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Hi,

I realise the list is for non electronic navigation methods but I need some
confirmation on an issue of magnetic variation.

I recently purchased a hand held GPS to back up my celestial on my first
offshore trip (solo).  Whilst I was familiarising myself with the unit the
other day, I found after much head scratching that the unit actually ADDS
easterly variation to true to get a magnetic heading readout.

I was always taught that "variation east, magnetic least" - all my
navigation text books including Bowditch back this up.

I contacted the Australian importer of the GPS this morning who said they
had been aware of the problem for 18 months, had taken the issue up with MLR
France ( the manufacturer)
and were advised that it was the way that the French deal with variation( ie
add rather than subtract Easterly variation to get magnetic course).  The
importer said they were happy with this explanation.

Anyway, I just wanted to confirm that the world over that Easterly variation
is subtracted from true to get magnetic.  If it isn't, well at least I've
learned something today.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

   

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