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Nav-L Survey Results


Subject: Nav-L Survey Results
From: Dan Hogan (dhhogan@XXX.XXX)
Date: Wed Jun 13 2001 - 08:43:03 EDT


All:

This is the survey result. As you would expect those with more experience or a
technical interest in navigation tend to use more than one method. There was
not enough response to make any significant analysis. A couple of people
replied twice. I included any new material in their survey replies.

So take a look and lets create some discussion.

Dead Reckoning - Just about all the Sailings are used, both calculated and in
                 tables.

Sight Reduction - Also no clear favorite method, other than the trend toward
                  electronic calculation.

Plotting - The big favorite seems to be the Universal Plotting Sheets.

Bowditch - 1995 Edition is a major reference, probably because of its low cost
           and availability.

Commercial Almanac- Is a favorite probably for low cost. Which is why I use
                    it. Next popular is computer program generated almanacs.

Members: 182
Survey Response: 21
Percentage: 11.5%

***************************************************

Navigation-L Survey

a) Dead Reckoning

        What is the method used most?

    Mid-Latitude-----: 7
    Mercator Sailing-: 7
    Rhumb Line-------: 8
    Other(Name?)-----: 2 Great Circle, 1 Cockpit Plotter, 1 Trig Tables
                       1 Bowditch Tables, 1 Traverse Table, 1 Navigator Lt.,
                       1 D = T x S, 1 Nories Tables

b) Sight Reduction

        Which is your primary Sight reduction method?

    Computer Program(Name?)--------: 2 self design, 1 Navig96b, 1 Spreadsheet
                                     2 Navigator Lt., 1 The Cap'n,
                                     1 Sightmaster III

    Calculator(Name?)--------------: 4 HP-48, 4 Scientific, 1 StarPilot,
                                     1 non-programmable, 1 HP38
    Short Navigation Tables
        H.O. 211 etc.(Name?)-------: 6 211, 1 208, 1 Air Tables(?)

    Standard (Inspection) Navigation Tables
        229, 214 etc.(Name?)-------: 3 229, 1 214, 1 229, 1 229 SmallBoat,
                                     4 249, 1 ABC Tables

    Other(Name?)-------------------: 1 Nautical Almanac Tables, 1 Lunars,
                                     1 cosine-haversine

c) Plotting

   How do you do your plotting?

    Computer Program(Name?)---: 1 Self Design, 1 Navig96b, 1 xfig,
                                1 Davis Astro Navigator, 1 The Cap'n
    Universal Plotting Sheets-: 8
    Manoeuvring Board---------: 4
    Radar Plotting Sheets-----: 1
    Home Made(Describe)-------: 3 Lined Paper, 1 QED

d) Navigation Manuals

   Name your main reference manual:

        Bowditch 1995 Ed.-----------------------: 9
        Bowditch (pre-1995)---------------------: 6
        Mixter (Primer of Navigation)-----------: 6
        Chapman's-------------------------------: 3
        Celestial Navigation for Yachtsman------: 4
        Shute-----------------------------------: 1
        Shirk-----------------------------------: 1
        Porter----------------------------------: 1
        Hemenway--------------------------------: 1
        Dutton's--------------------------------: 4
        Hobbs-----------------------------------: 1
        Turner - Celestial for the Cruising Nav.: 1
        Admiralty Manual, Vol. II---------------: 1

    Name a manual/book that helped you the most:

        W.F. Buckley @ Airborne/Video----------: 1
        Dutton---------------------------------: 3
        Le Cours des Glenans-------------------: 1
        Bowditch-1995--------------------------: 5
        Bowditch-pre 1995----------------------: 2
        Practical Celestial Navigation(HO 229)-: 3
        Self-Contained Celestial Navigation----: 2
        Mariner's Celestial Navigation---------: 2
        Navigation Afloat----------------------: 1
        Cruising Under Sail (E. Hiscock)-------: 3
        Shute----------------------------------: 1
        Williams - Geometery of Navigation-----: 1
        Shirk----------------------------------: 1
        Porter---------------------------------: 1
        Hemenway-------------------------------: 1
        Mixter---------------------------------: 2
        USPS-----------------------------------: 1
        Turner, Celestial for the Cruising Nav.: 1

e) Do you use the Nautical Almanac?

        Commercial-----------: 10
        USNO-----------------: 3
        Self-design Software-: 2
        Computer-------------: 5
        USNO Web Site--------: 2
        I.C.E.---------------: 2

Dan Hogan WA6PBY
C27 "Gacha"
dhhogan@XXX.XXX
Nav-L Page: http://www.wa6pby.com





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