On 6/4/2011 5:31 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:26:33 -0500, John
wrote:

On 5/23/2011 5:53 PM, 'Captain' Kirk DeHaan wrote:

This is the repeater I am trying to access, 146.780, K7JEP. I have been
playing with Google Earth and getting coordinates so I can go over to my
neighbors property and stand on the ridge between our properties and see
if I can see the repeater and my house. Hopefully that will help me
locate the suspect trees.


Suspend a heavy object from a rope over level ground. If I have plugged
in the correct numbers, the repeater will be on a line drawn by the
shadow of the rope at 12:55. That is, the repeater will be directly
below the sun at that time.

Maybe you can get an idea of the path to the repeater that way.

73,
John

Clever trick, but methinks I have an easier way. I've sighted 1
degree beamwidth microwave dishes this way:

Easier than what I suggested? Actually, all he has to do is step outside
at 12:54 and look at the Sun's location. (I admit it is more accurate to
do this in the winter.)

1. Place a road map on a flat surface[1]. If you can't find a road
map, print a Google Maps or equivalent road map on a piece of
paper[2].
2. Pound a nail or push pin into the map at your location.
3. Find a distant mountain, that's also visible. Pound a nail into
the map at its location and sight between the two nails to the distant
mountain.
4. Without moving the map, find the distant repeater location on the
map and pound in a 3rd nail or push pin.
5. Sight from the nail at your location, to the nail at the repeater
location. What you see is where it's located.


[1] Yes, the earth really is flat.
[2] When I didn't have a printed map handy, I've used my laptop LCD
screen and 3ea flat head screws.

I am afraid I cannot tell whether items [1] and [2] are just screwing
with me or that you are sincere.

John