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From: Tom O'Meara (no email)
Date: Thu Nov 01 2001 - 18:18:54 EST
At 11:36 AM 11/1/01 -0300, you wrote:
>My boat came with a functioning Loran unit. I have since bought a handheld
>GPS. Now I m debating getting rid of the Loran. My questions are:
> * Should I learn to use it and keep it as a backup nav device.
No. Why bother? It is not as accurate nor as reliable as GPS. Finding
any modern software to interface it to will be impossible. Small GPS units
are practically in the category of 'disposables' now. Keep half a dozen in
a drawer somewhere.
Next, before anyone tells me how amazingly accurate LORAN is, save your
breath. I navigated Navy patrol aircraft with LORAN as well as using it
aboard recreational watercraft. The accuracy just "ain't nothing to write
home about".
There IS one thing that LORAN does well and that is in the area of
repeatability. If you are sitting on a spot and note the LORAN coordinates
EXACTLY, you can return to that spot with a high degree of accuracy. That
is why LORAN was liked so much by fishermen, they could return to hot
fishing spots reliably. However, try and give your "numbers" to your
brother-in-law Bubba using a different set and he may or may not end up
even CLOSE to the same spot. Numbers varied from set to set.
> * If I get rid of it, how? Is there any market for them?
They don't even make good doorstops. Sorry.
Fair Winds,
Tom
Tom & Jackie O'Meara
Searunner 40 Trimaran, "Sea Skate"
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