The
magnetic declination (also known as
grid magnetic angle in military circles) at any point on the Earth is the angle between the local magnetic field -- the direction the north end of a
compass points -- and
true north.
In other words, it is the "correction" you must figure to get correct coordinates to aim your dish.
Your motor is set to your LATITUDE on the LATITUDE scale of the motor. You would set your motor to 43. Once you set your motor, you never adjust it. The motor always stays at your locations latitude.
Your DISH elevation is 30 - your magnetic declination which you said was 6.6. This being said, your DISH should be 23.5. However, the scale on the dish could be off about 5 degrees, so your dish might be at 28.5. You use 30 for that motor because the arm that the dish mounts to is coming off the motor at 30 degrees. However, your Winegard dish may not be off like the Fortec dishes are.
You want to point to AMC 3 as your true south. Point your dish directly at true south with the motor on ZERO. Then, using your receiver and USALS, point to AMC 3, 87 degrees. If you don't have signal on an ACTIVE transponder, you would loosen your mount and rotate the entire assemby, (motor and dish together) SLOWLY left and right. If you don't get anything, raise the dish 1 degree and repeat. If you have gone several degrees higher, start lowering your dish 1 degree at a time. You must move very slowly as it will take a couple of seconds for your receiver to catch up.
I have my dish mounted to a 2in fence pipe about 1.5 feet into the ground. This is very stable, and if you mount to a metal pipe in the ground, your dish is grounded too!
You will really enjoy your setup once you get everything working. You will be very happy with a great accomplishment.
Dish Elevation and Declination angles
Linear Mode
