1,669
edits
Radio beacons: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m
→Radio navigation
| Line 149: | Line 149: | ||
Instead of relying on visual landmarks (roads, rivers, churches, towns) radio navigation relies on radio beacons. Radio beacons can be seen with the right equipment, from far away and independent of the weather. The position of radio beacons is clearly marked on navigation maps. Radio beacons are placed near airports, can be aligned with runways and can be placed in remote areas so to mark a route over them. | Instead of relying on visual landmarks (roads, rivers, churches, towns) radio navigation relies on radio beacons. Radio beacons can be seen with the right equipment, from far away and independent of the weather. The position of radio beacons is clearly marked on navigation maps. Radio beacons are placed near airports, can be aligned with runways and can be placed in remote areas so to mark a route over them. | ||
The time that a pilot had to fly with the yokes in it's hands all the time has long been passed. Our aircraft has an autopilot and radio beacons are ideal for automated flight. With a NDB station we will have to use the heading bug, with a VOR station we select the radial to use and the autopilot keeps us on that course. | |||
Some wise words about GPS. | Some wise words about GPS. | ||
| Line 159: | Line 161: | ||
Often there are radio stations near each other that transmit on the same frequency. Our equipment will tune into the signal that is strongest. The strongest signal is not always the nearest. Always be sure you know the identity of a station before using it. | Often there are radio stations near each other that transmit on the same frequency. Our equipment will tune into the signal that is strongest. The strongest signal is not always the nearest. Always be sure you know the identity of a station before using it. | ||
====Dead reckoning==== | ====Dead reckoning==== | ||
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_reckoning Dead reckoning ('''DR''')] is technique you | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_reckoning Dead reckoning ('''DR''')] is a technique you use every day in many situations. If you know where you are and how fast you move you can predict where you will be after some time. If you have a good compass and know your (ground) speed well you can even do some navigation with this method. Even with the navigational tools that are available today you will rely on this method without knowing it. For long tracks without radio beacons nearby (and no GPS) it is the only way to navigate. | ||
====Position finding==== | ====Position finding==== | ||
We always start from an airport, we know where it is on the map. Going further on the way it is possible to get lost so it is important to figure out where we are if we get lost. Lucky most radio beacons tell their identity, in Morse code or in other ways. That identity gives a good clue where we are on the map but we have to pinpoint our position before we can navigate any further. (images needed) | We always start from an airport, we know where it is on the map. Going further on the way it is possible to get lost so it is important to figure out where we are if we get lost. Lucky most radio beacons tell their identity, in Morse code or in other ways. That identity gives a good clue where we are on the map but we have to pinpoint our position before we can navigate any further. (images needed) | ||
=====VOR-DME===== | =====VOR-DME===== | ||
We need tune in to just one VOR-DME to pinpoint our position. It gives the radial we are crossing and the distance. From that | We need tune in to just one VOR-DME to pinpoint our position. It gives the radial we are crossing and the distance to the station. From that we use the map, a compass rose and a ruler to pinpoint the position. | ||
=====VOR===== | =====VOR and NDB===== | ||
With two VOR stations we receive two radials. | With two VOR stations we receive two radials. With two NDB stations we have to bearings on the compass. On the map we draw the two radials from the station to find our position at the cross point. | ||
With two NDB stations we have | |||
====Automated flight==== | ====Automated flight==== | ||
seperate? or mix? | seperate? or mix? | ||
| Line 173: | Line 173: | ||
NDB | NDB | ||
====Go from==== | |||
Starting from a runway or passing over a radio station we know where we are and where we want to go. We set the radio beacon in our equipment and we add or subtract 180 from the heading to find the course we will have to take to move towards the next point. With a NDB we set the heading bug and with a VOR we pick the radial to fly. The big problem with this course it it's increasing inaccuracy. The wind will place us at a complete different point as expected. The radial of a VOR station should compensate for winds but with some winds you will discover how inaccurate a VOR radial can be. FROM navigation should be avoided but if needed it can work for a 100 miles or so. | |||
====Go to==== | ====Go to==== | ||
===Planning=== | ===Planning=== | ||