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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Another Davis Instruments Mark 15 Question
From: Ken Gebhart
Date: 2003 Mar 1, 15:38 -0600
From: Ken Gebhart
Date: 2003 Mar 1, 15:38 -0600
Davis has always stated that no specific accuracy is implied (as compared to metal sextants). I suppose this means that if the sextant is put on a testing machine, results will differ with temperature, and maybe even time. The consensus among many people is that observations will fall within 3 minutes of true if the operator is experienced and checks the IC before and after every shot. Among inexperienced and/or careless operators, errors around 5 min. are reported, and in some extreme cases 10 - 13 mi nutes. Ken Gebhart George Istok wrote: > I have been corresponding with someone at Davis Instruments who has just > informed me that the accuracy rate of the Mark 15 sextant is +/- 5 degrees. > I am hoping there is a typo somewhere in his message. Also, I am not sure > what accuracy rate means. Even though the sextant is plastic, low cost, > etc., surely it has better accuracy than 5 degrees. Any thoughts? > > George Istok > Senior Consultant > Signal Hill Consultants, Inc.
