Is GPS position suitable with Paper Charts?
The answer to this Question could be tricky. Although you can use GPS for position plotting on paper charts but there are various factors that you need to keep in mind before you can do this.
Most of the admiralty chart refer to a local data but the position obtained from the GPS system refers to WGS 84 data. Charts published since 1951, carry a note indicating the amount of the shift, according to the original WGS 84 data when the chat was made.
If navigational charts are not using WGS 84 chart datum, then fix obtained from the GPS receiver cannot be plotted directly or these charts. In other words it can be explained as: For the GPS user, concerns are focused on the need to ensure that the above mentioned latitude/longitude datum shifts are made when plotting GPS- derived positions on a paper chart with a different datum.
Accordingly, the user could be required to apply several different datum shifts to the acquired GPS position, which is based on WGS as the ship’s track is progressively plotted on subsequent charts with possibly different datums.
Navigators should be aware of all the factors that may affect the use of GPS positions when plotting these positions on nautical charts. Mariners should continue to give wide berths to charted hazards, and ensure that the datum used by both the chart and the positioning system are the same, or that any difference is accounted for.
Also to be considered are the GPS Errors, the position accuracy, if the GPS is stuck or is it working. These will cause errors on the position plotted on the paper charts.
Hence, as a final answer, GPS positions can be used on Paper chart but with various cautions. Also, it should not be preferred to do so due to various reasons mentioned above.
