Bob What I do ( and I'm not sure I'm right,but seems to work ) is to use the North star to calibrate. I live at 41.2* latitude, so if I crank my antennas to 41* elevation and point north 0* azimuth I should be pretty close. I also live at 1* magnetic declination, not much so I don't worry much about that. Now I don't do much EME as I don't have any power, but I've monitored EME and this seems to get me pretty close. I will also be glad to see what others do to calibrate.
73 John KC0BMF
The North Star is the best. even tho it itself is a little off from exactly North also. But less than a degree. About 0.6 degrees or so.
If that isn't accurate enough there are tables you can look up to learn what we call cumulation of Polaris. This is a time when Polaris (AKA The North Star) is directly above or below the pole. and then would give you an exact AZ setting, then 6 hours before or later Polaris would be east or west of the pole exactly and this would give you an exat elevation setting.
Never use magnetic readings. depending where you live it can be a LOT off.
Joe WB9SBD Sig The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com On 7/14/2013 11:01 PM, John Fickes wrote:
Bob What I do ( and I'm not sure I'm right,but seems to work ) is to use the North star to calibrate. I live at 41.2* latitude, so if I crank my antennas to 41* elevation and point north 0* azimuth I should be pretty close. I also live at 1* magnetic declination, not much so I don't worry much about that. Now I don't do much EME as I don't have any power, but I've monitored EME and this seems to get me pretty close. I will also be glad to see what others do to calibrate.
73 John KC0BMF
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