AbstractSince july1968, oceanographers aboard USNS CHARLES H. DAVIS (T‐AGOR 5) have been utilizing Navy TRANSIT satellites and the ITTFL 4007AB satellite receiver with a PDP‐8/S general purpose computer to acquire position data at sea. The system has been operated without a specially trained technician, and with a high degree of reliability. The authors, with no formal background, and only modest practical experience in computer technology and electronics, have been able to acquire excellent navigational data to support their scientific progr