cass123
New member
Posted a question couple of days ago re powering laptop on board.
Thanks to all who responded. Nigel L; took your advise and joined
GPS discussion group on Yahoo.
Couple of weeks ago, bought one of these compact flash receivers for 68 euro and only the size of a fag packet
for use with the laptop. After seeing my position given to three decimal
points after the minute, got to thinking how it used to be ....
in the days when "Board of Trade"was still stamped on your ticket
Anyone reading who was 2nd.mate at the beginning of the 70's will
remember...............
You did the 12-4 and crashed around 0530 after a few beers with the
3rd.engineer. Called 3 hours later and up to bridge clutching bacon
butty. Made cup if tea,finished butty,wound cronometer,grabbed sextant
(assuming the various errors hadn't changed since the last time you checked in spite of being bounced in and out of box) ,went to bridge wing hoping you would be able to see the sun and horizon and preferably both at the same time. Took your 3 sights while trying to
keep your balance on a bridge wing rolling and pitching all over the place. Then surrounded by bits of paper and a well worn dog eared
copy of Norie's Tables using a height of eye correction which bore no resemblance whatsoever to high the bridge wing was when you took the sights. Got your p/l ,ran it up to noon, couple of G and T's , had lunch,then back up for noon sights. Got latitude, ran it to noon,adjusted
morning p/l and bingo , position where the ship was at noon. Secretly,you knew the ship was no where near the position but you hoped that she was at least within a couple of miles of it.
Now,yesterday,35 years further on , I plugged a piece of black plastic
into the PC, pressed a few buttons, had a fag, and meantime a position
accurate to about 5 meters appeared.................
Don't really need a GPS , but for me it's pure , shameless facination
especially when you think how it used to be.
Thanks to all who responded. Nigel L; took your advise and joined
GPS discussion group on Yahoo.
Couple of weeks ago, bought one of these compact flash receivers for 68 euro and only the size of a fag packet
for use with the laptop. After seeing my position given to three decimal
points after the minute, got to thinking how it used to be ....
in the days when "Board of Trade"was still stamped on your ticket
Anyone reading who was 2nd.mate at the beginning of the 70's will
remember...............
You did the 12-4 and crashed around 0530 after a few beers with the
3rd.engineer. Called 3 hours later and up to bridge clutching bacon
butty. Made cup if tea,finished butty,wound cronometer,grabbed sextant
(assuming the various errors hadn't changed since the last time you checked in spite of being bounced in and out of box) ,went to bridge wing hoping you would be able to see the sun and horizon and preferably both at the same time. Took your 3 sights while trying to
keep your balance on a bridge wing rolling and pitching all over the place. Then surrounded by bits of paper and a well worn dog eared
copy of Norie's Tables using a height of eye correction which bore no resemblance whatsoever to high the bridge wing was when you took the sights. Got your p/l ,ran it up to noon, couple of G and T's , had lunch,then back up for noon sights. Got latitude, ran it to noon,adjusted
morning p/l and bingo , position where the ship was at noon. Secretly,you knew the ship was no where near the position but you hoped that she was at least within a couple of miles of it.
Now,yesterday,35 years further on , I plugged a piece of black plastic
into the PC, pressed a few buttons, had a fag, and meantime a position
accurate to about 5 meters appeared.................
Don't really need a GPS , but for me it's pure , shameless facination
especially when you think how it used to be.