What is "loran"

Loran \Lor"an\ (l[^o]r"[a^]n or l[=o]r"[a^]n), n. [Acronym, from LOng RAnge Navigation] (Naut., aviation) A system of electronic navigation in which a vessel or aircraft determines its latitude and longitude by measuring the time differences between low frequency radio transmissions from two stationary transmitters (slaves) and a stationary master transmitter. Contrary to the name, Loran is a medium range system, usually effective for no more than a few hundred miles from shore. The first commercial system was called Loran A; the latest (and final) development is Loran C. [acronym]

1940, a word invented from initial letters in long-range navigation.

LORAN, short for long range navigation, was a hyperbolic radio navigation system developed in the United States during World War II. It was similar to the UK's Gee system but operated at lower frequencies in order to provide improved range up to with accuracy of tens of miles. It was first used for ship convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and then by long-range patrol aircraft, but found its main use on the ships and aircraft operating in the Pacific theatre.

LORAN, in its original form, was an expensive system to implement, requiring a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. This limited use to the military and large commercial users. Use was never widespread, and by the time new receivers were available in the 1950s, the same improved electronics led to new systems with higher accuracy. The US Navy began development of Loran-B, which offered accuracy on the order of a few tens of feet, but ran into significant technical problems. The US Air Force had worked on a different concept, known as Cyclan, which the Navy took over as Loran-C. Loran-C offered longer range than LORAN and accuracy of hundreds of feet. The US Coast Guard took over operations of both systems in 1958.

In spite of the dramatically improved performance of Loran-C, LORAN, now known as Loran-A (or "Standard LORAN"), would become much more popular during this period. This was due largely to the large numbers of surplus Loran-A units released from the Navy as ships and aircraft replaced their sets with Loran-C. The widespread introduction of inexpensive microelectronics during the 1980s caused Loran-C receivers to drop in price dramatically, and Loran-A use began to rapidly decline. Loran-A was dismantled starting in the 1970s; it remained active in North America until 1980 and the rest of the world until 1985. A Japanese chain remained on the air until 9 May 1997, and a Chinese chain was still listed as active as of 2000.

Loran-A used the same frequencies as the amateur radio 160-meter band, and radio operators were under strict rules to operate at reduced power levels; depending on their location and distance to the shore, US operators were limited to maximums of 200 to 500 watts during the day and 50 to 200 watts at night.

Loran was the brand name of a blank compact audio cassette marketed throughout the 1970s and 1980s and manufactured by Loran Cassettes & Audio Products, Inc, a division of Loranger Manufacturing Corporation.

Unlike most other brands of cassettes at the time, which were made of more conventional formulations of plastic, Loran cassettes were exceptional in that the cassette's housing was made of Lexan thermoplastic, which has much more resistance to extreme heat. Lexan was chosen by Loran to provide a blank cassette that was more suited for use in the fluctuating temperatures of automotive environments, especially a car's interior during hot summer days, which could easily warp a conventional cassette's housing.

Also, the tabs covering the write-protect notches of Loran cassettes were built-in plastic mechanisms that would open or close the notch by turning the mechanism with a small flat-blade screwdriver or a fingernail, as opposed to the write-protect tabs of other cassettes which were broken out instead, as the hardness of the Lexan would've made this very difficult for the average user to accomplish.

Loran produced blank audio recording cassette tapes, some with blue Lexan shells utilized high quality AGFA Cobalt Chrome Type II tape formulation. Loran also produced very good quality computer cassette data tapes for early generation home computers.

Loran cassettes were also used by automobile manufacturers such as Ford audio demonstration cassettes included with new automobiles equipped at the factory with cassette deck radios, due to the cassette's heat-resistant design. Also, Loran cassette tapes were also produced by the consumer electronics company Bose Corporation for an entire series of pre-recorded music demonstration cassette tapes.

Category:Audio storage