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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

1505.0. "Handheld Electronic Nav Aids?" by MEMORY::LAZGIN () Fri May 11 1990 12:25

    I'm interested in buying a Handheld RDF and would like replies
    regarding ease of use, Accuracy, Brand-name, Quality and Cost.
    
    I belong to the Boston Harbor Sailing Club and sail Pearson 26.
    Portable electronic navigation is useful because I can use
    it independent of the boat I sail.
    
    Any comments on handheld LORAN or SATNAV (too expensive) are also
    welcome!
    
    Frank

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1505.1	buy a loran	MSCSSE::BERENS	Alan Berens	`Fri May 11 1990 12:44`	9
	The only handheld RDF of which I am aware is the Lokata, a very good unit that sells for over $350. You can buy a good loran (eg, Apelco DXL6300) for $300. There are very few RDF stations/beacons in the US, and they aren't very close together. The accuracy of the position obtained from a RDF fix isn't very good. Bearing accuracy is on the order of 5 degrees -- try plotting two lines of position 5 degrees apart and you'll see why the position fix is dubious at best. We have a RDF, but we bought it back when the cheapest loran was over $1000. Today I'd buy a second loran before buying a RDF, at least for US coastal sailing.
1505.2	More trivia	AITG::COUTURE	Abandon shore	`Fri May 11 1990 13:24`	2
	Another bit of nautical trivia - Does anyone know who originally designed and manufactured the Lokata?
1505.3		STEREO::HO		`Fri May 11 1990 13:54`	3
	Dodge Morgan? - gene
1505.4	One X	AITG::COUTURE	Abandon shore	`Fri May 11 1990 15:32`	3
	Nope? Hint - he's dead!
1505.5	God I love Jeopardy !	FROSTY::THUET		`Mon May 14 1990 10:49`	3
	Who was Tom Blackaller ?
1505.6	And the Answer Is!	AITG::COUTURE	Abandon shore	`Mon May 14 1990 13:02`	8
	Nope, the answer is Donald Crowhurst, the guy who set off on a round the world race in a catamaran, sent out a bunch of false transmissions about where he was, went nuts and finally jumped off his boat. There's a book about the whole incident called, "The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst." Good reading, although reading his last log entries - after he had gone mad - is a little rough.
1505.7	Low end suggestion	TARKIN::HAYS	Is this the end or the beginning? ... Phil BXB02-2/G06 293-5852	`Mon May 14 1990 15:56`	30
	RE:.0 by MEMORY::LAZGIN > Handheld Electronic Navigation Aids > I'm interested in buying a Handheld RDF and would like replies > regarding ease of use, Accuracy, Brand-name, Quality and Cost. > I belong to the Boston Harbor Sailing Club and sail Pearson 26. > Portable electronic navigation is useful because I can use > it independent of the boat I sail. The RDF I would suggest is a handheld AM radio. Why? Number of stations and the price is right. _Not_ foolproof. Very useful in some places, and useless in others, depending on where AM station's antennas are located. Newport, RI has a well positioned station. Many other places do not. Check it out. Marine band RDF's will be useful in approaching major harbors. Brenton Reef tower (off Newport) has a marine band beacon. Away from major harbors, it will be much less useful. RDF's in general are not real easy to use, have accuracy dependant on range to the station, and there are not enough stations on any band. On the US coast at least, a loran is a better bet if you are going to spend ~$300 for a good quality unit. Loran accuracy varies with location and receiver from better than .1 mile to as bad as 1 mile. SatNav is much more expensive ($1000+) and does not provide 24 hour service. Accuracy is about .05 miles. Phil