With no warning to users, the U.S. Coast Guard has proposed termination of the Loran system by requesting zero budget for Loran in its FY 07 budget request sent to Congress. This surprising development came with no stakeholders’ input and after the Coast Guard spent $160 million modernizing the Loran system, an improvement in signal strength, maintenance and coverage that is nearly complete.

BoatU.S. and other users, such as commercial fisherman and aircraft pilots urge the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee to support continuation of Loran for the long term and direct the Coast Guard to finish the modernization program. BoatU.S. has long supported continuing Loran as a low-cost, land-based backup to GPS.

While GPS has dominated the electronics market since the 1990s, new combined GPS/Loran receiver technology is now available, eLoran, and new international developments offer the potential for export opportunities for U.S. manufacturers. In addition, the GPS signal has been shown to have susceptibility to jamming, a problem Loran does not have.

BoatU.S. encourages boat owners who use Loran to e-mail or fax a letter to key Congressional appropriators and their own elected representatives to support FY 07 funding for the Coast Guard to continue fully operating the Loran navigation system as a backup to GPS and that the agency finish the modernization in the interest of national security and safe navigation. Links to contact info for all House and Senate Members:

Senate: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

House: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

Key committee members:

(Address all letters, Dear Representative or Dear Senator and preferably fax to their offices.)

The Honorable Harold Rogers (Fax: 202-225-0940)
U. S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C 20515

The Honorable Martin Sabo (Fax: 202-225-4886)
U. S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Jerry Lewis (Fax: 202-225-6498)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable David Obey (Fax: 202-225-3240)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Thad Cochran (Fax: 202-224-9450)
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Judd Gregg (Fax: 202-224-4952)
U. S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Robert C. Byrd (Fax: 202-228-0002)
U. S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Ted Stevens (Fax: 202-224-2354)
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Daniel Inouye (Fax: 202-224-6747)
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510