Why is it pointless? A time signal can come from only
one GPS satellite and be reliable. It usually takes at
least three satellites to five an accurate fix.

S.Simon


"Donal" wrote in message ...

"Simple Simon" wrote in message
...
One sight at local noon yields your latitude and longitude.

Poor Ole Thom who claims to have used a sextant seems to
not understand this simple fact.

1) the angle of the sun at local noon gives you your latitude.

2) the time differential of the sun's azimuth from Greenwich
mean time gives you the longitude. Expensive chronographs
are no longer necessary. GPS time is plenty accurate enough
as well as a good quartz watch set to radio signals from WWV.


Neal! Are you hoping that somebody will be stupid enough to point out that
using a GPS as the time source for your sextant readings is a bit pointless?
Well, I won't help you out!






I can take one noon sight anywhere in the world covered by the
tables I have on board, correct it for errors and come up with
my position within ten miles easily every time provided it is not
overcast, raining or some such.

Of course you can be accurate to within 10 miles. You don't really think
that your engine block could drag more than 10 miles, do you?





Celestial navigation in its most basic form - the noon sight - is
no mystery. Why, I bet even otnmbrd and Shen44 are able to
do it which means any old moron can do it - even Bobsprit most
likely.

I agree. Any idiot could brandish a sextant, and accurately position
Bobsprit's boat, because it never moves more than half a mile from the dock.
I bet that your own sextant fixes are even more accurate than Bob's!



S.Simon - has taken more noon ****es than sherries!



Regards


Donal
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