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Sight reduction from a DR position is definitely convenient when you
are practicing from a known position, e.g., at anchor from a GPS fix.
In that case the altitude intercept gives immediate feedback on the
quality of your sextant shot, without any plotting.  But then you
could argue that plotting is an integral part of celestial, and needs
to be practiced too.

Curiously, the preface in my 1981 HO 229 volume says there used to be
diagrams for interpolation of hour angle and latitude in every volume
of 229, but they have been eliminated in this volume (30 - 45 deg).
It's not clear if another volume may still contain the diagrams.  I
don't remember seeing any reference to these interpolation diagrams in
my 1984 Bowditch.

I think those helpful souls who recommend programmable calculators to
fans of the traditional "book" sight reduction methods are missing the
point.  Surely all navigators in this day and age are aware of the
power of the digital computer.  But the easy way is not necessarily
the most fun.  If you see a man hand-cranking the engine of a restored
Ford Model T, you don't walk over and explain the advantages of a
modern auto.

One thing I'm curious about regarding HO 214 -- was this the standard
US Navy sight reduction method during World War II?  Bowditch says the
nine volumes were published 1936 - 1946.  For the US, the war went
from 1941 - 1945, so my guess is that 214 got into the war in a major
way.

Mal, I agree that meridian angle is scarcely harder than LHA.  HO 211,
which I like, also uses it.  However, when you say someone used to HO
214 "won't go back to 229 or 249, ever", that pushes my credulity to
its limits.  I'm skeptical that 214 can be THAT much better.  But I
admit I've never seen it, other than the excerpts in Bowditch.
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