Comparison of Celestial Navigation Calculators     Copyright © 2000 Starpath School of Navigation
Calculator Properties — Celestial Functions — General Navigation — Design Features
COMPARE	StarPilot-89	Celesticomp (out of production)	StarPilot-86	NC 2000	Merlin II	Navcom 48	NavPak	Astro Nav	Sight Master
Great circle	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Rhumb line	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Composite	yes	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes
Traverse tables	yes	no	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no
Speed/time/distance	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
DR by speed/time	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
DR by log	yes	no	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Precision of distance computations (nmi)	0.01	0.1	0.01	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Interpolate tides	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	no	no
Interpolate currents	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no
cog/sog from set/drift+S/C	yes	yes	yes	yes		no	yes
Set/drift from cog/sog+S/C	yes	no	yes	no		yes	yes
S/C from cog/sog+set/drift	yes	yes	yes			no	note
True wind from apparent	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	note	yes
Geographic range	yes	no	yes	yes	no	no	note
Distance off by two bow angles	yes	no	yes	yes	no	no	yes	no	no
Distance off by sextant angles	3 ways	none	3 ways	1 way	1 way	1 way	1 way	2 ways
COP from horizontal sextant angles	yes	no	no	no	no	??	yes	??	??
3 body fix from horizontal sextant angles	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
ETA in local times	yes	no	yes	yes	no	yes	yes	no	no
Compute accurate magnetic variation, any time or place	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Calculator Properties — Celestial Functions — General Navigation — Design Features