GLAs welcome UrsaNav

It is part of a new set of low-frequency (LF) services being trialled on both sides of the Atlantic.

A ‘sky-free’ timing service, like the one UrsaNav will be radiating in the US, is already available in trial mode across the British Isles and some other parts of Europe using the GLAs’ prototype enhanced Loran (eLoran) system plus GPS+eLoran timing receivers.

In addition, the GLAs’ eLoran transmissions may, in the future, support navigation using eLoran as a complement to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS. eLoran can also provide a prototype, robust, nation-wide data channel, that will benefit from techniques being developed to give higher data capacity LF data transmissions.

This is all part of the resurgence of interest in terrestrial LF services in response to the vulnerability of GPS and other GNSS. Together with a range of other options being researched, the GLAs are trialling eLoran as the terrestrial complement to GNSS at sea and also supporting use of the new eLoran transmissions for timing, data and tracking of land vehicles.