WHAT DO WE MEAN BY NAVAIDS ?
Well, first off we mean NAVIGATIONAL AIDS : how the hell do we get home !.......
and then, what was on offer in 1959 [for example] a time when the lessons learned from WW2 were integrated in our every day toolbox of NAVIGATION. These included:-
|
Device |
Variants |
|
Compass |
Gyro |
| LOGS | Pitometer Chernikeeff Electro Magnetic Taffrail Topographical Highlights |
| Echo Sounders | Supersonic Echo Sounder Type 765 |
| Sextants | Marine Radio Horizontal Angles |
| Distance Measurers | Optical Rangefinder Taut Wire Measuring Gear Tellurometer |
| Self contained navigational systems | Shipborne Inertia Navigational System [SINS] Magnetometer Gravitometer |
| Radar | High Definition Warning Surface Navitran |
| Radio Aids [Hyperbolic] CW Phase Comparison | Standard Commercial Decca Survey Decca Dectra [Decca Track and Range} Delrac {Decca Long Range Area Coverage} Radux Omega Raydist Lorac Berserk Rana |
| Radio Aids [Hyperbolic] Pulse Comparison | Gee [RN QH] Loran LF Loran [Loran 'C'] EPI [Electric Position Indicator] Ctac |
| Radio Aids [Circular] | Shoran Two Range Decca |
| Radio Aids [Azimuthal] | MF/HF Shipborne MF/HF Shore Based Consol [ex German Sonne] Popi [Post Office Position Indicator] Consolan Navaglobe Facom Navarho Microwave Beacon |
| Miscellaneous Tracking Aids | Tacan Airborne doppler Shipborne doppler Leader Cable |
| Underwater Acoustic | U.A.N.S [N.A.D.C. System Passive Acoustic Markers Active Acoustic Beacons |
But, we must concentrate on RADIO NAVAIDS and even then, on just a few of the systems available.
Below you will find some of the most important modern day [1960-1980] devices which give a good description of the gear on offer with a supporting picture.