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Measuring Distance

  • 04-09-2007 11:20PM
    #1
    Dummy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 984 ✭✭✭


    Does anyone know of any gadget for measuring distance? Our house overlooks the sea and have plenty of shipping passing by, both close to shore and out on the horizon.

    My kids have taken huge interest recently in logging the ships, name (if it can be seen by telescope), time, date, direction etc. Distance from shore is a problem for them.

    Has anyone seen any gadget that would give a better estimate?


    D


Comments

  • #2
    masseyno9
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 601 ✭✭✭masseyno9


    I don't know of anything off hand but the first thing i can think of is something akin to those golf range finders you see sometimes. Basically you look at the flag through a set of binocular type things and the apparent height of the flag corresponds with a distance scale which is visible on the lens.

    was originally thinking you could rig up something like this yourself, but would involve a lot of calibration and effort. Perhaps something using this principle, but with maybe a scale of 1-10 that they could log, rather than an exact distance might be useful...?

    Just an idea....interested in a solution myself, just out of curiosity!!


  • #3
    oleras
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭oleras


    Dummy wrote:
    Does anyone know of any gadget for measuring distance? Our house overlooks the sea and have plenty of shipping passing by, both close to shore and out on the horizon.

    My kids have taken huge interest recently in logging the ships, name (if it can be seen by telescope), time, date, direction etc. Distance from shore is a problem for them.

    Has anyone seen any gadget that would give a better estimate?
    D


    The thumb may not be the gadget you were thinking about but its free.... :D

    http://www.vendian.org/mncharity/dir3/bodyruler_angle/

    A bit more complicated would be get a marine map of your area and a sextant.

    Or go all out and set up a radar on the roof. Might be costly !!!

    Or how about this......... http://www.opticsplanet.net/201000.html tasty.....lol


  • #4
    byrnefm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 907 ✭✭✭byrnefm


    Did a search on "laser range finders" and came across this one on amazon.com:

    http://www.amazon.com/Galileo-EGS-1-Electronic-Scope-Finder/dp/B0006DPW04/ref=sr_1_7/105-2301009-7221265?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1191568496&sr=1-7

    Now you'd need someone to get it for you over there, but it's only $50!


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