1953

DOT LORAN

On September 1st, 1953. the Newfoundland Loran Stations at Battle Harbour, Bonavista and Port aux Basques were taken over by the Department from the United States Coast Guard.

In preparation for the take­over, a group of eight technicians and operators from Marine Aids, who were to be concerned with the operation and maintenance of these stations were sent to the United States Coast Guard School at Groton, Conn., to become familiar with this equipment. These men shown in the photo to the left are : (top Row)

Chief Electronics Technician Fontaine, Lt. Cmdr. Graham and Chief Electronics Technicians Echols and Spooner of the United States Coast Guard (Instructors). (Second Row) P.J. Byrne, J. F. Hardy, G. O. Heans, H.S. MacDonald, C.J. Foster. (Bottom Row) L. C. Tucker, H. G. Matthews, B.J. McKinley.

Loran, (Long range aid to Navigation) is a system of position finding based on the difference in the time of arrival of pulse type radio signals transmitted from a pair of stations. This time difference is measured on a Loran receiver and is used in conjunction with specially prepared charts or tables to establish a line of position. The intersection of two or more lines of position determined from two or more pairs of stations provides the required position.

These stations have the very latest Loran transmitting station equipment, including million watt transmitters and timing equipment with the latest binary counters. Along with those operated by the Department at Deming, N.S. and Baccaro, N.S., they provide Loran service to ships and aircraft in the Northwest Atlantic area.

In the photo on the right, you can see a general view of the Loran transmitting station at Bonavista, Newfoundland, looking northwards over the sea. This station was formerly operated by the United States Coast Guard but has now been taken over by the Department.