
NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: RAM vs. ROM for Celestial Calculators
From: Tony S
Date: 2000 Jan 05, 12:18 AM
From: Tony S
Date: 2000 Jan 05, 12:18 AM
Luis: Welcome aboard! I found your descriptions fascinating as I have traveled similar roads since 1975, but with different equipments at that time. Reflecting: my-oh-my have the tools and capabilities progressed since then! Your posting came through very well, obviously. Let us hear more from you. Tony San Francisco, CA (author of NAVIG 94 ++) Luis Soltero wrote: > > Hi Everyone, > > This is my first posting so I hope it goes well. A few weeks ago while > perusing the > roninhouse navigation list archive I ran into a series of postings concerned > with the > RAM vs ROM issue in celestial calculators. At the time I was not a member > of > the mailing list so I sent the following e-mail to Bill Murdoch. Anyway, I > think > my mail mesg to Bill is of general interest so I include it here. > > Thanks, > > --luis > > Hi Bill, > > This is Luis Soltero the author of the Starpath StarPilot. > > It was fun discovering a fellow navigator who has implemented > celestial stuff on the TI calculator series. Prior to my most recent > search on the net I was under the impression that I had been the > only one. > > I started the StarPilot project in the summer of 96 and implemented > early versions on the TI-80, TI-81, TI-82 and TI-83. At one point I > released into the Share Ware domain a preliminary version called NavTI-8X > which ran on both the 86 and 82. These products have both been > retracted from the SW since I no longer have time to support them. > > Anyway, There are a few items in your e-mail > ( http://www.i-DEADLINK-com/lists/navigation/1999/0918.html) that I would like > to clarify. Since I dont know how to subscribe to the navigational > e-mail list I thought I would write directly to you. It would be great > if you could post this for me. > > The key sequence for finding the version number on the 86 is > [2nd][mode][alpha][s] > if at this time you hit [enter] the memory will be erased. It is very > unlikely that anyone will hit this sequence by accident. > > Unlike the 82, the 86 will print a mesg on the screen when the 4AAA > batteries get low. Like the 82 the screen gets dimmer as the batteries > loose charge requiring you to increase the brightness of the display > with [2nd][up arrow]. When the brightness level hits 8 or so the > calculator will print a mesg on the screen to tell you to change out > the batteries. The unit will not run on the lithium battery alone. The > lithium battery is strictly used to backup the memory if the main > batteries go dead. The battery systems are totally independent and > the AAAs can be left out of the unit for an extended period without > impacting the charge of the Lithium backup battery or loosing memory. > > As you know the 4AAA batteries last for ever. I purchased my > TI-86 in 1997 have used it extensively in the development of > the StarPilot product and on average change out the AAA batteries > once a year. Only 3 sets of batteries have been used in the complete > development of the product and I use my unit A LOT! > > To reset the memory on the calculator you must execute > [2nd][mem][f3][f1][f4]. > Again unlikely to happen by accident. > > Starpath encourages customers to buy the Ti GraphLink cable by selling them > at a reduced price ($19.95) In the very unlikely event of memory loss you > can reload the software from any computer. This could be done from an > internet > cafe any where in the world by simply hooking up the cable to the system. > The > TI Graph Link software as well as the StarPilot is available for download > over > the internet at NO cost i.e. for Free. > > AAA batteries are readily available world wide unlike the CR... Li batteries > (used > exclusively in some of the ROM based celestial calculators) which > can be difficult to find in the 3rd world. I have even purchased batteries > in Kuna Yala > San Blas Panama where roads, electricity and the wheel have not yet been > discovered. > > Another strong point for the 86 is that it is readily available world wide. > So, if you happen to > drop the thing in the water during the Americas Cup 2000 in Australia, > simply walk down > to the local TI reseller buy a new one, stop by the Internet cafe on the way > back to your > boat and you are in business. Needless to say this mode of recovery is not > available from manufacturers > of ROM based systems. > > Please keep in mind that the TI-86 is designed for high school kids and is a > robust durable > unit. I have launched my 86 across the boat during a particular rough > passage cracked the cover and > continued doing sight reductions with out a problem. Replacement covers in > a multitude of > colors are available directly from TI and their distributors and an > indestructible padded water proof > box is available for the StarPilot from Starpath if you wish to take better > care of your unit > than I do mine. > > Finally, StarPilot updates are available for free over the internet. As new > features are added > to the software customers can easily update their units by simply > downloading the latest > software over the internet. If you feel that a feature is missing in the > StarPilot simply send > us an e-mail. If we feel that the feature is useful to the public in > general we will implement > it and make it available to every one. We have done this for customers > several times > already. For example, The original StarPilot did not implement Sun > Amplitudes or a comprehensive > ETA function. It now does thanks to our users and these features are > available via > download over the internet as version 1.53. > > The StarPilot web page has come a long way since its initial release Nov 5. > I invite you > to browse the StarPilot page at > http://www.starpath.com/catalog/tools/1863.htm. > > Thanks for our consideration and your e-mailed comments are welcome. > > Sincerely, > > Luis Soltero, Ph.D. > StarPilot development team > Starpath School of Navigation