Navigational Instruments

- may be classified in a number of ways and considered in groups according to

their following purposes: instruments to measure direction, distance and speed;
to measure depth; for plotting; and for miscellaneous use.

The Measurement of Direction

Bearing – angle from 000 degrees clockwise to 360 degrees.

Three types of Bearings

Relative Bearing – measured with a reference to the ship’s longitudinal axis
Magnetic Bearing – measured with respect to the magnetic compass needle corrected
for deviation
True Bearing – measured with respect to 000 degrees position on a gyrocompass
repeater having zero gyro error, such that gyro is aligned with true north.

The Azimuth Circle

- often used interchangeably with the word “bearing”
- Azimuth = refers to the bearing of celestial bodies
- Bearing = refers to the bearing of terrestrial objects
- consist of nonmagnetic brass ring
- To observe a bearing, an observer looks through the peep vane, sometimes
called as “near vane”

The Telescopic Alidade

- used for observing bearings
- it projects the image of approximately 25 degrees of the compass card

Measurement of Distance
- two instruments that are commonly used by the shipboard navigator for the
measurement of distance
- 1.) Radar; and
- 2.) Hand-held Stadimeter

The Stadimeter
- utilized most frequently on board Navy ships by the OOD to obtain ranges from
his ship to others in a formation.
- In piloting, it is also used as a navigational instrument to ascertain accurate
distances
- There are two kinds of Stadimeters currently in use: Fisk Type, the more
common and is used on board Navy ships; and the other, the Brandon sextant
type
- Both stadimeters incorporate two scales: one, is the object height scale; and the
other, is the distance scale
Measurement of Speed
- Two kinds of speed: “true” speed, or relative to the earth; and ship’s speed
through water
- True Speed= calculated empirically by measuring the time required
- Speed through the water= measured both mechanically and empirically by
methods
- One of the earliest methods, is to time the passage of a wood chip along the
ship’s length

The Pit Log (Pitometer Log)

- Determining speed in the form of an installed equipment
- All marine instruments for direct measurement through the water known as logs
- Pitot tube = a three-foot tube generally located near the keel which can be
extended through the ship’s hull

Use of Shaft RPM to Estimate Speed

- The navigator may also compute the approximate speed from the number of
propeller shaft revolutions perminute (RPM)
- Most commonly used to estimate the ship’s speed through the water, both for
navigational purposes, and also for ship control

Measurement of Depth
- It is accomplished on modern ships primarily by means of an electronic device
called fathometer
- Fathometer = most commonly found on board navy ships is the AN/UQN-1
- AN/UQN-1 = incorporates a sonar transducer installed on the underside of the
ship’s hull and a receiver transmitter
- contains a recording device for readout of the water depths