How to establish a magnetic north line on the ground

JohnWF

New member
In order to calibrate my magnetometer I need either an accurate true north or a magnetic north line on the ground at the airport...there is no compass rose here or anywhere around here.

If I had a theodolite, which I don't, I could 'shoot' Polaris, but that isn't something I can do either.

I have several compass units but they are too small to be able to use to get the very great accuracy I seek.

Your suggestions?
 
There is a magnetic field sensor inside iPads and iPhones (and I think about every other vendor's tablet computers and smart phones) that has been used by about a million different apps to point to magnetic north. Some also have the current declination values, so given the tablet's GPS location they can immediately point to true north, too. As far as I can tell with my iPad 2 and iPhone 4 compass apps, they are probably accurate within 1 degree. Or at least more accurate than you can read the compass in most airplanes.
 
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