Mission
Port Clarence is one of twenty-four U.S. Coast Guard LORAN transmitting stations. It is the largest LORAN station in operation. The station is completely self sufficient generating it's own electrical power, potable water and treating and disposing of all of it's waste products. The station is billeted for 23 men and women to maintain the transmitter and engineering facilities. All personnel serve a one year unaccompanied tour of duty. The transmitting tower is the tallest tower in service and standing at 1350' is the tallest manmade structure in Alaska. We are a Dual Rated transmitting station. The pulsed LORAN signal is transmitted at approximately 980,000 watts and can be received well over 1000 miles from its origin. LORAN is an acronym for Long Range Aids to Navigation. It is an electronic system which propagates low frequency radio waves from a fixed radio transmitter to mobile receivers to allow travelers to determine their position. LORAN operates twenty-four hours a day in all weather extremes. Logistic supplies are received every three weeks via C-130 aircraft from Air Station Kodiak. Mail is received three days a week by commuter plane from Nome, AK. Heating and Operating fuel arrive here in the summer by barge once a year.
Fuel Operations
Fueling Operations are performed once a year during the summer to re-supply the unit with arctic grade fuel oil. A fuel barge arrives to pump on average per year 260,000 gallons of fuel oil to four fuel tanks that each hold approximately 100,000 gallons of fuel oil.
Logistics Flight Operations
The Logistics support is maintained by C-130 aircraft from Coast Guard
Air Station Kodiak, Alaska. They are multi-mission in nature. Mail delivery,
pick-up and incoming and outgoing personnel are made by commercial carrier
out of Nome, Alaska. The runway is lighted and has 4,500 feet of paved asphalt
with 3,200 feet of gravel overrun to the north. Lorsta Port Clarence is
also known as KPC which is the official assigned airport designation.