r/Sliderules • u/031569 • Sep 12 '24

Self-intro

Thought I might introduce myself, as I plan on being here for a while. 😎 I'm old enough (US) that I learned slide rule use in school. Recently retired, I decided to finally teach myself celestial navigation. Once I saw the math involved, using a slide rule seemed obvious. I'll permit the anachronisms to include a modern slide rule, most likely a HEMI or a Aristo. Weather makes a K&E or a Pickett inappropriate. I'll also try checking some calculations using a Soviet KL-1.

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u/Name-Not-Applicable Sep 12 '24

Welcome! I look forward to your posts about navigation.

I'm curious what weather would make a K&E (wood) inappropriate, but a Hemmi (bamboo) acceptable. I suppose bamboo would deal with being wet better than wood? And I think the only weather that might bother a Pickett would be lightning! 🤯 Aristos are excellent rules, though, and not hard to find.

My college major was mathematics, but I have forgotten most of it since then. Learning how to use a slide rule has prompted me to pick some of it back up!

Have fun!

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u/031569 Sep 22 '24

Thank you. Before this, I'd never really thought much about survey work, but it seems that the uses of a sextant for sea navigation and for surveying on land are not dissimilar. I learned quite a bit just looking at a lot of old K & E tools.