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[TowerTalk] aiming a rotor: true vs. magnetic

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] aiming a rotor: true vs. magnetic
From: hancock@ce.net (Edward Hancock)
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 11:34:35 -0500
zeitler@ibm.net wrote:
> 
> Esteemed Reflectees,
> I should remember this being an old Navy TACAN tech but........
> 
> When aiming my rotor, I have my magnetic compass sitting right under the
> boom of my quad. Actually lying flat on the roof with the tower retracted so
> I can manually point the beam. I visually line up the boom with the compass.
> Okay so far. In order to aim the beam at "true" north I would actually want
> it pointing at 012 degrees if I have a magnetic correction of 12 degrees,
> right? of course the rotor also needs to be sitting at 12.
> 
> Help!!
> 
> Lane Zeitler
> KM3G
> IFF and TACAN tech
> 
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I have just done the exact thing you are doing and here is the method I 
used.

First I determined which direction my rotator was pointing.  Then I set 
up the boom to that direction.  I used my compass and the correction.  
Remember a west correction means to add an east correction means 
subtract.  The way to determine true north is also easy - I have 
included a www address 
(http://www.geolab.nrcan.gc.ca/geomag/e_cgrf.html) so you can enter your 
lon and lat for your specific correciton.  Once done pin the mast to the 
boom and its all set.  I believe that accuracy is imortant but remember 
the rotator direction is probably only accurate +/- 3 degrees.
Good luck
Ed KE3ZR

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