05 NDB Flashcards
What is an NDB?
NDB stands for Non-Directional Beacon, the ground transmitter.
What is ADF?
ADF stands for Automatic Direction Finder, the airborne receiver. (Magnetic)
Operating principle of an NDB?
NDBs transmit an omnidirectional signal in the LF/MF frequency bands, between 190-1750 kHz ICAO frequency band, which is also used by some commercial radio stations.
Normal NDB frequencies.
200 to 455kHz
NDB ground station?
- NDBs have an automatic monitoring ground station.
- An NDB station emits a NON/A1A(Requires beat frequency occilator) or a NON/A2A signal.
- An NDB station is identified by means of a two or three letter Morse code identification signal. broadcast 2-3 times every 30 seconds.
En route and long range NDBs?
- 3 letter Ident
- Range greater then 50nm (up to 300nm more over water)
- Tend to be in lower part of the LF range
- Used for route guidence along airways.
Long range NDBs restricted to daylight hours only.
NON A1A – CW or Continuous Wave:
The A1A part of the signal is a keyed, un-modulated sub-carrier wave, which is mixed with an additional audio signal at the receiver, by manual or automatic activation of a Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO) circuit, to produce an amplitude modulated audible tone, at least once during every one minute period.
NON A2A – MCW or Modulated Continuous Wave:
The A2A signal is a keyed, amplitude modulated (AM) sub-carrier wave, transmitted at least once during every 30 seconds period. You can hear this is ADF mode.
Main things effecting the range of NDBs?
- Transmit power
- The Earth’s surface over which the ground wave travels also has an impact on the range of an NDB.
What is the main type of NDBs?
NDB with a range of 50nm or which may be used for approach procedures or en route navigation.
The Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO)?
The Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO) – automatically activated on modern aircraft – must be activated to hear the identification audio tone on NON/A1A NDBs.
What are locators (LCTR beacons)?
Locators are low-powered NDBs, associated with instrument approach procedures, with a range of 10–25 nm.
NDB range is limited by transmitter power output and calculated using the following formulae:
- Range (Over land) = 2 × √Tx Power (Watts).
- Range (Over water) = 3 × √Tx Power (Watts).
Equipment for using NDBs
Airborne equipment - ADF
Groudn equipment - NDB
How do NDBs propagate?
NDBs mainly propagate diffracted, surface (ground) waves.
NDB signals refract from the ionosphere at night, returning to Earth as sky waves, which mix with ground waves, causing signal fading.