Magnetic declination

[TiminMb]

I am west of the line of zero magnetic declination. Apparently its around 4 degrees around here. So do I aim my dish at 4 degrees less (107 true-4.0=103 degrees azimuth)? So I aim by compass at 103 instead of 107?, which makes it further east?

 

[equant]

I'm curious regarding the answer to this. I live in Tucson, which my understanding meant that I needed to aim my dish 11 degrees less than 180 degrees. Isn't that the case? Where did you get 107 from? I thought Magnetic South was 180.

I'm aiming my dish this weekend, so if someone wants to clear this up for both of us, that'd be great. I've been trying to keep quiet and figure this out, but this question just made me doubt my thinking.

Thanks,
Nathanial Hendler
KE7BOJ
Tucson, AZ USA

 

[qwert1515]

West of the line of zero magnetic declination you subtract the correction value, East you add.

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installation/STAB-Installation-Angles.htm#dev

 

[TiminMb]

I'm trying to aim at a satellite that is located at 30W longitude. From my location its 107 azimuth. I'm thinking that means I need to point it at 103 by the compass given my location's magentic declination. I THINK here you add the declination of 4 degrees to the compass reading to get true azimuth. So, that leads me to believe I need to aim at 103 instead of 107 to get truly 107 azimuth. I'm trying to find a spot that allows me to aim at this point unemcumber by trees.

 

[Wescopc]

Use the 103 magnetic reading on the compass.

This will be a very hard satellite for you to hit - it has only 5° elevation. Keep your grass mowed.

The "Satellite Antenna Alignment" program works great for 30W. Free download:
http://www.al-soft.com/saa/satinfo.shtml

Bob

 

[TiminMb]

Thanks for showing me the great software Wescopc. That will be very handy.

 

[Anole]

Any modern and decent sat finder program should give you the aiming info for a compass.
Already corrected.