LORAN STATION MONTAUK POINT
& Research Facility
Station Information
| Site Survey: | |
| Construction Date: | APR 1941: Research/LTS Facility APR/MAY 1942: LTS |
| Constructed (equipment installation) by: |
MIT Division 11 & USCG enlisted personnel |
| Research Facility: Established: Commissioned: |
APR 1941 - 01 OCT 1942 & fall 1943 - 1946 01 OCT 1942 01 JAN 1943 |
| Decommissioned: Disestablished: |
JUL 1943 22 SEP 1943 |
| Operated by: |
1941 - 1942 MIT Spring 1942 - 1943 USCG |
| Project code name: |
|
| Unit Identifier: |
MIT/U.S. Navy/USCG Unit 02 |
| Mail address: | |
| Code name: |
MIKE |
| Personnel Allowance: | Spring of 1942 - CG enlisted personnel reported aboard |
| Station Mascot: | |
| Station events: | APR 1941: MIT signed lease for use of an abandon USCG Life Saving Station property with the U.S. Treasury Department. MAY 1942: With U.S. Navy permission, MIT Mr. Donald Fink traveled to Canada to get an agreement with the Canadian Government to establish two stations in Nova Scotia. Canada agreed to this however U.S. must furnish the technical equipment and training. Canada was to provide for the two Newfoundland stations also however the USCG was tasked to staff the three northern Atlantic station in 1943 as there was a storage of Canadian personnel. JUN 1942: USCG personnel started to report for assigned duty. 17 JUN- 17 JUL 1942: The Long Range Navigation (LORAN) trials were conducted which the U.S. Navy accepted to continue with the development of the system. 01 JAN 1943: Under direction of U.S. Navy, US Coast Guard assumed the responsibility of installation, staffing and operational control of all Navy loran stations. 01 JUL 1943: Standard loran transmissions relocated to Siasconset, Nantucket, MA. The relocation was necessary in order to maintain sync with rate 1 at night. Montauk Point continue in service as a research facility. 22 SEP 1943: Montauk station transferred to MIT RADLAB. All equipment, property and supplies turnover. Fall 1943 - DEC 1944: Expermental Synchronization Skywave (SS) transmission tests were conducted by MIT scientists and English technicians. |
| Station Manager: OINC |
1941 Mr. Lawrence M. Leeds (GE) 1941 Mr. Harry A. Dahl (MIT) (01 SEP - ?) 1942 - 1943: CRE Robert W. Billups (? - JUL) |
Station Operations
Test Facility & LORAN-A LTS
41 01 33.98N - 71 57 49.59W
(The position was determined by a visit to the location in 2017)
| Chain: | NORTH ATLANTIC WEST |
| Station Letter designation: | "M" |
| Radio Call Sign: | N/A |
| Declared Operational date: |
16 OCT 1942 - 16 hours per day |
| Operations terminated: | 011800Z JUL 1943 as a LORAN Transmitting station |
| Station Operation: | Double MASTER (DM) |
| Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: |
MONTAUK (M) - FENWICK (S) 1L0 N/A Approx. 209 Nautical miles MONTAUK (M) - BARRACO (S) 1L1 N/A Approx. 324 Nautical miles |
| On-air testing date: | 1L0: DEC 1941 - OCT 1942 1L1: SEP 1942 |
| On-Air: | 1L0: MAY 1942 16 hour service/JUN 1943 24 hour service 1L1: 01 OCT 1942 16 hour service/JUN 1943 24 hour service |
| Off-Air: | 1L0: 011800Z JUL 1943 service relocated to Siasconset, Nantucket 1L1: 011800Z JUL 1943 service relocated to Siasconset, Nantucket |
| Monitor Rate: | |
| Equipment: | DEC 1941: Bell Lab Timer |
| Radiator: | Long wire |
Documents:
1941 Station Ground Plot - pdf
28 DEC 1942 CGD3 Standup orders to station - pdf
21 SEP 1943 Authorization to transfer custody of Hilter Plain station to NDRC - pdf
12 FEB 1944 Return custody of Hilter Plain station to Coast Guard - pdf
Pictures:
Exterior Research Facility & Loran Transmitting Station photos
(courtesy of Google Earth)
Location was identified during a 2017 trip
c./1941 GE Transmitter
original transmitter
(courtesy USCG c./SEP 1945)