Still from ROV video

[Erik]

It occurs to me that it might be helpful to start a "catalog" of objects we think we recognize on the videos, for future reference.  If/when we get an ROV back down there, with the ability to know where it is, and a scale, a catalog list would be handy.
Anyone got ideas of a simple way to begin one?

PhotoSynth might be a great start.  I would be willing to stitch the photos together.  Its fairly easy.  Saved views would allow for easy cataloging. 

Click here for an example of one already created.

[Erik]

http://www.wc5c.org/WC5CClub/NikumaroroAmeliaEarhartHamRadioTest/tabid/570/Default.aspx

just wondering if Tighar was aware of this ?

Yes.

Is there a coordinated effort?

[Erik]

As I mentioned before, it's likely that all this junk originates from a plane but, is it the Electra? could a WW2 plane have ditched here? is there any record of this happening? You wouldn't be interested into researching this possibility Richie?
Great work Richie, keep going.

"Aircraft lost in the vicinity of Nikumaroro."

My gosh!  Not exactly the best safety record at Canton....  :-\

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Anyone know ... if TIGHAR has been using their own base station on Niku?

Yes.

[Erik]

Anyone know ... if TIGHAR has been using their own base station on Niku?

Yes.

Thanks, was one used for the ROV mission?  It would have to be real-time for the data to be useful.

[Richard C Cooke]

"A battery operated, hand held Garmin Gps device "
...only works on the water surface.  The ship has a better one, but it won't tell us where the ROV is , other than in very general terms (those are already known).  The ROV uses an underwater transponder system to keep track of it's location in 3-D.  A computer system combines the surface GPS location data with the underwater transponder location data to figure out the ROV location.
I don't know what sort of transponder the ROV used, other than what is in the Finding Amelia film. I'm a little familiar with two types - an acoustic one (sort of old "sonar" technology), and a variety of radio-based ones, mostly using relatively low frequencies with an underwater antenna (that's my guess on what got chopped by the prop).  The ROV picks up the signals from the antenna, in a way that resembles the way a GPS picks up the signals from satellites, but they are not the same signals or frequencies.

The most obvious backup system would be to use a surface ship with a commercial sonar "fish finder", hovering over the ROV location.  That's dangerous duty in the surf visible in the video.

Finding any object on the reef that can be identified as belonging to a Lockheed might be the best way to attract investors.  Fuzzy videos without scale aren't enough.  We might be fooling ourselves when we identify tailwheel assemblies.  What if the black squiggly thing is a biological growth 12 inches tall? Then the "tailwheel " feature couldn't be the size of an Electra unit.

In the case of the tail wheel stills I don't have anything to go on regarding scale John. With the first discovered object 'the main gear strut?' I had the photos from the Tighar site with the meauring tape so, could get a ball park sense of scale for the area in question. With the tail wheel area I have nothing to go on at all.
I will post up some more stills though of the junk in the 'mermaids grotto' just to the right of the 'tail wheel' thingy.
Jeff

Some sense of scale must be possible based on how the ROV lights and camera were setup.  In underwater photography the lights and camera tend to be focused at some point and the ROV guys will know that its all in focus with the best light at say 15 feet.  They will also know what sort of lens angle they tended to use, so they can calculate approximate pixel size when in focus and the best light.  It wont be exact but they could work out if its nearer 12in or 4 ft.

rc 

[Tim Collins]

This is starting to get exciting - and yes, I'm one to start counting my chicks before they hatch!

Any idea how deep these things are? The item in post 177, I find particularly intriguing.

[Harry Howe, Jr.]

In my previous post about a portable backup GPS device, the function of a waterproof plexiglas box, into which the GPS device could be fitted, would be to  then be attached to or carried inside the ROV.  Remember it is a backup system memory only to be consulted if something happens to the fancy, dancy primary system.

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

More from the 'mermaids grotto'

The object/s within the white gloop look interesting

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

It occurs to me that it might be helpful to start a "catalog" of objects we think we recognize on the videos, for future reference.  If/when we get an ROV back down there, with the ability to know where it is, and a scale, a catalog list would be handy.
Anyone got ideas of a simple way to begin one?

PhotoSynth might be a great start.  I would be willing to stitch the photos together.  Its fairly easy.  Saved views would allow for easy cataloging. 

Click here for an example of one already created.

Good idea guys ++++
Perhaps a new thread as the catalogue

[John Ousterhout]

Harry sez "...GPS device could be fitted, would be to  then be attached to or carried inside the ROV"
Unfortunately a GPS doesn't work under water, so it won't record the ROV's location during the dive.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Thanks, was one used for the ROV mission?  It would have to be real-time for the data to be useful.

I haven't heard about the ROV system.  I don't see any details on it on the website.

[Chris Johnson]

More from the 'mermaids grotto'

The object/s within the white gloop look interesting

Can you make out a object to the left of yours that has what looks like a streight edge to it?

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

As I mentioned before, it's likely that all this junk originates from a plane but, is it the Electra? could a WW2 plane have ditched here? is there any record of this happening? You wouldn't be interested into researching this possibility Richie?
Great work Richie, keep going.

"Aircraft lost in the vicinity of Nikumaroro."

Thanks for that link Marty. It will help a lot. Aircraft missing in the vicinity of are the most likely suspects as opposed to ones crahed on or near nearby islands. I'll take a look at them to see if anything matches up.

Jeff

[Erik]

Notice the similar location off the grease fitting nipple in the photo vs where the "black squiggly" seems to be originating in the reef image.  Coincidental?