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Subject: Re: astrocompass still in use
From: Brian Whatcott (betwys@XXX.XXX)
Date: Wed Sep 25 2002 - 11:36:18 EDT
I looked on the image with a rare lust.
Where is one to be purchased now, and for what cost, I wonder?
Brian W
At 05:18 AM 9/25/02, you wrote:
>Ah, you have brought up a topic which is very near and dear to my heart.
>The Astrocompass. I bought one in 1983 from a fellow who had a warehouse
>full of these items, as well as MK IX RAE Bubble Sextants.
>
>I have always considered the astrocompass to be not only a utilitarian
>device but also a work of artistic beauty.
>
>The astrocompass is still in use in Arctic Canada; in fact according to
>one of my contacts in the airline industry, its use -- as a backup system
>for maintaining a heading -- in small aircraft such as twin otters, is
>still mandatory.
>
>So you can see that it is still in use for it's originally intended
>purpose.
>
>I still have a set of the original instructions that came with the unit. I
>used to have a paper entitled "Using the Astro Compass as a Transit" but
>it has long since dissapeared.
>
> >The astrocompass lives on. A major utility company in California
> >allows engineers and architects to borrow one to evaluate solar access
> >to a building site. Here is their online manual:
>
><http://www.pge.com/003_save_energy/003c_edu_train/pec/toolbox/tll/app_notes/astro_comp.shtml>
Brian Whatcott
Altus OK Eureka!
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