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Sperry (continued from page 40) communications links to send and receive data from remote radar sites using low-cost, voice-quality cable or microwave hookups. In its most recent configuration, the VTS system provides for si- multaneous tracking of more than 200 targets, operation and control of up to eight remote radar sites, harbor data management infor- mation, trial maneuvering, zone monitoring, speed monitoring, an- chor watch, buoy watch, and oper- ator procedure instruction cap- abilities. Sperry has also delivered and installed a number of new SRP- 2000 ship control systems, which combine both ship control and navigation functions at a single console. The company has also become involved recently in the develop- ment, installation, and servicing of complete electronics systems for commercial ships. Sperry recently completed the design, develop- ment, and installation of a fully integrated electronics suite for the Abdul Aziz, including navigation, control, communications, medical, security, and entertainment sub- systems. The communications sub- system provides for one of the first computer-controlled communica- tions networks ever installed aboard a non-military ship, and includes intra-ship phones, inter- coms, and hand-held radios inter- connected to a computer-controlled external communications network of high-powered high-frequency, low-frequency, and SSB transmit- ters and receivers, satellite com- munications equipment, and a va- riety of VHF and UHF systems. STANDARD Circle 58 on Reader Service Card What are said to be the lightest, most compact 5-watt VHF and 2-watt UHF intrinsically safe, hand-held radios on the market to- day are now available from Stand- ard Communications Corporation of Los Angeles. They are designed for use in hazardous locations and for bridge-to-bridge communi- cations. The HX500S operates in the 156-158 MHz VHF/FM marine band and includes a six-channel capability. Channels six and 16 are factory-installed. The UHF version operates at 450-512 MHz. Measuring only 6% inches high by 29/i6 inches wide by 1% inches deep, the HX500 radio weighs just 19.4 ounces with a battery. Power for the HX500 Series comes from a choice of twist-off battery packs rated at 500 mAH or 900 mAH. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS Circle 59 on Reader Service Card Texas Instruments of Dallas re- cently introduced the TI 9900 II Loran C navigator, a complete Loran C-based navigation system with the performance, features, and accuracy of the popular TI 9900, plus an exceptional array of additional capabilities. The TI 9900 II features 100 waypoints that can be entered as time differences or latitude/longi- tude coordinates. Trips of up to 50 legs can be stored, with reverse ca- pabilities. A unique trip planning function allows the user to com- pute course and distance between two waypoints without receiving a Loran signal. Additional capabili- ties of the system include auto- matic waypoint sequencing and the display of range and bearing to the next waypoint as each one is passed. According to Gary Howe, TI's marine marketing manager, "The TI 9900 II has been designed with the user in mind. A sealed, fully backlit keyboard is provided, with oversized keys, not a membrane key pad. This makes entering in- formation fast, sure, and easy, even with gloves on." In addition, most of the TI 9900 II's navigation functions—range to destination, course-over-bottom, cross track error, speed-over-bot- tom, time-to-go, ETA, velocity- made-good, magnetic variation, and many more—can be instantly dis- played with only one simple key- press. A large, clear, alphanu- meric dot matrix display provides navigation information in plain, easy-to-read English, eliminating confusion caused by similar-look- ing letters and numbers, such as "b" and "6." Six highly advanced, electronic notch filters are built into TI 9900 II, providing precise protection from signal interference no matter where the vessel is operated. The high-performance charac- teristics of the system include wider dynamic range, greater envelope- cycle-distortion tolerance, and shorter acquisition time. The TI 9900 II provides standard inter- faces for a LORSAT integrated navigation system, a TI 8000 in- tegrated marine system, printers, and autopilots at no additional cost. The feature-oriented TI 9900 II also includes three separate alarm systems for safer navigation. An arrival alarm can be programmed to sound when the vessel comes within 0.5 nautical mile of the destination waypoint. A pro- grammable off-course alarm will sound if the course deviation ex- ceeds the set limit, in hundredths of a nautical mile. The anchor watch alarm can be programmed to alert those on board if the an- chor drags. TRACOR Circle 60 on Reader Service Card Tracor Instruments of Austin, Texas, manufactures the Bridge- star Satellite Navigator, economi- cally priced at $2,495. Outstand- ing features of this unit