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Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] UW-DGPS

Hi, Vance!
        Re: GPS . . .we use both the Trackpoint 2 and the older Honeywell
Hydrostar tracking system on the DW2000's. You're right on the mega$$ - 
the TP2 is about 75K, all up - I like the Honeywell, so we still use it -
it is super reliable and stable - cost about 50K. We tried the Desert Star
tracking/navigation system and it was quite accurate but only at relatively
short range. Marco Flagg, the owner of Desert Star is a good guy, very
knowledgeable - we had him personally install the sytems that we bought
onboard the DeepWorkers to make sure it was done right. Just not enough jam
for subs- would be great for SCUBA diver, tho . .The Desert Star system was
about 12K. I mention these tracking/navigation systems  'cause its pretty
easy to use a GPS on the surface station, link it to the traking system and
get a GPS fix on where the sub is at any given moment. Easy, but not
cheap!!
        Re: Sitting at the bottom of Vancouver Harbor in DW, waiting to be
interviewed;  I was thinking about the Dual DeepWorker that we had just
built for Deepex ( Deep Expeditions Inc. - an exotic destinations group
involved with Zehgram Expeditions out of Seattle) It is a two place DW with
the pilot behind the passenger in a second spherical cabin - kinda like an
old biplane).I think there's an artist's concept on the Zehgram Website .
.search 'Zehgram'  and 'Deepsea Voyages'. Anyhow, they were talking about
buying another one for Truk Lagoon dives off the 'Thorfinn' . . .but
decided they couldn't afford another Dual Deepworker - which is, roughly
1.75 times the price of a single . . .instead they want a  'QuadWorker',  a
4 place DW that is, essentially, 2 Dual DeepWorkers side by side with a
fibreglass fairing and integrated/locked skid frame to make them one unit.
I was musing on the fact that the Quad is more than twice as expensive as
the Dual - so if the Dual was too expensive, how could they justify us
lifting the Quad off the drawing board ( actually, 'screen') and building
it for them??? The answer is like a rock concert:
the whole thing comes down to 'bums in seats', as the English say . .In the
Dual you have one pilot and one paying passenger - in the Quad, you have
one pilot and three passengers - a 200% increase in revenues for a 100%
increase in cost. Interestin',huh? That's what I was thinking about last
time dow, waiting for the cameraman.
        Re:  non-psub threads -  wot, no more Elvis???? 
Phil Nuytten