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

[Roger K8RI]

> 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.

After I had Loran insist I was a Sault St Marie when I was at Rogers city I 
never trusted it. <:-))  Then flying out of Lunkin I ran into some really 
crappy weather which is when the LORAN decided to go out to lunch. About the 
time the visibility began to improve just north of Dayton it came back up. 
When it changed chains it sometines would move me two miles..  Even Loran C 
was subject to multipathing and interferrence from storms.   OTOH it was 
still a lot easier to navigate with on long trips compared to VORs. 
Currently I have RNAV and file direct, but I typically used the Garmin 295 
on the yoke for navigation.  GPS is great, but you still need a backup 
system (not GPS) for when it goes on vacation. <:-))

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com
>
> 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
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