It just divides things that are to scale from things that are not.

Bob

"Phil Verghese" wrote in message
. 3.44...
"Bob Gardner" wrote in
news:dmT5b.359099$uu5.70294@sccrnsc04:

Their format allows them to depict navaids that would not be visible
if the whole thing was to scale....might have an IAF 20 miles out that
would be off the chart.

Oh I understand that. The chart can't always be to scale, that's why they
have the wiggly line symbol. If an route segment is not drawn to scale
they
put the wiggly line symbol on the route to highlight that fact. That works
fine, and would still work without the reference circle. I believe
Jeppesen
has something similar.

I still don't understand how the reference circle helps anything.

Phil