Magnetic North True North

[+DayTrekkers]

Please help!!!!

What is the difference between Magnetic North and True North? And which one is used on Geocaching.com? Does it matter? Do I have to set declination on my GPS or does it do it automatically? I beleave I'm 6 degrees from magnetic or something like that.

 

I feel that there is a difference.

 

If you know where post are on this topic it would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[+EScout]

Do a GOTO in your GPSr to a waypoint and read the bearing. Do this with the setting at both True and Magnetic. The difference is your magnetic declination. If the True bearing is larger than the Magnetic bearing (when the true bearing is greater than the amount of declination) then you have east declination.

 

Mark your compass with this declination. I recommend that you leave your GPSr set to True.

 

You need to know the difference when a multi cache gives you a bearing or projection (and they should tell you to use True or Magnetic.)

[kb9nvh]

Not important unless you are being told a heading to take or are comparing to a compass.....then you need to know.

 

When flying VFR you always use magetic

 

Do a GOTO in your GPSr to a waypoint and read the bearing. Do this with the setting at both True and Magnetic. The difference is your magnetic declination. If the True bearing is larger than the Magnetic bearing (when the true bearing is greater than the amount of declination) then you have east declination.

 

Mark your compass with this declination. I recommend that you leave your GPSr set to True.

 

You need to know the difference when a multi cache gives you a bearing or projection (and they should tell you to use True or Magnetic.)

[+ejnewman]

The only reason you would ever need to use magnetic north for geocaching was if you were getting a heading from your GPS to use with a regular compass that doesn't have its own declination adjustment.

 

If you only use your GPS to find caches then it doesn't matter.