include a "Sleep Mode" that uses less than 3 watts of power, no-charge com- pass/log interface, point-to-point route planning, and wide range power supply. Perhaps the most unique of these features is the Sleep Mode. After each satellite pass, the unit auto- matically turns itself "ofF' to con- serve power. Twenty minutes be- fore the next satellite pass, the unit automatically restores all functions in order to calculate the next fix. After that fix, the unit once again "goes to sleep." During the Sleep Mode, all timing and dead reckoning functions are con- tinued, with no loss of data. Dur- ing this period, the unit can be "awakened" at any time by opera- tor command. Of equal importance, the Bridgestar has established a repu- tation for reliability said to be un- matched in marine electronics. This dependability and Tracor's out- standing service have led to a higher level of usability than is found in many other systems. Bridgestar is also among the easiest to operate of any naviga- tion receiver. This simplicity of use, combined with the large, easy- to-read display, insures error-free, safer navigation. Satellite navigators provide, on the average, a satellite fix every 30 to 90 minutes, depending on latitude and the number of opera- tional Transit satellites. When combined with Omega, the ulti- mate worldwide navigation sys- tem is achieved. Tracor has introduced the Global Navigation System (GNS) priced at $9,950 that combines the accu- rate, all-weather satellite data with the continuous navigation capabil- ity of Omega. Any inaccuracies of Omega are corrected automati- cally by each satellite fix. Omega position fixes are transferred every 60 seconds to enhance the dead reckoning of the SatNav. Tracor designed the GNS as two separate units capable of navigat- ing independently as well as to- gether. With this combination, the user gets total redundancy in worldwide navigation capability, and the maximum in safety. TRIMBLE Circle 61 on Reader Service Card The Model 300 Loran computer offered by Trimble Navigation, Ltd. of Mountain View, Calif., is the Loran that continues navigating even where no Loran signals exist. The unit dead reckons position right through the signal interrup- tions that make other Lorans use- less. It provides a constantly up- dated estimate of position even when the Trimble's normal Loran positioning capability is unavail- able. The Model 300 will stand alone as a principal electronic aid to navigation or it may be the center- piece of an integrated navigation system. Its dead reckoning soft- ware package assumes the chore of recording estimated positions and calculates set and drift, utiliz- ing external inputs of speed, head- ing, and time from a known position. A track mode permits automatic tracking of the last nine Loran fixes at whatever time intervals required, and the last 10 satnav fixes with its corresponding Loran fix. This function may be invalua- ble in knowing a precise starting position for the dead reckoning calculations or for retracing the course just traveled. The Model 300 standalone pack- age includes interface capabilities for satnav, wind and speed instru- mentations, autopilots, CDI, plot- ters, RS422 for computers, exter- nal alarms, external speed and heading transducers, and the Trimble full-function remote dis- play. Also available is the optional Hewlett-Packard interface loop for handheld or personal computers. This interface is like having a handheld remote controller. II MORROW Circle 62 on Reader Service Card II Morrow Inc. of Salem, Ore., is a leading manufacturer of marine navigation equipment, specializ- ing in the production of Loran C receivers and XY track plotters. The Avenger III Loran C re- ceiver is the most recent addition to the company's product line. This unit is one of the smallest and more compact Loran C receivers, providing high accuracy and great repeatability. Features offered in- clude current L/L, current LOP, 100 waypoints in L/L and LOPs, full navigation computer with bearing to destination in degrees, speed over bottom in knots, range in nautical miles, ground track in degrees, time to destination in minutes, cross track error, and point-to-point bearing and range between any two of the 100 waypoints. The unit also offers anchor watch, arrival alert, SRN and ECD display, magnetic variation ad- justment, ASF adjustment, and five-year, non-volatile memory. It also features a universal power supply operating on any dc input from 6.5 to 48 volts. The Avenger III comes with a full two-year warranty, one of the best in the industry, and is priced at $1,295. II Morrow also manufactures the Mariner M-33 track plotter, which provides a permanent hard- copy record of a vessel's track on any 8V2- by 11-inch sheet of paper or chart. This unit can even draw LOP grids on any scale to produce navigation charts. The company is also the world's largest manufacturer of airborne Loran C receivers. 44 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
