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Subject: GPS vs Chart
From: Gordon Talge (gtalge@XXX.XXX)
Date: Mon Oct 04 1999 - 03:42:04 EDT
It seems to me that the GPS is now getting the blame for Chart errors.
Perhaps the Celestial navigator was a bit more careful because he/she
knew that his/her position was somewhat in error, chart as well as
his calculations. The GPS navigator thinks everything is "right on
the money". The GPS is probably right, and the chart is in error, if
something is really off.
On charts of the Pacific you see stuff like, "Island reported 1/2 mile East
of charted position -- April 1930".
Back in the good ole days, you used celestial to get yourself in the
general area, and then started searching for your island. Read the
account of the HMS Bounty looking for Pitcarin Island.
I also read an account of a ship in the general area of Cocos Island.
They were looking for the island to get fresh water. Although they were
at the reported position of the island, they never sighted it and after
a couple of days searching, gave up. Other ships later spotted the island
right away.
-- Gordon
,,,
(. .)
+-----------------------ooO-(_)-Ooo----------------------+
| Gordon Talge WB6YKK e-mail: gtalge@XXX.XXX |
| Department of Mathematics QTH: Loma Linda, CA |
| Aquinas High School Lat. N 34° 03.1' |
| San Bernardino, CA 92404 Long. W 117° 15.2' |
| http://www.AquinasHS.net |
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