NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Navigation-L Survey
From: David E. Gorelick
Date: 2001 Jun 10, 7:04 PM
From: David E. Gorelick
Date: 2001 Jun 10, 7:04 PM
Post replies to the list???? Well OK; but first: I'm a landlubber Navigator primarily since I have profound motion sickness and am usually an embarassment to all aboard! :) With that in mind, I have this awful avocational interest in things mathematical, scientific and historical so..........there we be. Dan Hogan wrote: > OK. One more time. PLEASE respond to the survey. Even if you are just getting > started. > > Post replies to the list primarily. I will summarize and post the results. > Navigation-l subscribers listed 182. The response to the survey has been 10!. > > Results will be posted June 13. > > ****************************************** > Navigation-L Survey > > a) Dead Reckoning > > What is the method used most? > > Mid-Latitude-----: Always; if not just plain and parallel simplistically. > Mercator Sailing-: > Rhumb Line-------: > Other(Name?)-----: I'll toy with great circle using Pub.No. 229 for the > points. This just for fun. > > b) Sight Reduction > > Which is your primary Sight reduction method? > > Computer Program(Name?)--------: Never! why bother? > Calculator(Name?)--------------: Yes! Nothing programmed; just a > scientific calc with the trig functions > Short Navigation Tables, > H.O. 211 etc.(Name?)-------: Have played with this for a try; but I > don't use it. > Standard Navigation Tables, > 229, 214 etc.(Name?)-------: Pub No. 229 if I use a table; I mostly > do this to compare table method that requires Assumed Position with Calculator > use of the DR. > > c) Plotting > > How do you do your plotting? On downloaded or purchased sheets using > Weems & Plath Parallel Plotter (the one with the roller bar), simple straight > edge and divider. > > Computer Program(Name?)---: none > Universal Plotting Sheets-: downloaded or copied from a book; pad > obtained at Celestaire > Manoeuvring Board---------: none > Radar Plotting Sheets-----: none > Home Made(Describe)-------: > > d) Navigation Manuals > > Name your main reference manual: > > Bowditch 1995 Ed.------------------: Yes : and of course the Nautical > Almanac > Bowditch (pre-1995)----------------: No > Mixter (Primer of Navigation)------: No > Chapman's--------------------------: No > Celestial Navigation for Yachtsman-: No > Shute----------------------------------: No > Shirk----------------------------------: No > Porter---------------------------------: No > Hemenway-------------------------------: No > > Name a manual/book that helped you the most: > > W.F. Buckley @ Airborne/Video----------: > Le Cours des Glenans-------------------: > Bowditch-1995--------------------------: Yes > Practical Celestial Navigation(HO 229)-: > Self-Contained Celestial Navigation----: > Mariner's Celestial Navigation---------: > Navigation Afloat----------------------: > Cruising Under Sail (E. Hiscock)-------: > Shute----------------------------------: > Shirk----------------------------------: > Porter---------------------------------: > Hemenway-------------------------------: > Mixter---------------------------------: > Turner, Merle B. Celestial for the Cruising Navigator > > e) Do you use the Nautical Almanac? > > Commercial-----------: Always ! ! > USNO-----------------: > Self-design Software-: > Computer-------------: > USNO Web Site--------: > Addenda: My "first read" was Howell, Susan Practical Celestial Navigation. About 15 years ago ; got me started. Since my interest is in applied math and history, I'll often do a problem in the comfort of my home using calculator and also a slide rule to compare accuracies with the AP method of Pub. No. 229. And........ I'll occasionally do some Lunar's using Stark, Bruce Tables for Clearing the Lunar Distance...... Since I have about 120 � of sea horizon from my living room and roof deck, I spend many a leisurly evening with the trigonometry. Oh yes the explanatory pages of the Almanac lend for many an experimental comparison. > Dave dgorelmd@home.com Lat 33� 55' N Lon 118� 06' W (by my own sites for 4 yrs plotted variously!)