: I am thinking of installing a built in compass that one can also set the
: declination.

Just curious, but why is this feature desirable for you?

I've been fortunate (unfortunate?) to live and travel in areas where the declination was so small that the differences were fairly academic, so I'm in the dark on the importance of this matter.

If I was traveling much further from home I'd have a GPS and a small pocket compass with me -- and mostly navigate with the GPS -- so I'm not sure if i would ever think of compensating for the declination. I suppose this MIGHT get me into trouble far from home, but then again, if I was far from home I just might be looking for trouble

Are you using local charts oriented to true north nstead of magnetic north? Are you in an area where there is a great deal of difference between the two?

PGJ