John carmichael wrote
<< I wish we could come up with an easy fool-proof method that an ignorant non-dialing customer could use to determine a wall's declination>>
 
My suggestion is:
 
Give these instructions to the client.
 
1) Stick a piece of  paper to the outside of a vertical window on the wall whose declination you want to know.
2) Hang a plumb bob about 1 foot away from the window, with the bob in a bucket of water (as a damper).
3) Hold a small plain mirror against the paper.
4) Note the date and time when the string, the shadow of the string, and the reflection of the string all coincide.
 
When you get the results, use the "Dialists Companion" programme to get the sun's azimuth, and hence the wall's declination.
1 minute is equivalent to about 0.25 of a degree.
 
Assumes you know the correct latitude and longitude.
 

Mike Shaw

mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jmikeshaw/

N 53º 21' 24"
W 03º 01' 47"
Wirral, UK.

 
 
 

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