Chapter 3

Lattice Charts

Latticed charts
Latticed charts are charts with grids or position lines superimposed on
normal Mercator navigational charts of a specific scale. In order to
understand them, some basic introduction of the systems and
associated equipment used is needed.

Hyperbolic navigation systems

The navigational method provided by hyperbolic systems like Decca
and Loran are based on the principle of the phase / time difference
between the receipt of signals from a pair of radio transmitters. A given
constant time difference between the signals from the two stations can
be represented by a hyperbolic line of position (LOP). If the positions of
the two synchronized stations are known, then the position of the
receiver can be determined as being somewhere on a particular
hyperbolic curve, where the time difference between the received
signals is constant. (In ideal conditions, this is proportionally equivalent
to the difference of the distances from the receiver to each of the two
stations.)
By itself, with only two stations, the 2-dimensional position of the
receiver cannot be fixed. A second application of the same principle
must be used, based on the time difference of a different pair of
stations. By determining the intersection of the two hyperbolic curves
identified by the application of this method, a geographic fix can be
determined

Decca system
The DECCA system is now obsolete with no coverage at all and is
therefore not discussed here. However it was one of the first hyperbolic
systems.

Loran
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 The LORAN system is still used in some parts of the world. One station
remains constant in each application of the principle called the master,
being paired up separately with two other secondary stations called
slaves. Given two slaves stations, the time difference (TD) between the
master and first slave identifies one curve, and the time difference
between the master and second slave identifies another curve, the
intersections of which will determine a geographic point in relation to the
position of the three stations. These curves are often referred to as "TD
lines."
Common marine navigational Loran charts include visible
representations of TD lines at regular intervals over water areas. The
TD lines representing a given master-slave pairing are printed with
distinct colours, and include an indication of the specific time difference
indicated by each line.

The accuracy in the inland water areas

Due to interference and propagation issues suffered by low-frequency
signals from land features, and man-made structures, the accuracy of
the LORAN signal is degraded considerably in inland water areas. As a
result, nautical charts will not print any TD lines in those water areas, to
prevent reliance on LORAN for navigation.
In other words TD lines on the chart are like permanently printed
position lines each of which is given identification. The receiver
indicates these identified lines on its display at any given instant. Two or
more such lines if received by the receiver and identified on the chart
will give a position fix.
Traditional LORAN receivers generally display the time difference
between each pairing of the master and one of the two selected
secondary stations. These numbers can then be found and related to
those of the TD lines printed on the chart.
Modern LORAN receivers displays latitude and longitude instead of
signal time differences, with increasing accuracy.

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Fig: A Loran C lattice superimposed over a navigational chart. Note the
position of a vessel at 1825 would read as 7980 – Y – 44900 and 7980 – Z -
60800

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