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    Re: Compass error correction
    From: Joe Schultz
    Date: 2010 Jul 7, 19:52 -0700

    Master Chief, thank you for that sea story. It firms up what I had been told, which was that you developed your Piloting Technique in the late 1960s. I was not taught your Piloting Technique at OCS in the 1980s. Instead, when we got the big triangles on the YP, the instructor did his magic and gave us a new gyro error to use. I am sure, now, that he used your Piloting Technique to quickly figure the new gyro error. I learned how to use your Piloting Technique when in the fleet - such is the difference between real life and the schoolhouse - but had to use trial and error in examinations.

    It is also my opinion that the trial and error method needs to be given a permanent burial. But it's still out there, and taught as a pierside method. Your Piloting Technique works for anybody when sitting still, whether that be on land, tied to a pier, or sitting on the hook and not swinging too hard (you have time to shoot multiple LOPs from a single instrument).

    The book "A Navigation Compendium" has a sad history. First published in 1966 as NAVPERS 10494 by the Bureau of Naval Personnel. The 1972 edition was NAVTRA 10494-A. Uncle Sam then farmed out the publishing to private companies. The 1977 edition was retitled "Navigation" by D. McKay (publisher). The 1978 edition was retitled "Basic Navigation" by Drake Publishers.

    The 1972 edition of "A Navigation Compendium" was poorly digitized by Carnegie Mellon University, and is freely available through http://www.worldcat.org and by typing 284335180 into the "Search Everything" box. A good read for folks who want to play sailor boy. Specific to this subject, the trial and error method is mentioned on pdf pages 22 and 63. No credit to anybody in this edition.

    The 1995 edition of "Quartermaster 1 & C" is freely available at http://compass.seacadets.org/classroom/reading_room/navy.htm. The cookbooked "Franklin Technique" trial and error method is on pdf pages 77 and 87. Master Chief, you may need to "kick some Navy tail" if you don't want your name associated with the old trial and error method. I wouldn't want my name anywhere near it.

    I should finish my YP sea story. The instructor yelled "Hornblower! What are you doing?!" when he caught me adjusting that drafting machine all by myself. I had no idea what a Hornblower was, but knew by the tone of his voice that he was not pleased. Twenty some years later I learned what a Hornblower was, when reading the C.S. Forester novels for the first time. Perhaps that OCS instructor really wasn't so mad.

    Joe

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