Radio beacons: Difference between revisions

Radio beacons (view source)

870 bytes removed , 18 September 2011

→‎DGPS: DGPS removed, not relevant

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 ===VORTAC===
 Often the [[VOR-DME]] part of the [[TACAN]] is also made available for civilian navigation. If so, the beacon is called a '''VORTAC''', but the use is as a normal [[VOR-DME]], in the normal frequency range. The range of the beacon varies. Most have the same range as a [[VOR-DME]] but many will have different ranges.
-==DGPS==
-The GPS for civilian use was made to give an error of about 100 meters till the year 2000. To correct the error, that was introduced on-purpose, the Differential GPS ('''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DGPS DGPS]''') system was introduced in 1996. It consists of a network of radio beacons that was able to correct the error to an acceptable 15 meters, enough for navigation. The stations operate typically in the long wave range, but outside the USA radio stations will operate also in other ranges. In the year 2000 the ban on GPS inaccuracy was lifted. Despite this the network remained on-line since it improves the GPS to an accuracy of 10 cm. Without a DGPS receiver these stations will act as [[NDB]] stations and can be used for navigation. If you find a station in the [[VOR]] frequency range that refuses to send out a radial it can be a DGPS station.
 ==Further reading==
 [[Radio navigation]]