[ARC5] Navigational Beacons

[gordon white]

      As someone who flew the A-N ranges in light aircraft after WW II - 
they were a challenge. If you flew right on the "beam" you got a solid 
audio tone (no BFO required). If you deviated to one side you got a 
Morse "A" or to the other side a Morse "N" signal.

     This was known as being "on the beam," which became a slang term, 
maybe still in use today? The procedure was shown in several pre-war movies.

     Approaching the station of course the audio became louder (I think 
the AVC was either turned off or non-existent in the receivers).  There 
was a "cone of silence" right over the station. Assuming the departing 
beam was straight ahead, it picked up after you flew over the 
transmitter, with the "A" and "N" sides reversed. Many stations had the 
departing beam at an angle to the approaching beam (there were four 
beams in the Adcock system, thus the name "four-course range." )  You 
had to be sharp to pick up the correct "departing" beam.

     And if you were even slightly disoriented, discovering exactly 
which beam you were on, was a bit difficult. Your magnetic compass was 
probably not "swung" well enough to be completely accurate. There was an 
elaborate procedure of flying back and forth over the station to 
determine the right departing beam. Not being IFR qualified, I got in 
the clear "on top" once and had quite a time assuring myself I was not 
heading out to sea from an Adcock range in New Jersey.

  - Gordon White