SC - Fire pit cooking

[Aengus1 at aol.com]

Unto all who read these words does Aengus MacBain bid good greetings.

I have a bit of a delimma I was hoping you good folk could help me with. 
Milady wife and I have taken an interest in cooking over an open fire. We 
recently bought a spit however, we have no real idea how to cook with the 
bloody thing. How does one gauge the height at which the food should be kept 
from the fire? How do you interpret temperature on something as variable as 
an open fire? Are there any books available on the subject or is this one of 
those trial and error things?  Any assistance you could offer to pave our way 
in the venue would be gratefully accepted.

Thanks in advance,
Aengus MacBain
Aengus1 at aol.com