The eLoran system is an international standardized positioning, navigation, and timing service system, which can complement global navigation satellite systems to cope with navigation and timing warfare. The eLoran receiver measures time-of-arrival (TOA) through cycle identification, which is key in determining timing and positioning accuracy. However, noise and skywave interference can cause cycle identification errors, resulting in TOA-measurement errors that are integral multiples of 10 μs. Therefore, this article proposes a cycle identification method in the joint time–frequency domain. Based on the spectrum-division method to determine the cycle identification range, the time–domain peak-to-peak ratio and waveform matching are used for accurate cycle identification. The performance of the method is analyzed via simulation. When the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) ≥ 0 dB and skywave-to-groundwave ratio (SGR) ≤ 23 dB, the success rate of cycle identification is 100%; when SNR ≥ −13 dB and SGR ≤ 23 dB, the success rate exceeds 75%. To verify its practicability, the method was implemented in the eLoran receiver and tested at three test sites within 1000 km using actual signals emitted by an eLoran system. The results show that the method has a high identification probability and can be used in modern eLoran receivers to improve TOA-measurement accuracy.

To improve the coverage and timing capability of enhanced Loran signals, three enhanced Loran transmitters are planned to be built in Western China. The most appropriate antenna configuration can be determined by comparing domestic and foreign mainstream small and radio antennas. By analyzing and comparing the electrical and structural parameters and signal propagation curves of the transmitting antenna, it can be concluded that the single tower umbrella antenna provides the best performance in all evaluation indexes, and the enhanced Loran signal can be transmitted to areas 1000 km away through the single tower umbrella antenna so that the enhanced Loran signal covers most areas of Western China. Therefore, it should be widely used in the construction of enhanced Loran transmitters in the future.