04-22-2017, 06:09 PM
(04-22-2017, 10:55 AM)Rdutton Wrote: Rumata-
Working with paper is more enjoyable than electronics but lugging around Pub. 229 wouldn't be so bad if I considered that, no, I'm probably not going to sail around the world so all volumes aren't needed. Only, at my latitudes of sailing, Vol 3 is necessary.
What has kept me from using 229 for stars with declinations over 29° is using the Hc and the Z formula and a calculator. Hc can be calculated using the simple Casio fx-300ES (about $10) in about 8 seconds. Z takes around 10 seconds. Whenever using those formulas and calculator a thought passes through my mind when looking at the device that, "one of these days when you're most needed you wont work".
You can find the formulas here-
https://thenauticalalmanac.com/Formulas.html
Roland
Yes, Roland, I'm with you. For practical purposes-definitely YES. For years I liked to hike and climb mountains and deserts ( hike, of course ;>). More than once there was no GPS signal inside canyons where 70-100 feet walls for some reasons blocked the reception. No map-no go. Because the maze of dry washes looked amazingly like trails. I consider celestial navigation as the science developed and advanced over centuries. For instance, nobody, I'm sure, from practicing sailors would use Ageton method but it is very interesting to see how somebody despite all those baggage of knowledge available, still was able to develop a workable system.
Bottom line: agree with you.