WHERE THE HECK AM I?:
(ASK-SPOCK?)
BETTER THAN CRUMBS TRAILS:
(24 SATELLITES TRIANGULATION)
AND WHY YOU REALLY SHOULD BUY OR RENT ONE OF THEM!:
A new development on this important survival aspect. An ever increasing raft of products is trying to answer this fundamental question.
If your question is more geographical than metaphysical, then you are a prime candidate for the new Panasonic KX-G5700.
That mumbo jumbo name refers to the SMALLEST HAND HELD GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM YET.
And the first with a built-in display. By tapping into the Defense Department's system of 24 satellites.
The KX-G5700 can determine YOUR EXACT LATITUDE, LONGITUDE & ALTITUDE. (Not attitude!)
The price was announced but by the time this article gets to you there is no doubt in my mind that newer versions will have come about at good price, to rent or buy them.
If when one values his or her life, and that of his or her family and friends safety & peace of mind should accident or mishap occur in the wild...
If one can afford car or yatch; or to go hunting etc. Then one should real seriously consider the security and other advantages for him or his family in case of emergency and to buy or rent such a tracking unit for safety & peace of mind
If you don't go in the water without a life jacket! Then don't go into the wild without a tracking system which will work better than any older methods, especially when calling in for help. (SOS - SPOCK!!!) So be prudent and wise and get on track; use new tracking system. Let science help you!
After all a compass was a good progress, why not use a better way, even bringing your old compass would not hurt anyway. Safety should prevail.
SEA CALCULATION OF POSITION:
Lost in the middle of Atlantic but you have a map of this ocean. You want to know where you are so now you have to determine your Latitude which is the distance in degree separating you from the Equator.
And your Longitude is the distance in degrees separating you from the #meridian# based on Greenwich England.
Suppose that you are 45 degree NORTH Latitude and 12 degree Longitude WEST. To locate yourself on the map trace a horizontal line on the map at 45 degree NORTH and a Vertical line at 12 degree of WEST Longitude, you are at the cross of those 2 lines.
SEXTANT:
If you are that lucky to have one then you MUST take your bearing at Noon exactly when the sun is at its peak.
Hold the sextant in left hand, put the viewer against the right eye and set the sextant with your right hand.
But you MUST try to stay stable while doing so. Place the mirror just in front of the horizon now bring the sun reflection exactly in the mirror using the 2nd mirror which inclination is variable and carry along the needle.
When the sun reflects correctly in this mirror, block the sextant and read the Number indicated by the needle.
This Number indicates the angle that the sun makes with the Zenith the point above your head. This Number will help you to calculate your latitude.
#DECLINAISON & DECLIVITY?# TABLE:
Suppose that you have such a table at hand you could read for ex:
Date #DECLIVITY#:
21 June 23 degree 27'
22 June 23 ...... 11'
23 June 22 ...... 55'
24 June 22 ...... 39' etc.
Suppose that we are the 29 June and in reading this date you see (+ 21) this (+) before 21 means that you MUST add 21 degree to the 20 degree you have found on the sextant if this is what it said. So 21 + 20 = 41.
These 41 degrees represent your latitude. So after having made your bearing at Noon the Number found is the one to add to the one given by the date of the day you have made your bearings.
(Sextant + Table) of the day. If you don't know the day you are nor the times then forget it.
CAUTION:
In the above ex. We had to add the declivity to the Number found by the sextant, but sometimes we MUST subtract it. When? Well, the table will tell you this.
In reading the table you see that the 21 June declivity was +23 degree 27'; then it diminishes afterward and down to zero on the 23 Sept. (First day of fall.)
Then it becomes negative increasingly till the 22 December. Where it reaches - 23 degree 27'.
During winter it will go from -23 degree 27' to 0 degree on the 21 March up to + 23 degree 27' on the 21 June.
For the Southern Hemisphere you just work in reverse pattern. EX:
NORTH HEMISPHERE:
21 March = 0 degree.
SOUTH = 0 degree.
NORTH HEMISPHERE:
21 June = + 23 degree 27'
SOUTH = - 23 degree 27'
NORTH HEMISPHERE:
23 Sept. = 0 degree
SOUTH = 0 degree
NORTH HEMISPHERE:
22 Dec.= - 23 degree 27'
SOUTH = + 23 ...... 27'
SOME EXAMPLE:
On the 21 Dec. you find on the sextant 60 degrees. On this date the table gives -23 degree 27' thus you will calculate: ( -23:27' + 60 or 60- 23:27' = 36: Latitude is 36 degree 33'.)
On the 14 March you get 30 degree on the sextant and the table shows (-3) so; 30 - 3= 27 NORTH latitude.
You are now walking on an iceberg and on the 21 March you get 90 degrees on your sextant & the table indicates 0 degree so: 90 - 0 = 90 you are now in dead centre of the NORTH pole.
Next you are in the SOUTH Hemisphere reading 35 degree on the 21 June and the table gives: -23:27'.
So: 35 - 23:27'= 6:33' SOUTH Latitude which is lot warmer than NORTH pole.
#NO DECLIVITY TABLE?:#
Then use your brain??? The Summer starts the 21 June ends 23 Sept. Between these 2 dates the #declivity# diminish regularly from 23:27' to O: degree.
So we will calculate easily? How many degrees & minutes this #declivity# diminishes each day. To do so lets calculate first the number of days making Summer:
June 21 to 30 June = 10 days
Aug. 1 to 31 = 31 days
July 1 to 31 July = 31 days
Sept. 1 to 22 = 22 days
The 23rd day of Sept. is the first of Fall = total 94 days. So the Summer has 94 days. Youpiiiiii.
To obtain the number of degrees just subtract each day from the #d