Today I'm going to collect a new PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). Heavily tempted by an article I read not long ago in one of the Yachting mags. It promised the chance to have a mobile phone, an email send and receive device and a navigation tool in one hand sized package. However like many promises, not all are fulfilled. If your priorities are first, a pocket Navigator, second a mobile and third an email facility, then do a bit of research into what's on the market before you sign the contract. In my case the phone and emails were top and the navigator was an attractive extra option.
The great thing about a PDA is the screen size compared to a mobile phone but it can't be compared to a PC down below on the chart table. What is not so good with a PDA is the shiny screen surface which in some light bangs off strong reflections to destroy the image. Don't forget also that PDAs that are also mobile phones are not marine instruments. Water and delicate electronics don't mix, although Garmin and Navman have designed customised versions with built-in GPS receivers and I would imagine they are also beefed up to deal with the nautical elements.
A friend of mine, a professional airplane pilot for many years is also a Yachtmaster instructor. He showed me his iPAQ a few weeks ago and was clearly entranced by the capability of the machine. His view was “Anyone who goes sailing without one is daft”. One detail that impressed him was the fact that the length of the track direction arrow on the screen was in proportion to the boat speed thereby giving a graphic representation of the time it was going to take to arrive at a destination. I'm not going in to detail about the virtues of different products in this piece. But from what I've seen the potential for using a PDA as a practical navigation tool is definitely worth investigating. Anyone who has hands-on experience and fancies getting his views published, give me a call or send an email.
My pilot friend had an interesting point to make. After many years of flying he has what sounds like a built-in (pigeon like ability) to know where he is by the position of the sun, the speed he is doing and one or two other unknown factors. So clearly he is a superior being when it comes to navigation “a bit like riding a bike'. But even he admires the ability of this little machine, “It's a good little tool, and it works”.
So where are we? (no pun intended) I set out to get a mobile phone (by the way, the number is 07729 808101.) I'm looking forward to sending emails, surfing the web, opening PDFs and talking to you. Later on I will see if it's possible to load some navigation software, I'll let you know how I get on. Oh and it is supposed to be able to read my handwriting, now that would be a good trick!
See you at Southampton. And don't forget to get in touch.
