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ADF notes

The document provides an overview of the Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) system, detailing its operational principles, frequency ranges, components, and types of Non-Directional Beacons (NDB). It discusses the uses of ADF in aviation, including homing, tracking, and factors affecting accuracy and range. Additionally, it highlights the importance of understanding interference and environmental effects on ADF performance.

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10 views6 pages

ADF notes

The document provides an overview of the Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) system, detailing its operational principles, frequency ranges, components, and types of Non-Directional Beacons (NDB). It discusses the uses of ADF in aviation, including homing, tracking, and factors affecting accuracy and range. Additionally, it highlights the importance of understanding interference and environmental effects on ADF performance.

Uploaded by

ashirbadprasad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Automatic Direction Finder (ADF)

1. Principle of Ops: Bearing by loop theory

2. Frequency Range:

• (Airborne) ADF: 190 –1750 kHz


• (Ground) NDB: 190 –450 kHz
• Freq band: Low LF to Low MF Propagation : Surface wave
3. Working. Consists two antennas; Loop and Sense antenna. Loop antenna
has directional properties. When the
loop is along the direction of the
incoming wave (0º loop) the emf
produced is maximum. At 90º, the loop
has minimum EMF. However, a simple
Loop antenna suffers from 180º
ambiguity

4. To resolve 180º ambiguity, a


sense aerial is used. Polar diagram of
Loop is figure of ‘8’ and polar diagram of
sense aerial is a circle. Combined polar
diagram of both signals is a cardioid, which has one minima and one maxima

5. Null position of the cardioid is used to rotate pointer of RBI so that null of
cardioid is always 90º to the Ground Station

6. RBI. Aircraft has RBI (Relative Bearing Indicator). Aircraft equipment is


designed to work with Ground wave. Sky wave, if received, would cause unreliable
functioning of ADF (aircraft eqpt).
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7. Types of NDB

a) Locator (L): Low powered NDBs used for airfield or runway approach
procedures. Also used with an ILS system marker called Loccator Outer
Marker (LOM), Locator Middle Marker. Locators have short ranges of 10 to
25 NM.

b) En-route NDBs: These have range of 50 NM or more. In oceanic


routes may have ranges of 200 to 300 Nm. Used for homing, holding,
enroute and airways navigation.

8. Airborne Equipment

• Loop aerial
• Sense aerial
• Control unit
• Receiver
• Display Unit

9. Types of emission: N0NA1A, N0NA2A.

10. Presentation of Information. RBI & Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI)

a) RBI has a standard compass rose where 360° is aligned with the fore-
aft axis of the aircraft, it is showing a relative bearing of 136°

11. On RMI, the magnetic bearing is 300° + 136° - 360° = 076°. The needle
always points to the beacon (QDM) and the tail of the needle gives the QDR

RBI RMI
3

12. Uses of ADF in flying

a) Homing to a NDB. Aircraft is maintaining 360° (R) bearing, in nil


wind (zero drift). The aircraft is heading 077° and Track inbound on 077°.
The aircraft is maintaining a relative bearing of 360°, with a crosswind from
the left. Due to the wind aircraft follows the curved track

b) Tracking Inbound.
To achieve a required track
inbound to an NDB, with a
crosswind, the correct
method is to apply
anticipated drift to maintain
a constant track. 20° Starboard drift is anticipated, so 20 is Subtracted from
track, aircraft is heading 060° with a relative bearing of 020°.

c) Tracking Outbound. Aircraft is flying on a track of 100° with approx.


23° Stbd drift. Hence, Hdg to fly is 077° with a relative bearing of 203° from
the NDB

d) Drift Assessment and Regaining Track. To assess drift by the


aircraft must maintain a steady heading from directly overhead the beacon.
After drift is assessed,
alter heading Port or St bd,
by say 30°, to regain track,
until the correct relative
bearing of 210° or 150° is
obtained. Once aircraft
regains Track, Hdg must
now be altered to take into
account the original
assessment of drift.
4

e) Other Uses: Holding Pattern, Instrument Approach Procedure

13. Factors Affecting Accuracy

a) Station Interference. Interference from stations on or near the same


frequency exists. Follow the DOC (Designated Operational Coverage)

b) Static Interference. Precipitation static due to collision of water


droplets and ice crystals with the aircraft. RMI/ RBI needle wanders about
approximate indication. Thunderstorms have very powerful discharges of
static electricity due to which the RBI needle points to the Cb.

c) Night Effect. By day the D region absorbs signals in the LF and MF


bands. At night sky wave induces signal in the horizontal elements of the
loop aerial, thereby indicates an incorrect direction or RBI needle ‘hunting’
. Night Effect is worst around dawn and dusk. The effect first becomes
significant at 70 100 NM from the NDB. Can be reduced by aerial design

d) Mountain Effect/terrain Effect. Mountainous areas can cause


reflections and diffraction of the transmitted radio waves to produce errors
in ADF systems These errors will increase at low altitude and can be
minimized by flying higher

e) Coastal Refraction. Radio waves bend away from its normal path
towards the coast. Refraction is least at 90° to the coast but increases
with angle of incidence. Coastal refraction can be minimised by:-

i. Using NDBs on or near to the coast.


ii. Flying higher.
iii. Using signals that cross the coast at or near 90°
f) Quadrantal Error. Incoming NDB signals get refracted towards the
fore and aft airframe axis due to the strong electrical field. Maximum
refraction in the quadrants 045º,135º, 225º & 315º. Modern aircraft have
negligible error

g) Angle of Bank (Dip). The angle of bank during a turn causes


currents to be induced in the horizontal elements of the loop thereby
leading to a bearing error which is referred to as dip error. This error is
transient and vanishes in level flight Factors Affecting ADF Accuracy

14. Lack of Failure Warning System. No failure warning system exists in ADF
equipment. Identification and monitoring of NDB regularly & cross check position.

15. Factors Affecting Range

a) NDB transmission power (R = 2√P W)


b) NDB range is greater over water (3 √ P W)
5

c) Lower the frequency the greater the range of surface wave (greater
diffraction, lower attenuation)
d) Night effect reduces range, effectively reduces to 70 nm
e) Emission A 2 A Less Range , A 1 A gives more Range
f) Receiver quality

16. Accuracy. The accuracy of ADF is +5 °within the Designated Operational


Coverage, by day only. It gives a Class B Bearing.

17. Summary.
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