Conversion from the consumer's 

 Point of view ■MH^^^M 



To most mariners deciding on a piece of 

 navigational equipment is like choosing a car— it has 

 to be dependable, easy to operate and maintain, and 

 it has to fit into a budget. 



Finding something that meets all those criteria 

 isn't so simple. Anybody who has ever shopped for an 

 automobile knows that it takes a great deal of 

 research and time to find the "perfect" selection. The 

 same is true when it comes to purchasing LORAN 

 equipment. 



There are, however, a few tips to keep in mind if 

 you are in the market for a new LORAN-C system. 



Probably the biggest question about LORAN-C is 

 when is the best time to buy equipment. Should you 

 buy a receiver now, or wait and gamble on the chance 

 that prices will go down? 



Unfortunately there aren't any pat answers. 

 Currently prices for LORAN-C receivers range 

 anywhere from a little over $2,000 to about $6,000. A 

 year ago the least expensive models averaged be- 

 tween $3,000 and $3,500. A decade ago, even the 

 cheapest LORAN-C receiver cost well over $20,000. 



Despite these downward trends, neither the Coast 

 Guard nor LORAN manufacturers predict major 

 price decreases in the next few years. 



According to Carter, prices may begin to drop 

 again once inland uses of LORAN-C, for such things 

 as police, fire, ambulance and highway work, begin to 

 catch on. But he emphasizes that this is an area that 

 is just beginning to be explored and it will be several 

 years before it has any impact on industry pricing. 



Like many LORAN dealers, Ted Scott of Sea Coast 

 Communications, Inc. in Wilmington tells his 

 customers to wait to buy LORAN-C units until they 

 are certain about the kind of receiver they want and 

 can afford it. "I wouldn't recommend that anyone go 

 out and buy a C today unless their A unit breaks and 

 the cost of getting it repaired is excessive." 



But for someone buying a LORAN system for the 

 first time, virtually every dealer agrees it's best to go 

 ahead and purchase the C unit now, especially since 

 the new C signal will be available along North 

 Carolina later this year. 



To get the full benefit of the C system, the Coast 

 Guard urges mariners to buy fully automatic 

 receivers—receivers which will automatically pick up 

 LORAN signals without the use of an oscilloscope 

 and automatically track these signals through cycle 

 matching. 



Another important feature the Coast Guard recom- 

 mends having on a unit is a blink alarm to alert 

 operators to any errors in the signals being broadcast 

 from transmitting stations. 



To filter out "noise" or interfering signals, a 

 receiver should also have notch filters. Ideally it 

 should display at least two time difference readouts 

 either simultaneously or alternately so that the 

 operator does not have to go through the acquisition 



Bahen: "Shop carefully, know your needs" 



process each time he wants a signal. 



Finally, the receiver should be a multi-channel set, 

 enabling the operator to tune in on several different 

 chains without changing the receiver internally. For 

 example, along North Carolina a multi-channel re- 

 ceiver would let the operator pick up any chain in the 

 East Coast. 



When it comes to actually buying a system, the 

 most important thing to remember is to select the 

 unit that is best suited to your needs. If you are a 

 recreational boater and use your vessel only three or 

 four weekends a year, it's probably a waste of money 

 to spend $6,000 on a LORAN system that also 

 measures "course made good" (distance traveled), 

 travel speed, longitude and latitude. 



On the other hand, a commercial fisherman should 

 purchase a durable piece of equipment— one that can 

 withstand constant, day in and day out use in all 

 types of weather. 



Always buy from a reputable dealer that offers 

 complete warranty and installation service. Make 

 sure you understand the operation of your equipment 

 thoroughly before you use it. A mistake could cost a 

 life. 



The University of North Carolina Sea Grant College 

 Newsletter is published monthly except July and 

 December by the University of North Carolina Sea 

 Grant College Program, 105 1911 Building, North 

 Carolina State University, Raleigh, N. C. 27650, Vol. 5, 

 No. 5, May, 1978. Dr. B. J. Copeland, director. Written 

 and edited by Mary Day Mordecai and Virginia 

 Worthington. Second-class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 

 27611. 



