[Dx4win] Headings

[James G. Dean]

As a former naval navigator, I have been following this discussion with 
interest. I agree with Jim that it makes most sense to use true north. The 
magnetic pole shifts each year, and the amount of shift is indicated on 
nautical charts as the "Variation". Each bearing taken with a magnetic 
compass must be corrected for the Variation, and while the year-to-year 
change is small, it means that every time you realign your antenna, you 
have to recalculate the correction. While DX4W may permit an offset, it 
makes no sense to me to use magnetic north a) because it shifts, and b) 
because any program that I have found that calculates bearings and 
distance always is based on the geographic north pole. Nautical charts are 
always related to true north.

It makes more sense to me to set up your antenna once to true north using 
an available magnetic compass, and then to establish a point or "datum" on 
the ground as the true north alignment point for future realignments due to 
beam changes, maintenance, storm damage, etc. That is what I do and it 
has worked very successfully.

For what it is worth.

73,

Jim, VE3IQ

On 18 Oct 2009 at 10:03, ON4AOI wrote:

> Hi Jim,
> If you have your rotator controlled by dx4win its easy to setup.
> Under rotator you have the tab Parameters where you can setup for each band
> An offset and also a correction for the selected band.
> 
> Guy ON4AOI   
> 
> > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> > Van: dx4win-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:dx4win-
> > bounces at mailman.qth.net] Namens Jim Reisert AD1C
> > Verzonden: zaterdag 17 oktober 2009 19:27
> > Aan: DX4WIN Reflector
> > Onderwerp: Re: [Dx4win] Headings
> > 
> > DX4WIN beam headings are referenced to the geographic North Pole - 90
> > degrees North Latitude.  There is no way for DX4WIN to know the heading
> > to magnetic north from your particular QTH.  I am not aware of ANY
> > program that can do this.
> > 
> > What DX4WIN should have, and I can't find it at the moment, is a way to
> > program an offset into the rotator control.  Then if your antennas were
> > aligned to magnetic North, DX4WIN could compensate for this. Maybe Guy
> > ON4AOI knows if such a feature exists.
> > 
> > 73 - Jim AD1C
> > 
> > --
> > Jim Reisert AD1C, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.us
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Jim Dean, VE3IQ
1134 Plante Drive
Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1V 9E8

Tel: (613) 733-5585
Fax: (613) 733-7613
E-mail: jgdean at sympatico.ca