[ARC5] Non Directional Beacons

Mon Jan 5 16:46:33 EST 2015

Here on the west coast of the US, there was still a fair amount of activity
that could be copied as of just a few years ago.  I logged >90 NDB's using
the BC-453.  Small remote airports in western Canada used them a lot back
then and probably still do.  From my QTH on a good winter night, powerful
Russian VLF Broadcast could be copied such as Radio Rossi on the Sea of
Okhotsk.   It's fun to do that on the BC-453.

Dennis AE6C

On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 1:36 PM, Leslie Smith <vk2bcu at operamail.com> wrote:

>   The situation with Nav. Beacons has a parallel with the 'primitive'
>   command sets - and the AM B.C. band system.
>   Without doubt both the Nav. Beacons and AM broadcast have been
>   superseded by systems that offer more - but at a higher cost.
>   Here, in Australia the AM B.C. band is subject to interference from
>   static (QRN) during summer - as it is in Florida, Texas etc, I'm sure.
>   At the same time AM broadcast can be picked up by people who live in
>   remote areas.  VHF transmissions just don't have the range.
>   I regularly listen to Brisbane at the top end of the AM band (- about
>   600 miles north from my QTH).
>
>   For some time I've wondered whether the A.M. system will survive.  I
>   hope it does, despite the static, fading and (supposedly) poor
>   fidelity.
>
>   Drawing a parallel with the NDB system - yes, it's primitive, but also
>   the cost to maintain a transmitter is low.
>   The benefit of a beacon to an aircraft (at times) can be great -
>   especially if there is an entire network of 'beacons'.
>   Listening here (on the E. coast of Australia) I can easily log 50+ NDB
>   stations after sun-down.
>   (Using a trusty BC-453 set, of course!)
>
>   I hope both the NDB and AM stations survive.
>   I fear they won't.
>
>   73 de Les Smith
>   vk2bcu at operamail.com
>
>
> On Fri, Jan 2, 2015, at 06:52, Sandy Blaize wrote:
> > I think just about ALL of the nautical beacons are gone.  All the ones
> > near moth of Mississippi River are gone.  No more beacons to calibrate
> > RDF receivers on any more.  I am still a believer that when they
> > decommissioned the LORAN C system it was a a gross screw up!  It was a
> > very excellent backup for the GPS should it go nuts. Modern navigators
> > don't know what to do with beacons and Loran systems
> > anyway.....or.....celestial navigation via the sextant in spite of the
> > reliability of the GPS system!
> >
> > The most terrible piece of crap they ever designed was the Omega system
> > which (Thank God) got scrapped.  They usually went totally nuts when a
> > thunder storm passed over and couldn't get the "lanes" reestablished
> > correctly.  A navigator is useless if it can't tell the mate: "Where the
> > F**k are we?"
> >
> > Although aero beacons are basically obsolete, they are HELPFUL getting
> > lined up with a runway where there isn't any ILS, local OMNI to help you
> > out and the weather/visibility is crappy!  MUCH better than nothing at
> > the end of a "wearing" flight due to weather.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Sandy W5TVW
> > On 1/1/2015 1:29 PM, DSP3 wrote:
> > > You are most correct in saying that NDBs, especially H and HH
> > > facilities, are becoming dinosaurs in the CONUS.  This does not
> > > account for the 3rd World, however!   The vestiges of the CONUS LF
> > > system is now pretty much left to the low-cast compass locators, sited
> > > generally at small airports; those that can't afford or cannot
> > > politically cause the FAA to install something else.  That, of course,
> > > is reinforced by the fact that GPS-based approaches are evolving more
> > > and more.  Of course, its always a good thing to have "something" at
> > > the airdrome, itself, to tell one when you're there. My flight bag is
> > > not convenient at the moment, but looking at a just-expired DC
> > > Sectional, I can readily see about a dozen or so NDBs.  DCA has one on
> > > 332 kHz, Gaithersburg on 385 kHz, The old Ft. Meade NDB (now Arundel)
> > > is on 260 kHz.  Looks like DCA is the only big airdrome with one of
> > > them and, truth told, its also affiliated with Davisson AAF, in
> > > reality. .  Neither BWI, ADW, or IAD have anything LF going, anymore.
> > > Scanning around the chart... there still a number of them heading
> > > south and west.  All the oldies but goodies are gone... Millvile NJ
> > > used to be one of the last  A/N Ranges.  All gone.....  Its also hard,
> > > these days for me to hear much from these 25-50 watt beacons.  I used
> > > to hear OXON (DCA) well up here in Frederick MD but no more.....
> > >
> > > NDB's are licensed by the FCC, but approved and coordinated by the
> > > FAA.  There are FAA forms one fills out with justifications and
> > > pre-coordination of frequencies.  They are under the FCC "Aeronautical
> > > Services" category, in this case.  If its nautical, then I think the
> > > USGC and the FCC are involved. Are there still any nautical LF
> > > beacons?  I've no idea.....
> > >
> > > Jeep - K3HVG
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 12/31/2014 12:28 PM, David Stinson wrote:
> > >> Does anyone know the "correct" way to license an NDB?
> > >> I've looked around on the web and can't find anything specific
> > >> or clear enough to use.
> > >> LF NDBs are dropping dead by dozens.  Sad.
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