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Radio beacons: Difference between revisions
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Added more ADF info.
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[[File:Radio beacon NDB.png|frame|Equipment finds the direction of the strongest signal of the NDB and shows this on a compass rose.]] | [[File:Radio beacon NDB.png|frame|Equipment finds the direction of the strongest signal of the NDB and shows this on a compass rose.]] | ||
[[File:Pictogram NDB.png|frame|NDB symbol]] | [[File:Pictogram NDB.png|frame|NDB symbol]] | ||
[[File:ADF Indicator.JPG|thumb|200px|Der ADF-Anzeiger (MDI) in der Cessna 172p]] | |||
[[File:ADF-RMI.jpg|thumb|Ein RMI als ADF-Anzeigegerät]] | |||
A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-directional_beacon Non-Directional Beacon ('''NDB''')] is the most basic type of radio beacon. The equipment on board of our aircraft will have to figure out where it is. Any (music) radio station is also a NDB. The typical frequencies of a NDB can be found on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_wave AM Medium band] (530 kHz to 1700 kHz) but during flight planning we shall discover NDB's outside this range. | A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-directional_beacon Non-Directional Beacon ('''NDB''')] is the most basic type of radio beacon. The equipment on board of our aircraft will have to figure out where it is. Any (music) radio station is also a NDB. The typical frequencies of a NDB can be found on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_wave AM Medium band] (530 kHz to 1700 kHz) but during flight planning we shall discover NDB's outside this range. | ||
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===ADF=== | ===ADF=== | ||
An ADF is ''not'' a radio station, | An ADF is ''not'' a radio station, its the the equipment on board of the aircraft to perform [[RDF]] automatically, the Automatic Direction Finder ('''ADF'''). | ||
The display unit of an ADF is called '''MDI (Moving Dial Indicator)'''. Usage and functionality is pretty simple: the needle points to the direction of the NDB station. If the needle points directly upwards, this indicates the plane is pointing towards the station. | |||
The compass disc does not rotate automatically and can be adjusted using the knob on the bottom left labelled "HD". If aligned to the magnetic compass, you can read the [[QDM]] (magnetic bearing to the sender) from the scale. | |||
A more complex display unit is the ''' RMI (Radio Magnetic Indicator)'''. It has a roatable compass disc that is working like a directional gyro. It saves you from the need to readjust the compass disc in flight. In addition to that, the RMI can process the output of two navigation receiver units, for example 2 VORs or one NBD and one VOR. If the ADF is turned on, the needle for the ADF will point to the station like with the MDI. The obvious advantage of the RMI is, that you can directly read the QDM. | |||
If the second RMI needle is active, it is perfectly suited to estimate your position by doing cross-bearing (see picture at the start of the page). | |||
Often [[NDB]] stations are called ADF stations but that is technically incorrect. | |||
==VOR== | ==VOR== | ||