NavList:

Lu,

Yes, the reason I posted my calculator dunking story is to remind people that these cheap, standard "scientific calculators" are highly reliable. And since the fx260 is solar-powered, it's almost crazy not to use one for navigation calculations. Sure, thirty years ago, one could still have doubts about calculators, but today?? Why do calculations on paper --except for the entertainment value, of course (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

By the way, for various reasons, I have made myself an Android calculator app functionally identical to the fx260. Not everything works, but it's all that's needed for my navigation classes. If any of you with Android devices would like to try it out, you can find a link to it on the web page for my "Modern Celestial Navigation" class here: http://www.reednavigation.com/mod-class/. Note that you will need to enable non-app-store app installation in order to get the file from this location.

As for smartphones and such, some are very sensitive to water. But then they do also make waterproof models that can function immediately, even after total immersion in water for many minutes. Here's a brief review of recent waterproof smartphones: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-waterproof-phones/.

Another concern with smartphones and tablets is the value of the data stored on them. Do we really want to risk losing all our phone numbers and other contact data along with hundreds of photos and other files when the phone accidentally gets dropped over the side while sailing? That's yet another advantage of a cheap calculator: if you do lose it, you won't care.

Frank Reed
ReedNavigation.com
Conanicut Island USA