Weekend special, what the heck?

What the hell

I was just looking for compass stuff in some nautical clip art I have (we used it a lot when I edited Reed’s). I came across this image and must say I don’t know for sure what this fellow is up to. I see what seem to be a telescope on what may be a pelorus, an earphone, a microphone, a booklet, and maybe a control box with cables or tubing headed off somewhere. What is this gent doing?



Ben Ellison

Ben Ellison

Panbo editor, publisher & chief bottlewasher from 4/2005 until 8/2018, and now pleased to have Ben Stein as a very able publisher, webmaster, and editing colleague. Please don't regard him as an "expert"; he's getting quite old and thinks that "fadiddling fumble-putz" is a more accurate description.

6 Responses

  1. bilbo says:

    Testing NMEA 2000

  2. Richard Stephens says:

    Surely, that’s a Pocket PC in his left hand!

  3. Walter Guinon says:

    In the early 1900’s certain lightships were equipped with a fog horn, an underwater bell and an RDF signal. The differential time of arrival between the bell and fog horn sound gave distance off. The navigator is listening to an underwater microphone, nulling an RDF meter and taking a visual bearing. A busy guy, not to mention all the traffic.

  4. Ben Ellison Ben Ellison says:

    I have to admit to being dubious, Walter, but found some backup for your theory here:
    http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/ultrasonics_history.html
    Thanks! What’s the saying—“you learn something every day.” Now I can go back to bed.

  5. Patrick says:

    I’d guess he’s calling out ranges and bearings to a gunnery below deck during a battle.

  6. Ben Ellison Ben Ellison says:

    I wondered about gunnery too, but here’s more evidence for the ‘Walter’ theory:
    http://www.rudyalicelighthouse.net/NWLts/LV83/LV83.htm

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