Useful and Related Web Sites
Please be aware that these web sites are NOT USPS sites, and that you are leaving the USPS domain when you click on these links. These links are posted for information only, and USPS assumes no liability for content or results of using the information. As always, we strongly recommend using up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware programs at all times, especially when downloading information from unfamiliar web sites.
Nautical Charts and Updates
The National Ocean Service (NOS) has expanded the function of its chart update website. The website allows mariners to update their nautical charts from one database that includes information from NOS, the NIMA Notice to Mariners, the Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners and the Canadian Coast Guard Notice to Mariners. U.S. Chart No. 1, Nautical Chart Symbols and Abbreviations, is also available at this site. This document shows the meaning of the symbols that appear on all U.S. charts. Some of the files are rather large, so be patient when clicking on the contents of the web page. To access the website and for more information, go to: http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/.
Weather Sites
Some links to sites that may be of interest to Weather course students are cited below. We think that you will find them very interesting in your studies of weather. If you have some personal favorites, please send them to us at the MEnvCom address.
- National Weather Service Marine Forecast Products and Broadcast Schedules
National
Severe Storms Laboratory- The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Atmospheric Sciences WWW site ...great on-line guides and inexpensive CD with animated weather phenomena demos.
- WXP, a weather processor developed at Purdue University, is a software package that is a general purpose weather visualization tool for current, forecasted and archived meteorological data.
The
Weather Channel and AccuWeather have
excellent sites, offering local, national and international conditions
and forecasts. They have glossaries that are excellent references
for the Weather course. Safety tips are also available as are
ski and boating reports.- Link to today's weather on The Weather Channel.
- Links to marine weather information:
- For Marine Wx reports both local and around the nation.
- For current Buoy reports from around the country.
U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center
The US Coast Guard Navigation Center web site, with information about GMDSS, GPS, VHF/DSC, and other maritime telecommunications information, is at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/
Palm
Navigation Sites
Here are some links for those who use their Palm™ PDAs for navigational work, including tides and currents. Check out:
- Tide tools is at: http://www.toolworks.com/bilofsky/tidetool/
- Star-pilot is at: http://star-pilot.com/
- Sight reduction (Pub 229) is at: http://www.mobilegeographics.com/mg229
- Full celestial navigation is at: http://www.mobilegeographics.com/celestnav
- General Palm and other PDA software may be found at: wwww.handango.com, by searching for things like navigation, tide, boat, etc.
A number of "star finder" programs are also available for the Palm Pilot. One such program is "Planetarium." This is by A. Hofer and is shareware. The URL for more information and the latest release is: http://www.aho.ch/pilotplanets. This program gives altitude and azimuth as well as rising, setting, and transit times anywhere and anytime for not only the sun, moon, planets and navigational stars but also some 1500 other stars, constellations and messier objects. Also gives times of civil, nautical and astronomical twilight.
Celestial Navigation Sites
Some links to sites that may be of interest to JN and N students are cited below. We think that you will find some of them very interesting in your studies of celestial and offshore navigation. If you have some personal favorites, please send them to us at the ONCom address.
StarCalc is a program that will bring a planetarium onto your computer monitor. The program is a creation of Alexander E. Zavalishin, a Russian, and is provided at no charge. This program will show a picture of the sky at any time of the day or night from any location in the world at any time. The program provides an alternative to the "Star Finder" plastic circular slide rule used in the JN and N courses. Using the program, you can print a copy of the sky showing the bodies that you intend to "shoot". The graphic provided by StarCalc gives a clear diagram of where the celestial targets of opportunity are located and the hassle of plotting solar system objects is eliminated. The StarCalc program can be downloaded from: http://www.relex.ru/~zalex/main.htm. (Contributed by Lt/C Robert B. Small, Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron)
SeaClear is a freeware navigation program for Windows NT 4.0, 2000 or 95/98/ME which, when connected to a GPS (or other unit capable of transmitting NMEA position data), will display the vessel on a chart, with the current position, speed and direction. New charts are loaded as needed. The track may be saved to a file for later reviewing, and log book entries may be manually and automatically entered. An unlimited number of routes and waypoints may be created and used to assist in the navigation. The screen area for charts is maximized with most functions accessed with the right mouse button. Zooming is provided with support for IntelliMouse wheel. The program may be downloaded from: http://www.sping.com/seaclear/. ( Contributed by Lt/C Robert B. Small, Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron)
There are links for those who use their Palm™ PDAs for celestial work. Check out the Palm links. (Contributed by P/C Dan Bartell, Somerset Power Squadron)
National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) has links to an on
line version of the 2002 Edition of Bowditch's The American Practical
Navigator, as well as Pub 249 for the Air Navigation Tables, and
Pub 229 for the Marine Navigation Tables. Click on Publications
on the left side, and then choose your document from the Menu Options
at the top of the resulting page. The NGA site also has several Marine Navigation Calculators. These
calculators were developed from the tables at the back of The American
Practical Navigator and from other select publications. Not all tables
are replicated here. There are several piloting, celestial navigation,
and sailings functions. Click on View Nautical Calculators on the left
side, and then choose your calculator from the Menu Options at the
top of the resulting page.
NOTE: Thess calculators require a JavaScript-enabled browser.
The Astronomical Applications Department of the US Naval Observatory has useful information on various astronomical phenomena. There is also a link to another site where you can purchase a computer program entitled Multiyear Interactive Computer Almanac (MICA).
Analemma Curve. Want to know more about analemma curves? Try out www.analemma.com. It contains some very interesting information, if you'd like to enrich your Navigation course of study. Just click on the word analemma on the opening page.
Americal Canoe Association Cold Water Survival Information
Anyone boating in a cold water environment should be aware of the serious and potentially mortal consequences of falling overboard. Visit www.enter.net/~skimmer/coldwater.html to get information that should be distributed to Boating and Boat Smart students as well as our own members.
Use SeaTow to Drive Home Seamanship Lessons.
Did you know that you can use SeaTow for on-the-water purposes to help students see their Seamanship lessons come to life? The agreement with SeaTow International gives USPS Squadrons a chance to put "water" into their educational programs. Both of us are pledged to promote boating education among recreational boaters. As you might have seen in The ENSIGN articles, the Annapolis Power Squadron has worked with the local SeaTow franchisee to take their Seamanship students out on the water to see first hand what the classroom taught. The SeaTow folks are eager to expand that cooperation to other Squadrons where they have franchisees. All a Squadron Educational Officer has to do is contact the local SeaTow franchisee and work out mutually agreeable arrangements—then your students will be on the water cementing what they've learned. If you don't know who the local SeaTow franchisee is, call 631-765-3660 or visit their web site at www.seatow.com.
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