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Independent study · no certification. Details

Compass Global is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by IMO, IHO, IALA, World Sailing, or any national authority. It does not award certification.

Compass Global study companion

Electronic Navigation, GPS, and AIS Study Companion

Direct answer

GPS, electronic charts, routes, AIS, CPA/TCPA, alarms, cross-checking, and degraded-navigation decisions for boat owners and charterers. Compass provides independent knowledge preparation only. It does not administer an official examination, award certification, demonstrate practical competence, or replace current instructions from an authorized provider or authority. Fictional displays are teaching models and not approved navigation systems or navigational charts.

Price
£29.99 once
Course size
10 modules
Access
Lifetime access
Format
Independent online study companion
Preview the free module

Product tour

Try the revision loop here

This working, course-specific sample uses the same three primary steps and feedback timing as the revision app: learn the idea, use Practise for immediate help, then Test at the end.

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Learn · teaching first

Trace One Value From the World to the Decision

From Sensor and Position Foundations

What you will learn

Separate a displayed value from the sensor and processing chain that created it, then name every material dependency before relying on it.

Explanation

A screen is usually the end of a chain, not the origin of a measurement. Trace the chain backwards before deciding how many pieces of evidence you really have.

Use PHYSICAL QUANTITY — SENSOR/ANTENNA — RECEIVER/PROCESSOR — NETWORK/GATEWAY — SELECTED SOURCE — DISPLAY/CONSUMER — DECISION. Start with the physical quantity: position, orientation, motion, water depth, wind or time. Name the antenna or transducer that senses it, the receiver or processor that converts it, the network or gateway that carries it, the selected source used by the display and the decision the operator is about to make.

A display can repeat data created by another sensor. A plotter can show GNSS position made by an external receiver; a tablet can receive that same position over the vessel network; and an instrument repeater can render the same message again. Three visible numbers can therefore be three presentations of one upstream observation.

Build a source trace before departure

A new crew member points to four displays and reports, ‘We have four position systems.’

Sense check: The result should count separate relevant source paths, not logos, apps or display units.

Common mistake

Counting repeated data as independent evidence

Recap

  • Trace from physical quantity to decision.
  • Separate sensor, processor, transport, selection and display.
  • Count independent paths, not screens.
More ways to revise

Flashcards, audio and interactive tools remain optional support inside the module; they do not replace the Learn → Practise → Test route.

Course route

Learn the knowledge, then take it afloat with an instructor

1Free

Sensor and Position Foundations

Position sources, antenna location, heading, speed, depth, wind, timestamps, networks, and the difference between a value, its source, and its display.

Open module
2Full access

Chart Datums, ENCs, and Update Status

Horizontal and vertical datums, official ENCs, vector layers, raster images, scale, compilation, update status, permits, and display-category choices.

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3Full access

GNSS Limitations and Integrity

Satellite geometry, antenna environment, interference, jamming, spoofing, multipath, receiver status, accuracy versus integrity, and independent position checks.

Open module
4Full access

Heading, Course, Track, and Speed

Heading, course to steer, course over ground, track, speed through water, speed over ground, set, drift, leeway, and vector relationships.

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5Full access

Waypoints, Routes, and Cross-Track Error

Waypoint placement, route legs, arrival circles, turn anticipation, cross-track error, along-track distance, corridor checks, and avoiding waypoint fixation.

Open module
6Full access

Safety Contours and Route Checks

Safety depth, safety contour, shallow and deep contours, vessel draft, tide, squat, waves, confidence, alarm limits, and manual route inspection.

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7Full access

AIS Targets, CPA, and TCPA

AIS reports, dynamic and static data, update rates, target vectors, CPA/TCPA calculations, target association, carriage limits, and collision-avoidance boundaries.

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8Full access

Alarms and Human Factors

Alarm configuration, acknowledgement, prioritization, nuisance alarms, mode awareness, confirmation bias, workload, fatigue, handovers, and shared mental models.

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9Full access

Radar, AIS, Chart, and Visual Cross-Checks

Independent and common-mode evidence, radar ranges and bearings, AIS association, visual identification, depth contours, charted objects, and resolving disagreement.

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10Full access

Degraded and Lost Electronics

Power loss, display failure, corrupt routes, GNSS denial, sensor faults, paper and offline backups, DR, communications, crew roles, and recovery without compounding the failure.

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What the companion includes

Clear knowledge and practical boundaries

  • Original lessons and explanations
  • At least 18 explained questions and 12 flashcards per module
  • Three 40-question mixed knowledge assessments
  • Worldwide terminology, jurisdiction, and primary-source context
  • Practical-awareness prompts clearly separated from assessed knowledge

Not included

  • A national licence, certificate, endorsement, or official examination
  • National inland rules, prescriptions, notices, or sailing instructions
  • Copied rulebook, chart, assessment, or official diagram content
  • A substitute for lookout, seamanship, or current local information
  • A guarantee of acceptance by an authority, club, school, or operator

Editorial record

Primary-source review

International principles are reviewed against current primary sources. National law, prescriptions, sailing instructions, equipment requirements, and local notices must be checked separately.