History of Navigation

1000 BC 0 1000 2000 3000

First Compass

First Map

Astronavigation

Modernised Compass

Kamal

The Icelandic Spar

Telescope

Sextant

Seagoing Chronometer

Navigational Lights

Prime Meridian

Gyro Compass

Radio

Echo Sounder

Aircraft and Ship Radar

Long-Distance Radar

Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)

Rate of Turn Indicator (ROTI)

GPS

Modernised Satellites and GPS

Ship Log

Voyage Data Recorder (VDR)

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 Events

First Compass The first compass was made in China, around 200 B.C. It was used first as
206 B.C. an instrument in Chinese fortune-telling and divination. It was used for
maritime investigation from around 1117 A.D. onward. The compass was
first used by Europeans in 1190 A.D.

First Map The first map of earth was created in 200 B.C.
200 B.C.

Astronavigation Written records of Astronavigation date back to the 8th century, around
700 A.D. the time of Homer's Odyssey, where Calypso tells Odysseus to keep the
bear constellation (Ursa Major) on his left hand side and Orion as he sailed
from the island, to open ocean.

Modernised Compass The modern compass was created in 700. Magnetic needles began to
700 A.D. replace the much bulkier spoon-shaped compasses from 200 B.C. These
were also believed to have been invented by the Chinese.

Kamal The Kamal was invented around the late 9th century, by Arab navigators,
880 and was later adopted by the Chinese and Indian navigators. The Kamal
consists of a wooden block around 5.1cm by 2.5cm to which a string with
several equally spaced knots is attached through a hole it's centre. It is
used to measure the altitudes and latitudes of the stars.

The Icelandic Spar The Icelandic Spar was discovered in a shipwreck in 1592. Chemical
1200 A.D. analysis traced the stone back to Iceland, and confirmed it as an Icelandic
Spar. The Icelandic Spar is thought to have been the fabled "sunstone"
used by Vikings to navigate in cloudy weather. The stones were used to
locate the sun. The stone originates from Iceland, hence the name. The
rhombohedral shape of calcite means that they can refract light in such a
way that it creates a double image. However, if held in the correct
position, the double image merges to become a single picture. It is by
using this method Vikings are believed to have navigated over open
ocean.

Telescope The first telescope was created in 1608, and has been used upon ships to
1608 see long-distance for hundreds of years until the invention of the much
smaller binoculars (now a requirement aboard naval ships).

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 Sextant The sextant was invented by mathematician John Hadley. The sextant is a
1730 navigation instrument used to measure distance between two visible
objects. The most commonly use method of measurement using the
sextant is by measuring the distance between a celestial body and the
horizon to determine position.

Seagoing Chronometer The seagoing chronometer was invented by John Harrison in the 18th
1764 century. It consists of a timepiece that is precise and accurate enough to
be used as a portable time standard. it was used to determine longitude
by the process of celestial navigation.

Navigational Lights In 1838 the United States of America introduced navigational lights aboard
1838 boats. This was adopted by the UK in 1849. By 1897, navigational lights
were a requirement of all boats, big or small.

Prime Meridian An international agreement introduced the Prime Meridian, located at 0°

1884 longitude, as a basis for establishing coordinates.

Gyro Compass The first Gyrocompass was a poorly made device created in 1885. It was
1885 later perfected by Hermann Anschütz-Kaempfe in 1906. It is currently a
requirement for naval ships.
The gyrocompass is unlike the magnetic compass because it does not
use an external magnetic field. The gyrocompass is more accurate than
the magnetic compass because it points in the direction of the earth's axis
and cannot be disturbed by nearby metal such as the hull of a ship.

Radio The first radio was created in Italy. They are used on board ships to
1895 communicate via long-distances.

Echo Sounder Echo sounding was invented by Alexander Behm. Echo sounding is a
1913 device that determines depth and distance by using sound waves. It is
currently used on most modern ships.

Aircraft and Ship Radar In 1934, researchers in the Naval Research Lavatory started experimenting
1934 with the way that radio waves would bounce off objects, after they noticed
that occasionally other ships would block the path of the radio while at
sea. In 1934 Robert Page created an instrument able to detect nearby
aircraft and ships for navy boats.

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 Long-Distance Radar The first long-range navigation device was created so a ships position
1942 could be located from land by using radio waves.

Electronic Chart Display and Information System The ECDIS is a development in the navigational chart system used in naval
(ECDIS) ships and vessels. The ECDIS is a requirement under the SOLAS
1965 Convention.
With the introduction of an electronic chart system, it has become easier
to navigate by pinpointing locations and attaining directions.

Rate of Turn Indicator (ROTI) A ROTI or Rate of Turn Indicator is a device aboard modern ships that
1965 shows the rate at which a vessel is turning. ROTIs are mostly used upon
naval ships.
In 1960 the SOLAS Convention was adopted into force by 1965. In Section
V Regulation 19 of the Convention, it states that "All ships of 50,000 gross
tonnage and upwards shall, in addition to meeting the requirements of
paragraph 2.8, have: 2.9.1 a rate of turn indicator".

GPS GPS was created when 22 satellites were built specifically for the purpose
January 1978 of sending position and coordinate data to ships at sea. These satellites
have been replaced since, as they eventually stopped working.

Modernised Satellites and GPS Modern satellites launched into orbit around Earth mean that countries
1989 - 1995 around the world have access to service such as internet and data, which
can be used to transfer information across the globe instantaneously.
GPS, or global positioning system, is a satellite-based navigation system.
The GPS system is controlled by the U.S. government's Department of
Defence, however, it is open to the public for use. The earliest GPS
system was launched between 1978 and 1985 with 11 satellites. It now
consists of about 24 satellites that were launched into orbit in 1995. The
GPS is a highly accurate navigation tool.

Ship Log Hard copy log books are commonly used on vehicles such as planes and
1998 ships. They hold useful data about the ship with information such as it's
history, capacity and maintenance.

Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) The VDR is very closely akin to a Black Box Flight Recorder. It is used to
2006 record and store vital information about the ship and it's surroundings.
The VDR became a necessity for all ships travelling long-distance.

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