This post has several parts so bare with me please. If these subjects came up before I have not seen them.
1. I just learned that the 2017 PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR (Bowditch) is available. I downloaded it here and looked over a few chapters - it's really a wonderful piece of work.. If a young person was only interested in the sea this pub would give him everything he needs to function as a well rounded sailor in several disciplines. There is so much information the format now includes a second volume.
2. I know this forum is about CN, but forum members might also be interested in the other arts of navigation as well - I am, anyway. However, I'm having trouble finding good examples on how to use the Haversin tables. I know what a haversin is and the actual formula to find distance between two points, but an example of table use has not come to my attention... Has anyone a clue??
3. I dont know how well I can explain this, but the calculator in my cell phone (CP), which includes trig functions, does not arrive at the same answer as my electronic calculator or trig function tables. I have been learning, for the first time, how to use these tables as well as log tables with great satisfaction and fun, but my CP calculator really threw me for a loop when the Sin, Cos, and Tan functions spit out different numbers than what the purpose-built electronic calculator or tables say.
For example: Sin 40
Scientific Calculator - .64279 (rounded up)
Trig function Table - .64279
Cell Phone calculator - .74511
I can find no options in the Cell Phone calculator which might give me a clue as to why the numbers are not the same... Any Thoughts???
4. I would appreciate if anyone could give me a few plain examples on how to use the traverse tables. Meridional parts and conversion, Log of trig, and Amplitude tables also give me trouble... I have no idea as to their use.
I may not be much of a navigator or mathematician, but its not for want of trying... :) My goal is to acquire the same skills as those navigators who plied their trade before the advent of batteries and electronics. Dont get me wrong - I appreciate the modern convenience of GPS and all the other cool navigation stuff, but give me a Gunter scale and some tables to occupy my free time and Im as happy as a sailor with a beer in one hand a cute girl in the other.
Thanks in advance
joe
1. I just learned that the 2017 PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR (Bowditch) is available. I downloaded it here and looked over a few chapters - it's really a wonderful piece of work.. If a young person was only interested in the sea this pub would give him everything he needs to function as a well rounded sailor in several disciplines. There is so much information the format now includes a second volume.
2. I know this forum is about CN, but forum members might also be interested in the other arts of navigation as well - I am, anyway. However, I'm having trouble finding good examples on how to use the Haversin tables. I know what a haversin is and the actual formula to find distance between two points, but an example of table use has not come to my attention... Has anyone a clue??
3. I dont know how well I can explain this, but the calculator in my cell phone (CP), which includes trig functions, does not arrive at the same answer as my electronic calculator or trig function tables. I have been learning, for the first time, how to use these tables as well as log tables with great satisfaction and fun, but my CP calculator really threw me for a loop when the Sin, Cos, and Tan functions spit out different numbers than what the purpose-built electronic calculator or tables say.
For example: Sin 40
Scientific Calculator - .64279 (rounded up)
Trig function Table - .64279
Cell Phone calculator - .74511
I can find no options in the Cell Phone calculator which might give me a clue as to why the numbers are not the same... Any Thoughts???
4. I would appreciate if anyone could give me a few plain examples on how to use the traverse tables. Meridional parts and conversion, Log of trig, and Amplitude tables also give me trouble... I have no idea as to their use.
I may not be much of a navigator or mathematician, but its not for want of trying... :) My goal is to acquire the same skills as those navigators who plied their trade before the advent of batteries and electronics. Dont get me wrong - I appreciate the modern convenience of GPS and all the other cool navigation stuff, but give me a Gunter scale and some tables to occupy my free time and Im as happy as a sailor with a beer in one hand a cute girl in the other.
Thanks in advance
joe