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As a new member to this list I find the question as interesting as
the intent that this list serve "traditional" navigation.  First:
what is traditional navigation?  Is it the fellow that discovered
that those things (stars) don't seem to move even if he does?  The
fellow who discovered that those stars do move but at a relatively
constant rate regardless of where he is?  The fellow who figured out
a clock can be set by a radio wave?  Or the fellow who uses an
electronic machine to do the calculations for information obtained
from a sextant and a clock?  To me, navigation is and has been an
evolving science with small (and sometimes incorrect) steps between
major discoveries.  A satelite is a man-made celestial body and a GPS
receiver is an electronic machine that "measures" the angle and does
the math, if you will.  So, in my opinion, the boundary as utilized
by these members is "manual determination of the angle with the
computational tool of choice."  I have not been on this list long
enough to offer my opinion as to where the boundary should be.

Now to answer the question: yes, I think history should be included.
Perhaps you need to refine your subject lines.  "Lunars without a
horizon: how John Doe (1790-1840) did it"  "Lunars without a horizon:
methods using a clock" could be examples.

As for me, I'm considering spitting out the anchor after a dozen
years away from the sea.  I'm willing to sift through (and out) the
historical details in order to get back to speed.  I just hope the
experts here are still willing to help those of us who are not as
good at it as you are.

   

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