LORAN STATION NANTUCKET
Station Information
| Site Survey: | Loran A: DEC 1942 | site survey Loran C: OCT 1960 | site survey report |
| Construction Date: | Loran A: FEB - JUL 1943 1943: Quonset Huts constructed 1, 3:Barracks 16 x 36 5: Barracks 20 x 48 6: Administration 20 x 48 7: Mess Hall, Galley 8: Generator 11: Equipment Hut 1944: 4: Garage 24 x 32 Frame 9: Recreation 20 x 48 Quonset 1945: 10: New Equipment Quonset Hut 20 x 60 1949: Station rebuilt 1950: Buildings 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and H/F antenna system removed. Comb and Comms antenna added. JUN 1950: Loran station personnel quartered in Sankaty Light Keepers quarters. 1953: Barracks and garage constructed Loran C: 1961 - 1962 Construction expansion 1985: Loran C operational building constructed under the tower. |
| Constructed by: | Loran A: 1943 - Construction Detachment "B" (7 Quonset huts, typical Loran station construction) |
| Loran A Established: Commissioned: Loran C Established: Commissioned: |
MAY 1943 1962 |
| Loran A Disestablished: Loran C Decommissioned: Disestablished: |
312400Z DEC 1980 Service terminated 03 SEP 2010 30 SEP 2010 |
| Operated by: |
USCG |
| Station Project code name: Loran A Loran C |
SUGAR CLOSE I |
| Station Unit Identifier: Loran A Loran A/C & C |
1942 - 1943 | MIT 06 1943 - 1950 | CG Unit 10 1967 - 2010 | 01-40106 |
| AKA: Loran A Loran C |
MIT 06, SUGAR, UNIT 10, SIASCONSET CLOSE I; SIASCONSET |
| Mail address: | 1949: CG Loran Transmitting Station, Nantucket, Mass 1976: USCG Loran A/C Station Nantucket; Siasconset, MA 02564 |
| HAM Call sign: |
N/A |
| Personnel Allowance: | JUL 1943 | 1 Officer; 24 Enlisted JAN 1953 | 13 Enlisted 1960 | 14 Enlisted JUL 1962 | 2 Officers; 26 Enlisted AUG 1985 | 4 Enlisted |
| Station Mascot: | |
| Station events: | 1943 - 1945 | Served as a training, testing and operational station. Over 1500 USCG, WRCNS, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy personnel received operational training during WWII. JUL 1944 - 1945 | Testing of Long Baseline LORAN JUN 1950 | Loran station personnel quartered in old Sankaty Light Keepers quarters. 27 FEB 1952 | Northeaster struck New England area - 120ft vertical radiator toppled.. 01 JUL 1943 - 03 AUG 2010 | Longest active Loran Station at the same location |
| Commanding Officer/OINC |
1943 - 1944 LTJG William P. Clark (AUG - FEB) 1944 - 1945 LTJG William J. Collis (FEB - ?) 1945 - 1946 LTJG Calvin Woolley 1946 - 1947 1947 - 1948 1948 - 1949 ETC Walter C. Hamner (? - 31 OCT) 1949 - 1950 ETC David F. Ray (31 OCT - ?) 1950 - 1952 RELE Leslie A. Mears (? - OCT) 1952 - 1954 ETC Harold L. Anderson (OCT - ?) 1954 - 1955 1955 - 1956 1956 - 1957 1957 - 1958 ETC Jack Cromwell 1958 - 1959 RELE Charles W. Price 1959 - 1960 1960 - 1961 1961 - 1962 1962 - 1963 LT Warren J. Fredericks 1963 - 1964 LTJG Roger T. Ostrom 1964 - 1965 1965 - 1967 LTJG Dwight W. Shores 1967 - 1970 LTJG James D. Crisp 1970 - 1973 LTJG John F. Weseman 1973 - 1975 LTJG Charles T. Winfrey 1975 - 1977 LTJG William D. Kline (? - 08 MAY) 1977 - 1978 LTJG William S. Vlcek (08 MAY - 12 DEC) 1978 - 1980 LTJG Richard L. Ryan (12 DEC - ?) 1980 - 1982 LTJG Brooke E. Winter (? - 25 JUN) 1982 - 1984 CWO Joseph S. Puntio (25 JUN - 27 APR) 1984 - 1986 CWO David F. Fronzuto (27 APR - 22 AUG) 1986 - 1987 ETC William C Dietz (22 AUG - 06 MAR) 1987 - 1990 ETC Joseph K. Jester (06 MAR - ?) 1990 - 1992 1992 - 1994 1994 - 1996 1996 - 1998 1998 - 2000 2000 - 2002 2002 - 2004 ETC John Dreger 2004 - 2008 ETC Martin Hezeltine (? - JAN) 2008 - 2010 ETC Shane J. Hyde (JAN - AUG) |
