Hi Fernando, Your diagram is unclear, because its appearance depends on the width of characters in your font. In Courier it looks totally wrong. In a proportional font, OK.
For greatest accuracy, I think you should make the length of the rope be around 150% to 200% of the distance WE. Grab the rope somewhere near its centre for best results, pull taut. The exact points where both ends go taut depend on their lengths, but will be symmetrical with respect to WE. In other words, they are due north/south of one another. Even if you grab the rope near one end the trick works, as long as the difference between the lengths of rope is less than WE. Regards Chris Lusby Taylor 51.3N, 1.4W. Fernando Cabral wrote: > Sorry, but I have not been able to visualize this. > No matter how I look into it, I can't seen how it will > generate a perpendicular line. I see the pegs and cable > as follows: > > + > W o=====================o E > + > > Where do I pull the rope taut? I'd imagine where the crosses are > (+) but I can't see how it will work. > > Can someone help this guy who can't use the right side of his > brain? > > - fernando > > John Carmichael wrote: > > > Rudolph: > > > > What a great idea! No math or plotting! This method also seems like it > > would be very precise (If there is no stretch in the rope. A chain or cable > > metal cable might be better than a rope for super precision). > > > > John > > > > >Yes, yes yes! Laying out lines is really fun and healthy. > > > > > >To derive the meridian from the east-west line, you don't even have to use > > >a > > >Pythagorean triangle. > > >If you peg two points on the E-W line (not too close together) and connect > > >them with a long rope, you can pull the rope taut first on one side of the > > >E-W line, then on the other, each time grasping the rope in the same point. > > >That point can be anywhere on the rope, although not too far from the > > >middle > > >(of the rope) is best. > > >If you mark the two places you can reach that way, you have two points of > > >the meridian. > > > > > >Have fun! > > > > > >Rudolf > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: Wm. S. Maddux <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >(...) > > >Although it might seem a bit like watching the grass grow, a dialist > > >can find peculiar, but real, pleasure while doing this, just to see the > > >the straight W to E line reveal itself again, as it always has. > > > > > >Later you can draw the local meridian at a right angle, anywhere > > >along this established line, which is a most essential thing to know > > >for any dialing project. (The good old Pythagorean ratio of 3:4:5 > > >for the sides of a measured right-triangle is a good way to lay off > > >the right angle.) > > >(,,,) > > > > > > > > -- > Fernando Cabral Padrao iX Sistemas Abertos > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pix.com.br > Fone Direto: +55 61 329-0206 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > PABX: +55 61 329-0202 Fax: +55 61 326-3082 > 15º 45' 04.9" S 47º 49' 58.6" W > 19º 37' 57.0" S 45º 17' 13.6" W
