vintage circular air navigation calculator

VINTAGE CIRCULAR AIR NAVIGATION CALCULATOR HOW TO

The early design was based on the 4004 microprocessor, I then moved to the 4040 and finally the 8080.

At least you could erase the EPROM under UV light so you could easily correct any errors.

I had to learn about astronavigation and how to use a sextant before going on to develop all the spherical trigonometry calculations in machine code and eventually with an assembler, burning the EPROMS from a punched paper tape. I have no idea where the calculators ended up and Paul passed away some time ago.ĭevelopment was all very hands on and I was limited on how much memory I could have with the EPROMs available at the time. Interest in taking it further although I believe Clare Francis used one of the prototypes during the Observer Single-handed Transatlantic Race in 1976. He approached us and we produced two prototypes which were handed over to him. The calculator wasĭeveloped for a client, Paul Goudime, who had a company making accurate ships' chronometers. At the time I was with a small firm called Hyperon Consulting (not Hyperion) and we specialised in leading edge technology.

Sadly I don't have any more photos and all the schematics are lost. Later after displaying the device at the London Boat Show in 1976 was offered for sale by the Japanese company Tamaya! So much for British Government support for innovation!' In the UK! When the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) was approached in 1975 for support in developing the product their response was that microcomputers would never end up in commercial devices! A few months

Only two were built as prototypes based on the Intel 8080 microprocessor, one of the first applications of the chip Barry Eliades explains: 'I designed and built the first dedicated Astronavigation Calculator in 1975.

VINTAGE CIRCULAR AIR NAVIGATION CALCULATOR HOW TO

Vintage circular air navigation calculator