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posted to rec.boats.cruising
Jeff
 
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Default What is the ultimate navigation tool? Was - RDF (radio directionfinding) ... do you ?

Larry wrote:
....

RDF is great as long as there is NO DRIFT, water current or wind drift.

If you don't learn to take that into account and just follow the RDF to the
station, you end up in this big spiral to the target, the long way around!


The same will happen with a GPS, unless you know how to use cross
track error. And its certainly better than simply following a compass
bearing.

Anyone capable of using RDF would also know how to use a compass, and
understand the meaning of the changing bearing. Today's GPS user
doesn't necessarily have these skills.

GPS, of course, doesn't suffer these 1930's problems.


1930's??? Most boaters couldn't afford Loran until the late 1980's.
And small, waterproof GPS only became available until about 10 years
ago. You sound like a n00b that took his "safe boating class" from
the jetski salesman last weekend.