 SeaRanger Loran question
The fraying of the antenna is not causeing the problem but it can get so bad (the fuzzies) that if you rub your hand on it, which there is a tendency to do, it will teach you a whole world of new things about the word pain.
Usually when a LORAN won't lock on it comes from one of two reasons. The first is the connector where the antenna's cable plugs into the back of the LORAN. These connectors are available at Radio Shack for about $2 or so. Replacement of it would be the first thing I would do. Just cut off the old one and take it with you. The new one will be held in place with a set screw (which will pierce the insulation and contact the inner shielding of the cable) so you won't have to solder anything. The next thing you may try is to remove the antenna and look down inside the hole where it screws into place. If you are lucky there will be a small screw down in the hole right in the middle and there will be a small wire that has broken off from attachment to that screw. This used to be a pretty common failure of LORAN couplers, and its simple to fix, just reattach the wire. Not all coupler's have this connection where it can be got to and so you've got about a 50/50 chance of being able to do anyting about it if this is the problem. Other than that, if those don't work, its time to start looking for a new coupler - or abandoning LORAN in favor of any GPS (virtually all of them now days will convert TD's to Latitude and Logitude). Oh, from time to time I see couplers for sale on E-Bay and the LORAN you have was sold under several different names so just look at the picture and find one just like yours without regard to the brand name.
Thom
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