[TowerTalk] Beam headings

[Bill Aycock]

Paul- 
In Arizona, it may be easy and convenient to SEE the North Star. That is
not the case in much of north america. Polution levels are so high that
haze makes it hard, much of the time. Couple that with skyshine experienced
in most urban locations, and it is not an easy way to do it.

An additional problem is that , once Polaris is found, one must relate it
to other objects, or establish a reference when the other objects (beams,
?) can be seen.

I am fortunate, and can see it much of the time. I am several miles from
the nearest moderate sized town, and at an altitude approaching 800 ft
above the major part of the local population. My sky is clearer, BY FAR,
than in town. when the wind is low, I can see the layers of stuff that
blocks their view. 

I have done this several ways- by pole star, by compass, by the sun shadow
at solar noon, and with a reference line about 1300 ft long, sighted by a
surveyer.  By far the easiest was the shadow, at least for me.

Bill- W4BSG

At 07:33 PM 03/14/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>Why do we insist in NOT using the North Star to determine true North?
>
>It is so easy - no calculations, no allowing for how far we are from
>the edge of the time zone we are in, no magnetic deviation.  Just look
>and there she is.
>

-
Bill Aycock   ---   Persimmon Hill 
 Woodville, Alabama, US 35776
 (in the N.E. corner of the State)
      W4BSG   --   Grid EM64vr
        baycock@HiWAAY.net
             w4bsg@arrl.net

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