Azimutal Vs Compas direction
- Thread starter ghermai
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 3
- Views 2K
- Status
If I am understanding what you are saying, I would follow the compass direction IF it is truly taking into account the declination in your area.
For reference, I use this site the most for aiming info, it gives both numbers also
http://satcalculator.freehostia.com/
For reference, I use this site the most for aiming info, it gives both numbers also
http://satcalculator.freehostia.com/
I think he means magnetic declination. The difference between true south and magnetic south. Or you could be like me and be lucky, my mag dec is .2. So basically I don't have to compensate. 
True north, and what a compass reads, are not quite in agreement.
Here is a government map that shows how much error there is, depending on where you are in the USA.
Other maps can be found here.
This offset or correction, is factored into the calculations for most satellite aiming web sites.
Many sites give actual azimuth (worthless to most of us) and the magnetic heading, which you can use with a compass.
Take the magnetically corrected column on the table, and aim to that number using your compass, and you should be very close.
Here is yet another aiming calculator, which covers Canada, USA, and Mexico.
Here is a government map that shows how much error there is, depending on where you are in the USA.
Other maps can be found here.
This offset or correction, is factored into the calculations for most satellite aiming web sites.
Many sites give actual azimuth (worthless to most of us) and the magnetic heading, which you can use with a compass.
Take the magnetically corrected column on the table, and aim to that number using your compass, and you should be very close.
Here is yet another aiming calculator, which covers Canada, USA, and Mexico.
- Status
