Jahresbericht Ur. 18/1963 
Seite 108 
to the Funk- und Fernmeldetechnisches Zentralamt der Bundespost as daily 
contribution to the radio weather forecasts so that these observations in 
directly serve the promotion of the radio traffic at sea. 37,000 instru 
ments and devices of the ship's equipment 
were again tested on land, not counting the number of devices rejected for 
reasons of non-fulfilment of the test regulations; 2,000 compass adjustments, 
as well as type tests and re-tests of radar gears and radio direction finders 
were carried out. An agreement was reached between the mariners' association 
and the department Nautical Engineering covering the test 
and certification of auto-pilots controlled by magnetic compasses. The safe 
distance was fixed for 8 radar gears and other navigational instruments. 
For investigations of radar display disturbances of magnetic origin, a special 
3 components Förster probe has proved especially suitable for measurements 
of the magnetic field in the radar display units. The errors of two gyro 
compass systems caused by accelerated motion could considerably be reduced 
by adequate measures taken during trial trips on the highway. The errors 
ascertained on a simplified binnacle on the vibrator table could be referred 
to the nutation oscillation forced by the insufficient protection of the 
binnacle. The test regulations for the position lights of sporting craft 
were elaborated and published. A test device on board SRV "Gauß" for the 
continuous in situ determination of the speed of sound in sea water has de 
livered good results. Contrasty echograms of the reflections from recent 
shallow water sediments were obtained on the same cruise. 13 D/F sets were 
subjected to a type test, and the regulations for type testing, acceptance, 
and re-testing completed. The radio transmitter beacon was tested on further 
frequencies. 
In the fields of Geophysics and Astronomy the GHI has developed a new 
method after World War II according to which the times and heights of high 
and low waters given in the tide tables have been computed since 1955 for 
German ports. With the various possibilities offered by the electronic 
computer, also the hourly water levels could be computed after this method. 
It is the first time that a computation indicates the course of strongly 
distorted shallow water tides. Thus, the deviations of the respective water 
levels from the tides caused by the wind or other factors can better be trac 
ed, so e.g. what share the long waves have in these deviations which are 
inducing depressions outside the North Sea area and advance as far as the 
German coast. A revised edition of the "Atlas of the tidal Streams in the 
North Sea, the Channel, and the British Waters" was issued. The accuracy 
of the short wave time signals and the transmission of the signals could 
noticeably be improved. The impulses are now started'by semi-conductors; 
the- mechanic relays passing the impulse on to the transmitter were replaced 
by electronic circuit components. By this and other improvements, the