A Remote-Controlled Television System with Sextant, Ranging, Search Capabilities

Sidney Feldman, George G. Barton

Abstract:	Sextant mirror optics, passive rangefinder optics, search and deflection mirror optics are integrated to permit a ship's officer, at a remote, safe location within the ship, to control a LLLTV camera, perform by observation of a CRT monitor several navigational functions, i.e., celestial navigation, identification and ranging of ships at sea or harbor, buoys, landmarks, etc in harbor, and 360" search for stationkeeping and orientation within a harbor or at sea. The search optics provide 360" azimuth and, at least, -5' to 60" elevation search capability, with the additional capability of pointing the search mirror at a navigational star in a direction different from that of the television imaging camera. Thus, the imaging camera can be pointed at the sea horizon least obscured by haze and/or sea clutter, allowing altitude sightings under adverse conditions. Electronic techniques can provide immediate display of sextant altitude and time, bearing, range on one or more remote CRTs; and automate rapid sight reduction for LOP or latitude, longitude fix within seconds using available microcomputers, ephemeris memory, and software that solve the basic spherical trigonometric navigation equations. As a preface to a more detailed description of the TV system integrated optics, discussed will be the limitations and vulnerability of the very important but costly, active radio, satellite, inertial navigation systems, none of which are completely self sufficient: and the limita- tions of active radar ranging and search systems. Thus, the passive sextant, ranging, search technology remain as important tools in navigation: and the rapid sextant positioning data serve as back-up and accuracy check on radio, satellite, inertial navigation.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 46th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1990) June 26 - 28, 1990 Atlantic City, NJ
Pages:	105 - 112
Cite this article:	Feldman, Sidney, Barton, George G., "A Remote-Controlled Television System with Sextant, Ranging, Search Capabilities," Proceedings of the 46th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1990), Atlantic City, NJ, June 1990, pp. 105-112.
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