Change of Command
31 OCT 1949 - ETC Hamner / ETC Ray - pdf
12 DEC 1977 - LTJG Vlcek / LTJG Ryan CoC Invitation - jpg
27 APR 1984 - CWO Puntino / CWO Fronzuto - pdf
22 AUG 1986 - CWO Fronzuto / ETC Dietz - pdf
06 MAR 1987 - ETC Dietz / ETC Jester - pdf
Station Operations
LORAN-A
41 14 56.19 N - 69 58 30.04 W (1H4, 3H4) (1960 Mercury Datum)
41 14 59.31 N - 69 58 20.36 W (1H3, 1H7) (1960 Mercury Datum)
| Operational date: Declared Operational date: |
01 JUL 1943 10 DEC 1943 |
| Operations terminated: | 312400Z DEC 1980 |
| Station Operation: | 1943 - 1951 Double MASTER (DM) 1950 - 1971 Double MASTER (DM), Single SLAVE (SS) 1971 - 1980 Triple MASTER (TM), Single SLAVE/SECONDARY (SS) |
| Station Letter designation: | 1H3; 3H4; 1L0; 1L1 - "S" 1H7; 3H5 - "N" |
| Chain: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Chain: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Chain: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Chain: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Chain: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Chain: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: |
NORTH ATLANTIC 1943 - 1945 NANTUCKET (M) - FENWICK (S) 1L0 N/A Approx. 209 Nautical miles NORTH ATLANTIC 1945 - 1949 NANTUCKET (M) - BODIE ISLAND (S) 1L0 N/A Approx. 415 Nautical miles CANADIAN NORTH ATLANTIC 1950 - 1980 NANTUCKET (M) - BACCARO (S) 1L3; 1H3 N/A Approx. 240 Nautical miles EASTERN U.S. COAST NANTUCKET (M) - CAPE HATTERAS (S) 1H4; 3H4 N/A Approx. 266 Nautical miles EASTERN U.S. COAST NANTUCKET (S) - SANDY HOOK (M) 1H0; 1H5, 3H5 1000us Approx. 189 Nautical miles EASTERN U.S. COAST NANTUCKET (M) - MARSHALL POINT (S) 1H7 N/A Approx. 163 Nautical miles |
| Radio Call Sign: | 1973: NMF-32 |
| On-air testing date: | 09 - 16 JUN 1943 | Standard Loran, to replace Montauk 5L0 - JUL 1944 - 1945 Loran High Freq (10.585Mhz) |
| On-Air: | 1L0-M | 012200Z JUL 1943 | Paired with Fenwick 1L1-M | 012200Z JUL 1943 | Paired with Baccaro 1L1-M | 01 FEB 1945 | Paired with Bodie Island 1H0-S | 01 JAN 1950 | Paired with Sandy Hook 1H5-S | 1951 | Paired with Sandy Hook 1H3-M | 01 JAN 1950 Paired with Baccaro 1H4-M | 01 JAN 1950 | Paired with Cape Hatteras 3H4-M | 01 JUL 1968 | Paired with Cape Hatteras 3H5-S | 01 JUL 1968 | Paired with Sandy Hook 3H5-M | 011700Z FEB 1969 | Paired with Sandy Hook 3H5-S | 1969 | Paired with Sandy Hook 1H7-M | 15 AUG 1971 | Paired with Marshall Point |
| Off-Air: | 1L0-M | 01 FEB 1945 | Paired with Fenwick 1L1-M | 01 JAN 1950 | Paired with Bodie Island 1L1-M | 01 JAN 1950| Paired with Baccaro 1H0-S | 1951 | Paired with Sandy Hook 1H3-M | 312400Z DEC 1980 Paired with Baccaro 1H4-M | 01 JUL 1968| Paired with Cape Hatteras 1H5-S | 01 JUL 1968 | Paired with Sandy Hook 3H5-S | 011700Z FEB 1969 | Paired with Sandy Hook 3H5-M | 1969 | Paired with Sandy Hook 3H5-S | 312400Z DEC 1980 | Paired with Sandy Hook 3H7-M | 312400Z DEC 1980 | Paired with Marshall Point |
| Monitor Rate: | 1943 - 1980 Cross rate monitoring 1975 - 3H5 AN/FPN-56 1975 - 3H4; 1H3; 1H7 AN/FPN-30 |
| Equipment: | JUL 1943 | Model B-1 Timer; REL-575BC sn:6651; 2 Harvey T-108 sn:17 & ? 1944 | Harvey T-108 sn:17 converted to HFL (10.585mc) 1950 | UE-1b, T-137, T-138 1962 | AN/FPN-30 Timer; T-325C/FPN Transmitter; AM-1700/FPN Amplifier 1966 | Equipment upgrade at Baccaro permitted normal Loran-A transmissions* 1975 | COLAC AN/FPN-53/FPN Timer; AN/FPN-56 Receiver, T-325C/FPN Transmitter, AM-1700/FPN Amplifier *- 1952 - 1966 Cosine squared pulse (Sandy Hook, Cape Hatteras) Squared wave pulse (Baccaro) Tech Manuals: AN/FPN-30 | T-325B/FPN | CU-277 A special thanks to Dwight Grimes for the donation of the manuals |
