Differential Loran-C using three secondary stations.

Abstract

Loran-C time difference (TD) readings were taken consecutively at several survey stations near Monterey, CA, over a period of three days. One station, Range-7, was designated the 'known' point of a differential Loran-C system. Readings from the known point were used to correct readings from a second survey station, Luces Point. A method of improving the precision of Loran-C TD readings based on the redundancy and relative accuracy of three LOP's was developed and applied to the data. Since only one receiver was available, a linear regression of TD vs time was calculated and used in the differential correction. Based on 496 sets of data taken at 5-second intervals at Range-7 in two groups, before and after about 250 readings at Luces Point, the absolute accuracy of Luces Point data was improved from about 385 m to about 48 m compared to the known position of the point. Precision was improved from about 14.9 m to about 12.6 m circular error (CEP) using the three-station correction. Further improvement would probably have resulted if two receivers were available for real time corrections. Keywords: LORAN; Differential corrections; Corrections using three secondary stations; Circular error probable; Error ellipse; Time difference; Geographic position; LOP(Line Of Position); Absolute accuracy. Theses