[Hallicrafters] LORAN - was: Why I'm a Hallicrafters Guy

[Marshall M. Dues]

It could not have been LORAN (LOng RAnge Navigation) because it was 
heard on many frequencies in the 3-30 megacycle HF spectrum, and LORAN 
at that time operated in several segments of the 160 meter band only. 
That's why we had power limitations that were different for daytime or 
nighttime, and the power limits were different for different locations 
in the US.  When I moved from Michigan to Houston, Texas in 1969, there 
was an operating LORAN station on Galveston Island on the Texas gulf 
coast.  In later years, the new LORAN-C operated in the VLF spectrum on 
a frequency of exactly 100 Khz.  Microprocessors, memory chips, 
software, and small packaging allowed LORAN Navigator set to be 
practical in small aircraft instrument panel installations.  I put one 
in my homebuilt plane years ago.  They still are being used, but GPS is 
the superior navigation computer system used in aircraft today.

You are right about the sound being like a B-29.  I always imagined I 
was hearing a four engined bomber like a B-17 or B-24 as a child in 
Clio, Michigan, before I became a novice. Short wave listening on the 
family Philco floor radio revealed this phenomena to me in the '50s.

No one has commented on or challenged my diathermy machine theory, yet.
Does anyone have anything to support that.  I remember Hurley Hospital 
in Flint, Michigan had diathermy machines.  They were RF devices used to 
heat body parts in medical testing.  I doubt the FCC had radiation 
restrictions on that kind of equipment at that time, though.  The 
signals were all over the HF spectrum.  And when people began getting 
TVs in the '50s, you would get herringbone patterns on the picture tube!
What an aggravation that was!

Regards,

Marshall Dues, WB5MYO
Katy, Texas (near Houston)



Charlie wrote:
> I'm tellen ya, that's LORAN....  Sounds like all four engines on a B-29
> running ever so slightly out of sync.
> 
> Charlie k3ICH
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Hollander" <n7rk at cox.net>
> To: "Todd, KA1KAQ" <ka1kaq at gmail.com>
> Cc: <hankarn at pacbell.net>; "Jim Brannigan" <jbrannig at optonline.net>;
> "Langston, Mike" <MLangston at hcpriceco.com>; <Hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>;
> "Gary Pewitt" <n9zsv at cei.net>
> Sent: Monday, 02 May 2005 11:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Why I'm a Hallicrafters Guy
> 
> 
> 
>>The airplane noise I am referring to was not the woodpecker. I remember
>>the woodpecker too well tearing up 20 meters while trying to work DX
>>over the pole in the evenings.
>>
>>Would still like to know what it was. It sounded like the continuous
>>roar of an airplane engine.
>>
>>Dave N7RK