                 WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
                              
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ASAP IN  HYPERTEXT  AND WITH PIX WHEN NEED BE SO PLEASE BARE
WITH  ME TILL  THEN,  MUCH  INFORMATION CAN BE  USED
MEANWHILE  FOR  YOUR ENJOYEMENT  OR PLEASURE. MEANWHILE IF
YOU HAVE ANY  TIPS  FOR  ME SEND THEM UP BY E-MAIL TO:
richard@io.org

GLOBAL TRACKERS (TRACK-HERS?)

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 #declivity#. Lets convert 23:27' in minutes. Since  there
is  60 min  to  a degree we will have 23: X 60 = 1,380' plus
the  27'  = 1,407'.

From  21  June  to  23 Sept. The sun goes down the  horizon
from 1,407'  to  zero in 94 days so in 1 day = 1,407./. 94 =
15:  2/3 degree.

It  is  then easy to establish the table starting on 21 June.
We will have 21 June = 23:27' /22 June = 23:27'-15 2/3 = 23:11'
1/3.

We let you figure the rest out, but when alone at sea with zip
to do during the day and no bar at night, you appreciate maths.
Lets us note that those calculations are NEVER absolutely just
or dead on.

Because  the  #declivity#  does not diminish  or  increase  in
a regular fashion, but the errors will be very slight. A Loran
and Radar help a lot also but life is full of surprises.

CALCULATION OF LONGITUDE SEXTANT:

Without watch it is impossible of calculate his longitude. With
a stop watch you can still do it.

But  it  MUST give the exact hour of Greenwich which  means
that when it is noon in England at the winter hour or at the
same time =  it is 1PM, in France. So it MUST be at noon on
your watch when set on London time. (Greenwich!)

First  calculate the height of the sun as it approaches Noon.
To know  the height of the sun above the horizon you simply
subtract from 90 degrees the Number given by the sextant.

EX:  Sextant gives 30 degree  So the height of the sun on top
of the horizon will 90-30 = 60 degree.

Take  several readings and calculations, write them down on
paper & write the hour of your reading ex: 2hr.20 = 38 degree.
2.hr.45 = 39 degree   3.00hr = 40 degree  3hr.15 = 39 degree
3.hr.30 = 40 degree.

Thus you see that the sun has attained its peak at 3PM thus it
is Noon for you where you are located.

The  sun  is  therefore backward # en retard# from  the  hour
of Greenwich. Now multiply this difference by 15 degree = 45
degree Longitude WEST.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE:

The  sun reaches his zenith at 14.30hr Greenwich time = GMT;
thus do the following calculation:

2.30pm replacing the minutes by centimetre thus 230 cm or 250
for easier  calculation 250 X 15= 37.50 or 37:degree  1/2  or
37:30' thus; The longitude is 37 degree 30' WEST.

When  one  is WEST of Greenwich the sun is ALWAYS late one
hour. When at EAST of Greenwich the sun is ahead of one hour.

EX: You are in the Mediterranean Sea and you notice on your
watch at 10.30am that the sun has reached its zenith: 10:30=
10:50  now 12  X  10.50 = 1.50 and 1.50 X 15 = 22.50 or 22:30'
which is your longitude EAST.

But  what  will prove us that we are one of the other
hemisphere? Relatively simple problem, when we navigate between
France &  USA we have much chance to travel in N. Hemisphere
however around the Equator we have much chance to err.

The  first  point  to  determine  which  hemisphere  is  the
sun direction.  At Noon the sun will be at the SOUTH of the
Northern Hemisphere and at the NORTH for the Southern Hemisphere.

It  is ALWAYS true in our regions but not necessarily so for
the case  of the Tropics where depending of the season the sun
passes sometimes SOUTH or NORTH.

So  as  soon as a survivor has crossed the 23;27 latitude of
the NORTH  or  SOUTH Tropics toward the Equator he MUST be
sharp  and MAKE SURE of the position of the sun in the sky!

For  he  will have to modify his calculation accordingly  to
the place the sun will be at noon if NORTH or SOUTH. With  a 
compass it will be easy to establish his position  if no compass
then too bad, wait for the night stars to tell you where you are.

REMEMBER  that at 6am the sun is exactly EAST, at 9AM = S.
EAST. Noon  at  SOUTH,  3PM = S/W  6PM = WEST but  at  the
Equinox  or Equator.

In  Winter it goes to sleep well before 6PM but it has not
reach WEST as it goes down.

