Next message: George Huxtable: "Re: Perpendicularity"
We can quite reasonably hope that the system will never go out, though
with the problems NASA has been having with the space shuttle and
satelite launches, who knows? The cheapie GPS receiver you have on
board is quite another matter. It is susceptible to lightening
strikes, getting crunched, dead batteries, falling overboard and so
on.
Has anyone ever heard of a vessel loosing all of its GPSs while at
sea? If it hasn't happened yet, I suspect it will.
Nels
On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 08:18:22 +1000, Lisa Fiene <> wrote:
> Sure, you're right in that you can't always get a sight, but it's a
> skill I definitely want to keep up.
>
> Interesting that you say you've never had a problem with the accuracy
> and reliability of GPS, as this has been my experience also. That being
> said, I do know of yachties who've recently had to undergo nav. courses
> as they had experienced failure of their GPS at sea.
>
> Anyways, guess people could go on and on about this. I just know I
> personally wouldn't leave home without my sextant on board.
>
> Lisa
>
>
>
>
> Herbert Prinz wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > I do not see how one can maintain this attitude in the face of reality. In my
> > admittedly very limited experience of ten thousand off shore miles over the last
> > ten years I have not ONCE been in a situation where GPS didn't work, but cel nav
> > would. In fact, I have not once been in a situation at sea where GPS didn't work.
> > Full stop. But I have REPEATEDLY been in situations where celestial was
> > unavailable for several days in a row and GPS was the only position finding tool
> > available. Conclusion: Celestial is not even a backup!
> >
> > Herbert Prinz
> >
> >
>
