[amsat-bb] Re: rotator questions

[Daniel Schultz]

To find true north at your QTH:

Go to
http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/rs-one-day-us

Enter your nearest city and state into the menu

If you prefer to enter latitude and longitude, or if you are outside of the
USA, go to
http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/rs-one-day-world

You will get a chart like this for your location:

Thursday
13 August 2009        Eastern Daylight Time         

	SUN
Begin civil twilight       5:50 a.m.                
Sunrise                    6:19 a.m.                
Sun transit                1:12 p.m.                
Sunset                     8:05 p.m.                
End civil twilight         8:33 p.m.                

	MOON
Moonrise                  11:04 p.m. on preceding day
Moon transit               6:29 a.m.                
Moonset                    2:04 p.m.                
Moonrise                  11:44 p.m.                
Moonset                    3:13 p.m. on following day

Make a note of the "Sun transit" time. Set your watch by WWV or some other
reliable time source. Drive a stake in the ground (use a plumb line to make
sure it is vertical). Go outside at the exact moment of the sun transit, at
that time the shadow of the stake (or your tower if it is vertical) will be
true north. Mark the ground at that exact time.

Dan Schultz N8FGV