1	GPS Navigation on Inland Waterways Presented to Lough Derg Branch IWAI © Noel Griffin 2003-2005
2	Why use GPS Inland? Comforting to have GPS confirm your position Poor visibility in heavy rain on the lakes Early morning mist and fog Night Cruising - a lovely experience No need to rush that dinner and wine Useful even on the river for ETA planning What Boat Speed in order to arrive at Portumna Bridge for the 12:30 opening? Fun Yes we can look out the window, but it’s more fun playing with a toy Gadget!
3	Coastal Navigation Visual using Eye’s and Paper Charts Steer by navigation marks and land marks Steer a planned course using the Compass Planned with Marine Paper Charts British Admiralty, Imray, Stanford Dividers, Portland Plotter, Pencil and Paper CTS, DR, EP’s, LOG, Tidal Drift, etc
4	Coastal Navigation Chart British Admiralty
5	Electronic Chart Garmin MapSource
6	Coastal Navigation Chart IMRAY
7	Inland Navigation Eye’s Look out the Window Navigation Markers Chart Booklets Visual Navigation Only No Track or Distance IBRA, ECBA, OPW Hand Drawn
8	Old BA Charts Surveyed 1839 Inaccurate Distorted No Long/Lat Visual Nav Only No Nav Markers No Harbours Good for exploring Soundings
9	GPS Inland No Map Detail
10	GPS Inland Shannon Chart “Irland Wasserwege”
11	GPS Inland Basemap
12	GPS Track Log
13	How GPS Works
14	Global Positioning System Radio Signals from Orbiting Satellites Plots Location anywhere on the globe Up to 6 meters accuracy Most of the time - 96% 3 meters with DGPS
15	Global Positioning System 24 Satellites Orbiting Twice a Day 12,000 miles up Low Power RF Transmitters Time and Position Data 21 active Satellites 3 backup Satellites Each has 10 year life span Constantly being replaced Can be jammed
16	Global Positioning System Built by US Government Originally for US Military But now used by global economy Could be switched off or degraded EU GALILEO given the green light New Euro GPS System - same principles Different protocol Two incompatible systems Political decision Avoid dependency on Bush Jnr’s Tantrums!
17	GPS Location N 52^o54.316’ W 08^o20.689’ Where is that?
18	Longitude and Latitude
19	Where Are We? N 52^o54.316’ W 08^o20.689’ Numbers Not Much Use Inland Need Names GARYKDY HARE IS PARKERPT Need to Visualize MAP PAGE on GPS unit
20	360 Degree Compass Rose
21	How GPS Works Calculates your Location Using Just TWO Numbers Longitude Latitude Simple XY Co-ordinate? Timed Radio Signals Measures Distance Intersection of Distance Lines gives Position Timed Satellite radio signal arrives Distance = Velocity x Time
22	How does GPS detect Speed and Direction? Calculates Location 5 times a second SPEED Distance Travelled over time since last fix TRACK Direction Travelled since last fix
23	GPS Units Calculate LOCATION (Long & Lat) Accurate to 6 meters (3m with DGPS) SPEED SOG – Speed of boat over ground Not same as boat speed thru water (i.e. log) Effected by river current or tide TRACK COG – Course over ground Not necessarily same as boat heading Effected by wind, river/lake current, or tide BEARING & DISTANCE BRG - To Next Waypoint CROSS TRACK ERROR XTE - Distance Off Course
24	NO DATA = NO NAVIGATE WAYPOINTS ROUTES TRACK LOG
25	3 Ways to Navigate GOTO Waypoint Less useful on confines of Inland Lakes Navigate Route Works well on Inland Lakes Navigate Track Log My favourite Inland Follow the dotted line – simple and easy Less complicated than route Observe waypoint progress But, need to build/acquire tried and tested track logs
26	Goto Waypoint Start Location Track Boats Actual Track Bearing Current Compass Heading TO Waypoint Course Planned Track
27	Navigate Route Known Starting Point Bearing to Next Waypoint Steer Compass Course ^oC Adjust for Wind, Current, Tide Watch for drift off intended track Critical to Maintain Track over ground Follow the Track
28	Route Planning Plan Safe Route Away from Danger Allow for poor steering Record Waypoints 100m away from buoys and danger Do NOT use buoys as Waypoints Record Routes Visually Inland Lakes and Rivers Practice in Good Visibility Never transpose from chart! No inland paper charts
29	Navigate Track Log TRACK LOG Follow the Dotted Line! Like a paper trail in a cave Recorded on the water for reuse in the future Useful on the river in flood
30	Which of these situations is Safe?
31	Cross Track Error - XTE
32	Waypoints
33	Routes
34	GPS Display Pages
35	GPS Chart Plotters Built in Electronic Chart (Map Detail) Shore line, Land, Water Soundings, Depth contours, Rocks and Shoals Navigation Aids: Buoys, Lights, Markers No Official Charts for Derg or Ree Unofficial Garmin format Chart – Basic Entire Inland Shannon and Erne Systems But, No Depths, Rocks, Shoals or Nav Markers You will need to use your own Waypoints and Track Logs Popular International Electronic Chart formats Garmin, C-MAP, Navionics Only Garmin via unofficial chart available for Inland Shannon Unusable C-MAP Shannon chart – Inaccurate and distorted
36	PC Software for GPS Save/Restore Data to/from GPS Unit Route Planning Real Time Display and Chart Plotter Connect GPS to Laptop PC serial port for NMEA input Popular Software Garmin MapSource™ GPS TrackMaker™ EasiGPS™, ExpertGPS™ OziExplorer™
37	Practice In Broad Daylight on the Water Use your Eyes Follow a route leg and/or a track log Track by steering a compass heading Avoid hunting and over steering Hold a steady heading and observe your actual track Make small corrections and monitor revised actual track Experiment going off track and returning to it In the sitting room or garden Use Simulator Mode Get familiar with your units controls and display
38	Be Safe Complacency Can cost, injure or kill Practice in good visibility and understand Do not depend solely on GPS Unless you have no other choice And, unless you have suitable experience Have a second battery powered GPS and a backup plan Avoid rough weather Reduce speed in poor visibility Keep Looking out the window - Obvious Don’t run over other boats or fishermen Don’t be run over by other vessels yourself!
39	Revision of GPS Terms
40	GPS Navigation on Inland Waterways Have Fun - Be Careful Keep it Simple! © Noel Griffin 2003-2005