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Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20011202181829.01e0c8a0@pop.tiscalinet.it>
Date: Sun, 02 Dec 2001 18:29:03 +0100
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
From: "Marco Bruno IK1ODO" <spin.elec@tiscalinet.it>
Subject: Re: LF: Austron 2000 Loran-C RX
In-reply-to: <005001c17b48$b9010c80$e50c97d4@oemcomputer>
References: <5.1.0.14.0.20011201140328.00a93468@gemini.herts.ac.uk> <003901c17aa2$79bffb40$8fce28c3@ericadodd> <000b01c17ac3$1ad89ee0$0300a8c0@charter.net> <000901c17ac9$d296d500$e1e086d4@ericadodd> <5.0.2.1.2.20011202115927.009efb60@mail.pncl.co.uk>
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At 16.47 02/12/01, you wrote:
>Walter, Marco,
>
>thanks for the information regarding the Austron 2000C.
>
>I did not get the manual but, although it is an early 70's design,
>there was a test protocol from Austron taped onto the box and
>it was dated 1990. When did they change the repetition rate?
>Could it be a modified unit? I have yet to open it up and see
>what's inside.

I used the Lessay chain when they were in pre-operational status,
probably in 1995. Then they started the odd-code GRR, and I lost
it... it was, I think, 1996 or '97. So probably your unit WAS ok in 1990;
ath that time the Northern See chain was a standard 3-digit GRR.


>I already have a Brooks Shera style GPS standard, which I am
>quite happy with, so I don't mind if this box turns out to be a true
>piece of junk. It could be put to good use as a boat anchor (literally!)
>for fishing in a nearby lake, or I could use the cabinet for some
>new project, hihi...

I understand, having paid it $10... there is nothing useful in the
unit, except for a lot of switches and a ton of TTL.
But it's a pity, seeing the unit in operation, quietly locked to the
third rising edge of the Loran pulse, and seeing all the garbage
on the channel, and the propagation changing from hour to hour...
it was really fun, I kept it in operation for months, and was really
disappointed when they changed the GRR.


> >It's not an easy unit to operate... you need:
> >- a stable reference oscillator, 1, 5 or 10 MHz
> >- a stripchart recorder (or two, better)
> >- an oscilloscope (if possible a storage one, I used a Tek 7633)
> >- a Loran loop antenna (not E-field!!! it works, but the jitter is worse)
> >- an old-style Loran chain (not NELS, HI)
> >- time and patience to undestand operation...
>
>I have all of the above except an old-style Loran chain :-)

Well, it should be very easy  to produce an artificial Loran pulse,
with all the coding and the phase reversals... you may think about
using the output of the Shera box to clock the Loran simulator... ;-)))

73 - Marco