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Byron: I don't see a need for test or teaching the EX-MERIDIAN But for entertainment for QM’S out to sea for most the year it was a good game to bet for cokes."On the OUTPOST AGR 10, From 1958 t0 about 63”, The Outpost was a 2nd WWII Liberty Ship with almost the same old equipment aboard, I was the senior and only 2nd class QM aboard, I stood no watch but had the duty to ensure our position on station a few hundred mile off the US. Coast. Much of the time Loran A was bad out there, so celestial was our position day and night. For enjoyment the QM’S had an ongoing game of ex meridian for “whom to buy the cokes”. A few of us would see how good we were by using Ex Meridian as LAN and work the sun line for about a 7 degree intersection fix. That was the only way for a one shot fix. It was more for fun and a coke bet for the closest to what was thought to be our position DR. from Loran A and other sun lines.” It was a one shot deal, not waiting for the time of meridian passage. This was years ago I can remember and had no way to accurately know how far the sights were in error, but The QM’S were good, if your fix was a mile from the others, you would start passing out the cokes It was simply to use our DR Longitude and go in to the Almanac for the sun GHA and GMT equal to Longitude. Subtract or add 28 minutes for a 7 degrees intersection for the shot. Then work the EX-meridian and sun line for the fix. Sometimes wait and work the true LAN. I don’t remember any real difference in EX or LAN. The Outpost was not going anywhere just staying on station. This is where I started using my VERTICAL SEXTANT. Has anyone tried that? I think with a good sextant and horizon, even with the narrow 7-8 degrees the LOP intersection will only be off a few miles. You can even do a can problem on a chart to evaluate the situation of the small angle fix without doing the actual sight. may be as good, as or better than a running fix? The Outpost gyro was always moving around, this is where I developed the Franklin Piloting technique out of need to enter port.
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