Topics

1

Variations of Existing Techniques / crosses in Spain for orientation

« on: March 16, 2015, 01:39:48 PM »

Into my fourth week in Andalucía, I have noticed that crosses on steeples and monuments tend to face east-west,which lets them double as noon marks; I intend to be in the UK by August. Cheers

2

Satnav (GPS GLONASS COMPASS Galileo) / satellite free navigation 3 to 5 years away?

« on: May 22, 2014, 03:59:17 AM »

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/58952/satellite-free-navigation-systems-three-to-five-years-away-report

3

Emergency & Backup Equipment / Romanian Rescue Rover

« on: December 02, 2013, 11:29:03 AM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNwWf1r0HbA

Captions in Romanian, but what you see is what you get.

Moon Rover Technology put to good use?

4

General Discussion / observation & memory in navigation

« on: October 12, 2013, 12:10:12 AM »

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0907-virtual_reality_for_navigation_skills.htm

This is how I do it: looking at the map beforehand is part of the process.
PS  Fruitflies can do it, too.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131009201101.htm

5

Variations of Existing Techniques / Orientation technique

« on: October 01, 2013, 06:56:02 AM »

When estimating the strike of a land form; be it coast line, river bank , road, railway line, a ridge or valley; this method allows one to quickly sketch, on paper or on the ground, a map of his surrounds, thus making it easier to find his location on a proper map, or to make his own map.  At whatever angle the distant object is to the vertical, so it is to the azimuth of that vertical.The Scene S36.9407,E149.913399

6

Variations of Existing Techniques / Reckoning Distance:

« on: September 20, 2013, 08:52:22 AM »

On p63 of the Book, there is a description of how to use special binoculars to find the Distance of an object, if one know its height or width [Real Size]
Distance equals Size times 1000 divided by the reading on the scale [Apparent Size].
 In this case,the Binoculars have been made so that the Apparent Distance, relative to the scale, is 1000.
So, using terms Real Distance [D]; Real Size {S}; Apparent Distance [d]; Apparent Size {s}, we have the Ratios D:S::d:s, this becomes D:: Sd:s, or D=Sd/s; thus Real Distance is in inverse proportion to Apparent Size.
If one has no special device for Range Finding. he may go primitive: for Apparent Distance [d] use the length from the eye to the scale that is held by the outstretched arm [usually 10 time the length of the thumb, or the distance between the eyes: see Stereoscopic Ranging p169]. Thus for the scale, hold up a Ruled Edge to the Distant Object, invert the figure as a fraction of the units[¹/_s], multiply by Real Size{S} & Apparent Distance[d]. The result will be the Real Distance [D].
NOTE: NO measurement is exact, especially with things that move.

7

New Techniques & Learning / Moon as a Compass

« on: September 15, 2013, 08:21:41 AM »

The Moon, by its Face one knows its Direction

The Moon rises in the East & sets in the West,
 moving through North if one be south of the Tropic of Capricorn, seeming to roll clockwise;
 & moving through South if one be north of the Tropic of Cancer, seeming to roll anticlockwise.

"Let the Part nearest the Horizon have the same Azimuth as the Horizon"_ Cassini
 

8

Navigational Questions & Answers / On Latitude & Longitude: why the confusion?

« on: September 15, 2013, 04:37:44 AM »

having read that some are uncertain about how Latitude & Longitude work {something that I was taught in Primary School}, I present this simple explanation: the Earth rotates about its axis, the Axis of Rotation, or Longitude, is also known as the Meridian; the Plane of Rotation, or Latitude, is parallel with the Equator, which is the Null point of N or S, the Poles being at 90 degrees thence. E & W are, by International Agreement, measured from the Greenwich Meridian, formerly Teneriffe, Hamburg, Paris, Beijing, or elsewhere. Grid Reference is only of use if one have a map; Navigational Astronomy gives its results in terms of Degrees, Minutes, & Seconds, Knots are the measure of Seconds of Arc traveled one hour. eg: the square root of height in Feet equals Distance seen in Knots, or Minutes of Arc.  A protractor will assist one to visualise what is intended.

9

New Member Introductions / Greeting from New South Wales.

« on: September 15, 2013, 03:59:44 AM »

Greetings, fellow way-finders: my special interests have been Naked Eye Astronomy & asking myself, How would this have been tackled in the Paleolithic? I do go camping & walking, have seen Glaciers, Volcanoes, Coral Reefs, Rain forest & Savannah. I have learnt several things, which I shall share with you here.  PS I even learnt things from Lyle's book. There is no end to learning.