Loran Question

[Dixiewreckd]

I have a BIG book of an old captains Loran #'s. Are these useless now? I have heard people say that you can go into your GPS switch to Loran, enter the numbers, then switch back to GPS. But some people say that you could be off by miles. I am hoping there is an ole timer out there that knows a trick or two.
Any info would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[southside]

http://www.loran.org/Coordinates.htm

this may help get you what you need (at least close)

[DWilliams]

I have spent a great deal of time converting numbers. From what i have found is that different lorans marked numbers differently but consistent on compass heading and range. St. Marks numbers will be consistent on heading and distance from actual point and Carrabelle numbers will be slightly different heading and distance. There are a couple of programs out there that will help but you need calibration points. Known loran numbers and gps points recorded at the same point when loran was working. Another trick I use is if multiple points(more than 5) are close ~<300'. Usually you will find something there. If all the numbers are from one book/loran then you might be able to look at a known location like SM/K/V etc and that will give you a reference, then you rely on the capt to be tied up at one of those locations, but that might get you an offset if you find the point. I have a large book of old loran numbers that are from different lorans and have a few calibration points in a program. If you are not successful converting I'd be willing to trade books and I will convert your numbers and give you a copy of the numbers I already have converted. Might even be able to tell you what is down there. I enjoy diving new numbers and already have more than one person can go to in a lifetime, but always looking to add to it to see the overlapping points.

[MarkM]

IMO, go to AMS and buy a used Loran machine. If I remember right, Loran is tower to tower and I know GPS is satellite. I had aconversion program and one out of a few would get me on something.

[reelbad]

I have a BIG book of an old captains Loran #'s. Are these useless now? I have heard people say that you can go into your GPS switch to Loran, enter the numbers, then switch back to GPS. But some people say that you could be off by miles. I am hoping there is an ole timer out there that knows a trick or two.
Any info would be much appreciated.

Thanks

There is an ole timer out here and his name is JT, not sure of he knows any tricks but he knows plenty of fishing lies.

[Dixiewreckd]

Well, from everything ive read the Loran towers are no longer in use in the U.S. So thats why im asking this forum if anyone has any tips or tricks. Plus, if it did work, it sounds stupidly complicated. X Y Z, off set points and what not.

[groupertherapy]

Try Andren Software Company. I've converted hundreds of loran coordinates from an old captain's log using this program. Although most were too far offshore for me to reach the ones I've tried have been close enough to cruise around and find the spot. They are usually within a couple of hundred yards but well worth the effort.

[charlie tuna]

Loran is so inaccurate compared to GPS that when converting it causes the GPS numbers to be just as bad. It took us a long time to locate some wrecks off the keys when converting over, of course once you get it on the GPS there is no problem..

[MarkM]

The program that I had was from Andren. I didn't have much luck with it.

[pastorterry]

My Old Si-Tex EZ97 Would convert LOP's to Lat/lon. How accurate it is I have no Idea! If you had one you could try it