[TowerTalk] Positoners Calibration to True North

[Tom McAlee]

Since the original question was posted by a VK station, it might be worth 
noting that using Polaris to locate north can only be done in the northern 
hemisphere.  It is not visible below the equator.

Down there you'll need to locate south and flip that 180.  But, there is no 
"south star" such that the south end of the earth's axis points almost 
directly at it.  But, there is some bizarre combination of 
constellations/stars and drawing lines and following them perpendicularly to 
other stars, etc., that can be used to locate the south pole with enough 
accuracy for antenna work.

But, never having been in the southern hemisphere, I don't know the details. 
I'm sure you can find info about it on the web though.

And, by the way, Polaris isn't exactly north; it's about 1 degree off true 
north.

73,
Tom, NI1N

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Nielsen" <nielsen at oz.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 10:50 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Positoners Calibration to True North


> Zero degrees is north, which can be found by locating Polaris in the
> (clear) night sky.  Polaris is the star at the end of the handle of
> the little dipper.  The front edge of the big dipper points toward
> Polaris (I recall it is about 5 times the angular distance between
> the two stars at the front of the big dipper).
>
> 73, Bob N7XY
> (ex-boy scout, ~1951)