Loran or GPS? What's your preference?

Mr Walrus
A GPS is also used for marking a spot as in fishing. Quite good at night.

It's a bit better than the Cornwall system of putting a mark on the side of the boat.

Poida

 

Great,-- fantastic-- and later in the afternoon you could find time to do a bit of sailing.

 

Sorry Jack what was that again?

 

Jacks got the hiccups, happens at his age!

'Overboard hows about a generator and a radar on the top of the mast, could see for miles then!

Poida - you know about that system then? works quite well sometimes (us do 'ave problems if there's a 'y' in the day, other wise very accurate)

 

plus garmin and magellan. Both of which are extremely popular although more so garmin

 

GPS systems took advantage of the evolution of Loran equipment, which uses Time Delay signals from ground based towers (arranged in 'chains') to triangulate position. Loran has pretty good repeatability - meaning it can return to an entered spot more accurately than if you enter the Lat/Lon or TD coordinates and go there. GPS is more accurate now that the DoD selectable 'dither' has been de-activated. It also has the advantage of not being affected by static charge (rain) like Loran. It does have to have a reasonably clear view of the sky (glass is okay). Loran will be de-commissioned soon, but for now it works just as always. I carry both types of navigation in my plane, in addition to the aviation-specific equipment (e.g. VORs). Add deduced reckoning and a map, and I have four means to get from A to B.

But in summary - GPS is the future and costs are continuing to decline (or capability increases at the same price).

My 2 cents.