[amsat-bb] Re: AMSAT-NA totally metric?

[Tony Langdon]

>A minute is a Nautical Mile (6000) feet in latitude. ( 100 feet per 
>second) Latitude times the COS of the latitude for longitude. (At 
>33N = 1 second of longitude = 84 feet) Try that in kilometers! Guess 
>your GPS will do those things for you. FYI: A grid square is only 
>square at 60 degrees of latitude. COS = 0.5

And who on this side of the planer is at 60 degrees?  Maybe a few 
seals and whales LOL  Conversion between degrees and distance is not 
required much these days, with GPS and good maps.  Nautical 
measurements are still used here in any case, in meteorology for 
example (wind speed is in km/h and knots).

>On the other hand many caculations are simplified with metrics, 
>wavelength for example. Amps, Volts, Farrads, Henerys, Ohms, 
>Frequency, and Watts are same in metric and need no 
>conversion.Grams, Litres and Meters require developing a feel. I can 
>visualize an inch, not 3 cm ?  I can feel an ounce, but not a gram, 
>besides a pint is a pound of water! Is a litre of water a Kilogram?

3cm, dat's a little less than 1 1/4" ;)  And a litre of water has 1kg 
mass (at 4 degrees Centigrade - the temperature at which the density 
of water is maximum).

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