China completes national eLoran network

Photo: RNT Foundation

The Dunhuang long-wave timing station, a critical component of China’s high-precision ground-based timing system, has been completed and tested. This marks a significant advancement in China’s development of a three-dimensional cross-timing system that spans air, space and land.

Zhang Shougang, director of the National Time Service Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Xinhua News that the high-precision ground-based timing system leverages eLoran radio long-wave and fiber-optic timing technology. This system is designed to operate independently of satellite navigation timing, providing backup, complementary functions and mutual enhancement with existing timing systems.

China has constructed three additional long-wave timing stations in Dunhuang, Korla and Nagqu. When combined with existing stations, the new stations are designed to achieve nationwide coverage of long-wave timing signals.

During the construction of the Dunhuang station, researchers reported significant breakthroughs in high-precision transmission control and pulse time reference feedback modulation technology. They achieved a megawatt-level Loran timing transmission accuracy of 20 ns, surpassing the current international standard of 50 ns.

This advanced timing system seeks to support economic and social operations, foster technological development and improve national security. Zhang Shougang noted that after nearly 60 years of development, China has built the world’s most technically complete national timing system.