NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Learn the stars, by phone
From: James N Wilson
Date: 2009 May 14, 10:51 -0700
From: James N Wilson
Date: 2009 May 14, 10:51 -0700
George: Your discussion of problems with compasses reminded me of an ancient experience--putting a compass in a tank. I headed a team to advise the army, and they were looking for a more modern way than the existing one: the tank commander stopped the tank, got out and walked fifty feet away and read his hand compass. They had been sold on a scheme which had an aircraft fluxgate compass on a fender, but it was awful. Deviation of up to 300 degrees! I couldn't believe it. The only way it worked was with the tank stopped on level ground pointing north. Not very utile. A general asked me could GPS be used to get a heading. I asked our JPL navigators about that, and they came up with two schemes that could do the job. Of course, that's common now, and a lot more. Jim Wilson ____________________________________________________________ Digital Photography - Click Now. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Navigation List archive: www.fer3.com/arc To post, email NavList@fer3.com To , email NavList-@fer3.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