| Radiator: | 1943 - 1952 | A 114ft vertical wire suspended between two 130ft poles 1944 - 1945 | co-phase antenna 10.585mc (5L0) 1948 - 1952 | Vertical 120ft radiator 1948 - 1981 | 300ft Tower (3H4, 3H5) 1952 - 1962 | Cage "T" (1H3, 1H7) 1962 - 1981 | 120ft Tower (1H3, 1H7) |
LORAN-C
41 15.2 N - 69 58 7 W (Oct 1, 1964)
41 15 11.9 N - 69 58 39.090 W (WGS-72)
41 15 12.046 N - 69 58 38.536 W
(WGS-84)
| Operational date: Declared Operational: |
021300Z JUL 1962 28 AUG 1962 - EAST COAST 9930 09 SEP 1978 - NEUS 9960 30 APR 1980 - CANADIAN EAST COAST |
| Operations terminated: |
082000Z FEB 2010 NEUS 9960 03 AUG 2010 - CANADIAN EAST COAST 5930 |
| Station Operation: |
1962 - 1980 Single SLAVE/SECONDARY 1980 - 2010 Double SLAVE/SECONDARY |
| Chain: Loran Rate: Function: Baseline: Chain: Loran Rate: Function: Baseline: Chain: Loran Rate: Function: Baseline: |
EAST COAST CHAIN 021300Z JUN 1962 - 1978 SL-0; SS-0; SS-7; 9930 "Y" M-Y: Approx. 573 Nautical miles NORTHEAST COAST 1978 - 08 FEB 2010 9960 "X" M-X: Approx. 319 Nautical miles CANADIAN EAST COAST 1980 - 03 AUG 2010 5930 "X" 5930 M-X: Approx. 345 Nautical miles |
| Radio Call Sign: |
International | NMA7 1973: NMF-32 Loran Net: Nantucket Loran |
| On-air testing date: | |
| On-Air: | SL-0 (Y) 021300Z JUL 1962 SS-0 (Y) 1966 SS-7 (Y) 06 JAN 1969 9930 (Y) 25 FEB 1975 9960 (X) 09 SEP 1978 5930 (X) 01 FEB 1980 |
| Off-Air: |
SL-0 (Y) 1966 - Change of rate - Cape Race on-air SS-0 (Y) 06 JAN 1969 Change of rate SS-7 (Y) 25 FEB 1975 Changed Identification of GRI 9930 (Y) 09 FEB 1978 Chain reconfiguration 9960 (X) 08 FEB 2010 Termination of service 5930 (X) 03 AUG 2010 Termination of service |
| Equipment: | 1962 - 1975 AN/FPN-41/42 300KW 1975 - 1986 AN/FPN-54 - AN/FPN-42 300KW 1986 - 2005 AN/FPN-65 - AN/FPN-64 400KW 2005 - 2010 TFE, NSSX Tech Manuals: AN/FPN-54 | AN/FPN-60 AN/FPN-42 Vol I | AN/FPN-42 Vol II | AN/FPN-42 Vol III A special thanks to Gary Thomas, Scott Price and Dave Fronzuto |
| Radiator: | 1962 - 2010 625ft TLE Wind Turbine; Model 6000s 06 - 09 MAY 2013 Tower razed |
Awards:
Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation
01 JAN 1982 - 31 DEC 1982
Documents:
10 MAY 1943 Proposed Operation of Nantucket Loran Station - pdf
JUL 1943 Station Operating Instructions - pdf
22 AUG 1944 - Inspection of Loran Station Sugar - pdf
MAR 1947 - Quarters for personnel and condition of living spaces correspondence - pdf
19 OCT 1949 - Request for a Commanding Officer - pdf
JUN 1950 - Commander Playdon's inspection report of Sankaty Light and Loran station - pdf
22 DEC 1958 - Discontinue Daily System checks -pdf
1966 - Welcome Aboard - pdf
1970 - 1973 Station Organization Manual - pdf
11 FEB 1976 - Loran-A Operations with LARE; comments concerning - pdf
17 MAR 1976 - 3H4 Abnormality - pdf
01 OCT 1976 Station Communications Instructions - pdf
1977 Nantucket Mission pamphet - pdf contributed by Bill Vlcek
09 - 12 AUG 1983 Loran-C Field Measurements - pdf
01 JUL 1985 - 42 years of conitnuous Loran Service message with replies - pdf
31 MAR 2010 OFCO No. 20-10 Disestablishment of LORSTA Nantucket - pdf
301818Z SEP 10 OFCO No. 20-10 Completed - pdf
Pictures:
1950 - 1960 U. S. Coast Guard Official Photos
1965 - 1966 Scott Blaker photo collection
1977 - 1978 Bill Vlcek photo collection
1985 - 1987 Bill's photo collection
May 2013 Dave Fronzuto Tower razed photo collection
