NavList:

   

Reply

Gary, you wrote:
"You may be forgetting that radio time signals are not always available
everywhere all the time."

Right, but even without a proper time signal, you still have the option of
asking anyone who can hear... something like, "Calling all ships, can I get
a check on GMT please?" Was there a Morse code shorthand for that whole
question?? Back in the 19th century, "speaking other vessels" was a very
common method of checking the longitude/GMT. But of course, the other vessel
had to be in signalling range (maybe a quarter mile for messages written in
chalk on a slate to be readable by telescope ?? a bit further when
signalling flags became common ??). But with radio, suddenly you could speak
to vessels half a world away.

Clearly, chronometers were not suddenly replaced by cheap watches when radio
first appeared aboard ship. But surely there was some effect on the market.
If I could get a radio set (let's say c.1920) for the price of two
chronometers, then maybe I could get by with one good chronometer and a
couple of hack watches. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts or better
yet evidence. Perhaps looking at chronometer prices in almanac
advertisements would yield some data.

 -FER

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
To post to this group, send email to NavList@fer3.com
To , send email to NavList-@fer3.com
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

   

Reply