can't expect people to actually know how to do things. If it can't be done with the push of a button, it's impossible.

krashkart · 02-09-10, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Bah, anyone knows that if you sail out of sight of land and birds then the monsters of the deep will get you.

Remember not to sail too far, either. Ye falls off the edge of the Earth and lands in one of those Axis of Evil countries!

Quote:

Originally Posted by razark

But that would mean that people would need to know what they're doing! Can't expect people to actually know how to do things. If it can't be done with the push of a button, it's impossible.

Betcha there would still be enough people around who know the ancient ways. Does the Air Force still shoot the stars from time to time? I remember my grandad telling me about how he did that when he was in.

razark · 02-09-10, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krashkart

Betcha there would still be enough people around who know the ancient ways. Does the Air Force still shoot the stars from time to time? I remember my grandad telling me about how he did that when he was in.

Yeah, and some of us use slide rules instead of calculators. I decided that even though there was a more modern tool, I like the feel of using an older one. They were good enough to get us to the moon and back.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_navigation:

Quote:

The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy continued instructing military aviators on its use until 1997, because:

* it can be used independently of ground aids
* has global coverage
* cannot be jammed (although it can be obscured by clouds)
* does not give off any signals that could be detected by an enemy

The US Naval Academy announced that it was discontinuing its course on celestial navigation, considered to be one of its most demanding courses, from the formal curriculum in the spring of 1998 stating that a sextant is accurate to a three-mile (5 km) radius, while a satellite-linked computer can pinpoint a ship within 60 feet (18 m). Presently, midshipmen continue to learn to use the sextant, but instead of performing a tedious 22-step mathematical calculation to plot a ship's course, midshipmen feed the raw data into a computer.

Of course, the Apollo missions used star trackers and sextants to help guide them to the moon as well.

GoldenRivet · 02-09-10, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

As the article points out, it is not a good idea to put all your navigation eggs in to one GPS basket.

100% agree

stupid GPS

Rip · 02-09-10, 01:26 AM

Not to worry, we still have sextants!

Platapus · 02-09-10, 11:52 AM

I hope they are just turning off Loran and not destroying it. Then when (not if) out GPS gets put out, we can turn on Loran and atleast not bump into each other.

Jimbuna · 02-09-10, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rip

Not to worry, we still have sextants!

Don't forget your trusty compass

Oberon · 02-09-10, 12:07 PM

Bah, anyone knows that if you sail out of sight of land and birds then the monsters of the deep will get you.

02-08-10, 08:38 PM	#2
Task Force Rear Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPACE!!!! Posts: 10,142 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	hmm... yea, what happens if the gps goes down... not good. __________________ Task Force industries "Taking control of the world, one mind at a time"

02-08-10, 08:46 PM	#4
Task Force Rear Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPACE!!!! Posts: 10,142 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	yea... Im sure they would have other nav tools... Compass, ect... Oah... welcome to the forums. __________________ Task Force industries "Taking control of the world, one mind at a time"

02-08-10, 09:15 PM	#6
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,365 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	It was a good simple system that worked. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

02-09-10, 11:52 AM	#13
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,365 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I hope they are just turning off Loran and not destroying it. Then when (not if) out GPS gets put out, we can turn on Loran and atleast not bump into each other. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

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02-08-10, 09:04 PM	#5
Rip Commodore Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Right behind you! Posts: 643 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 0	Aww crap. Can I erase all my Loran-C and NAVSAT knowledge from my head and make some more room newer stuff. I think I could still list all the stations although I would have to look up frequencies.

02-08-10, 09:18 PM	#7
Snestorm Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	A big problem there is that, all of the big powers are capable of downing each-others satelights. Loran Charlie may not be as modern, but is more reliable. They seem to be intent on making a show of saving pennies, as many other programs are throwing dollars out the window.

02-09-10, 01:26 AM	#12
Rip Commodore Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Right behind you! Posts: 643 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 0	Not to worry, we still have sextants!

02-09-10, 12:07 PM	#15
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Bah, anyone knows that if you sail out of sight of land and birds then the monsters of the deep will get you.