Hi Richard,
My name is Dan and I have a odd request about the azimuth ring (circle) template you create (your talents are desired by more than the amateur astronomy groups).
Is it possible to make a azimuth template like the ones you have in this forum, but have it fit a 60-inch radius?
I have been searching for a program or anyone who could make a 120-inch round azimuth ring (template) and found your posts here. I have tried; Word, PowerPoint, Google SketchUp, GcmWin316BeGreat_Circle_Map.exe, RACIRC.EXE, SETCIRC.EXE, and Shadows.exe. None of which I could figure out or have it correctly create azimuth scale with a 60-inch radius (they may do it, I just couldn't).
What is the purpose of the 60-inch azimuth ring? During WWII the seacoast artillery battery's used a plotting board to track the location of targets (ships) to fire at. The actual board is listed in the WWII manual as having a 58-1/3 plotting radius (there are several different board sizes).
I am attempting to reconstruct a seacoast artillery plotting board for Battery 519 (Fort Miles) located in Lewis, Delaware (USA) with a diameter of around 120-inches (60-in plotting radius). It's a little larger due to the construction materials used (wood). The board will be used for student educational purposes and to show the basic operation of a seacoast artillery plotting board.
Attached is a picture of the board I am constructing (here also):
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=7B47FB4AD80A1BD1#cid=7B47FB4AD 80A1BD1&id=7B47FB4AD80A1BD1!168
The outer most ring in the picture is the azimuth ring/circle.
What type of azimuth circle template is needed?
* Fits a radius of 60-inches (120-inch dia)
* "0" as true south (180 north) ** The centerline (directrix) for this battery was: 278.86, East
* scale width of 1-1/2 inch (sections length as fits on standard paper)
* regular font (no italics for the numbers)
And if possible could it be made as "reverse printing" also? This would allow printing the sheets on plastic so they wouldn't be rubbed off.
If making a full circle template is not feasible then could one or two scales be made which when copied/printed they would fit a 60-inch radius (I could edit in the numbers)?
General text from the seacoast artillery manual:
"The circle is engrayed and numbered at 1 deg intervals, and the mean azimuth of the gun is indicated by the graduation on the center line of the board."
"The verniers on fixed gun azimuth circles were installed to read azimuths from true south."
I don't fully understand why they used true south as their base (0/360 orientation).
FYI: the astronomy websites are the only places I have found who deal with making their own azimuth rings/circles (and great pictures also)! So I thank you all for looking to the stars; what a lovely gaze you have!
For some good reading about the seacoast artillery battery's see:
Coastal defenses of Australia during World War II:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal...g_World_War_II
Thank you very much if you consider doing this,
Dan