Next message: Wally: "Re: lv-ab: GPS-->Notebook: Navigation Software"
Quite apart from the inherent system errors with GPS or any other system for
that matter:
Recreational boaters come from a wide range of experience.
Some have formal training in navigation other learn on their own.
Moer often they use a variety of techniques some of which are not really
appropriate for electronic navigation.
The worst case scenario is when they rely blindly on the display as being a
true representation of the real world.
Even with formal training programs there is little in the way of instruction
regarding the transition from paper to e-chart work. The whole subject is so
new that it becomes a transition process which changes faster than curriculums
can be developed.
As often as not, there is an implicit assumption that the paper char proceduers
can be translated directly into electronic applications.
Popular software packages which combines radar overlays with e-charts tend to
give a false sense of reality. In many ways it resembles a virtual computer
game.
Professional mariners taught the traditional methods are much more rigerous in
their approach to check for mistakes and errors. The relative ease with which
GPS instantaneously places aan icon on what is depicted as the real time p
[osition ona chart display creates a fals sense of security.
Recreational boaters lacking this formal and more rigorous technique may not
even realize the risks they are running.
Sales hype employed by almost all the software companies encourage the false
impression of infallibility. The hype tends to make people think navigation is
easy and quickly learned by beginners.
Cheers
Arild
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