Electronic Navigation
Electronic navigation has always been a valuable aid to traditional navigation. With the advent of reasonably priced accurate GPS systems the role of electronic navigation has become more important. GPS is vital for high speed navigation and makes life a lot simpler -as long as you know how to use it!!
This short course is designed to help de-mystify the GPS and help in its practical application to everyday navigation. The course deals with the following syllabus:
1. GPS- what is it and where did it come from? RDF. Transit. Omega. Consul. Decca. Loran C. 21 Sattelites. SA. Differential GPS- and what had Sadam Hussein have to do with it anyway?
2. What GPS set is for me? Handheld and fixed sets. Interfacing with other instruments. NMEA compatible. Differential GPS.
3. How do I install it - what are the snags? Battery . LCD display. Antennae.
4. Initial programming- setting up your set. ON! Time. Variation. Units. Alarms.
5. What does the GPS tell me - whats on screen? POS. SMG,COG,GS. VTD,VTW,WAS. Range. MOB
6. Waypoint navigation - point to point navigation. Entering. Starting error. XTE. GPS logs.
7. Special features available in GPS sets. Tides. Beating to windward. 8. Making a trip using the GPS.
Using Electronic Chart Plotters:
Types - portable v permanent . Different makes. The Electronic Chart. Raster v Vector. Chart makers- C Map, Navionics, BluemapHardware v PC Navigation
Use of Electronic chart software. The Admiralty porgramme. Basic use - measuring distance. DREP Course to steer. Waypoints and planning ahead. Use for pilotage and passage planning. Add ons + overlays.
This course is conducted by Eddie English and his team of professional instructors. If you have a portable GPS set/Electronic Chartplotter please bring it along and don't forget the instruction book!!
Eddie English Blog
Underwater cable Aghada to Cuskinny
One Thursday evening at the very start of February a group of seafarers decended on my local, “The Roaring Donkey”, in Cobh and lashed into copious quantities of gin and tonic. As the conversations began to flow it transpired that they were the crew of the Norwegian vessel, “Elektron”, docked at Cork Dockyard in Rushbrooke. Not just any ordinary ship but a specialist vessel for cable laying – she was here to lay the cable from Aghada Power Station to Cuskinny on the Great Island in Cork Harbour.
