[ARC5] [Milsurplus] AN-Ranges

Fri May 4 15:09:30 EDT 2018

I agree on the over-reliance on GPS.  In an emergency, the DOD can through 
the switch and the whole system becomes unavailable to unathorized users. 
Don't ask me how as I don't want the Feds knocking on my door.

LORAN D is a good option.

With LF Beacons, all you need is a cheap transistor radio with the LF band 
and a built-in ferrite loop antenna.  I used one made by Sony for years when 
I was flying my Fournier RF-4D motor glider.

Keep the VORs, but no need to activate them and no need for VOR receivers. 
When flying low altitude, VFR, you look down and see that little circle of 
phased antennas and you realize what lovely landmarks they make.

Keep in mind that inertial navigation systems do dead-reckoning navigation 
and need to be updated from time to time with an accurate position fix.  I 
believe that bump on top of the nose of Air Force 1 is for the stellar 
tracker which is just one of the sources
of update for its inertial system.

Mike, W6MAB

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bruce Gentry" <ka2ivy at verizon.net>
To: "Milsurplus" <Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2018 11:36
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] [ARC5] AN-Ranges

> We are way too over-reliant on GPS today. A four-course range would be too 
> antiquated except maybe at museum airfields, but non-directional beacons 
> and LORAN need to be reactivated, and TACAN and VOR need to be preserved 
> as well.  Another technology that fascinates me is inertial navigation. 
> It is completely self contained and does not require any sort of beacons 
> or satellites. It was a common feature on airliners until about 15 years 
> ago.
>
>       Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY
>
> On 5/4/18 2:19 PM, Hubert Miller wrote:
>> In the early '80s I knew a fellow who worked for the FAA in Montana. He 
>> told me about turning down some LF
>> beacon transmitters about this same time, around '83 to '85, I think. I 
>> may still have a photo of one of the large
>> transmitters. It had been in operation since 1938.
>> -Hue
>> ____________________________________________________________________________________________
>> On 4 May 2018 at 13:09, Rich Post wrote:
>>
>>> According to my info, the last AN range in the United States was in
>>> use in Northway, Alaska until 1974, a long life for a technology that
>>> was state-of-the art in the 1920s, probably due to some difficulties
>>> of VHF use in the mountains.  That may have been an issue in Montana
>>> also.
>> Yes. I was born in Montana, and got my first license in 1956 while I was 
>> living in Missoula, Montana.
>>
>> My best and favorite Elmer was Woody Davey W7CJB who was the chief of 
>> maintenance of the electronics at the FAA HQ there. At one time, Montana 
>> had the finest system of "airways beacons" in the entire world, all due 
>> to Woody. There were many mountain-top beacons designed and installed and 
>> maintained by him and his crew.
>>
>> What I found most interesting at the time was how they powered those: 
>> they used Kohler 60 Hz AC generators, which turned at 60 RPM (!). They 
>> ran for a full year before being turned off for a day during the summer, 
>> when the crew could finally reach them, when the oil was changed and they 
>> were checked, then restarted.
>>
>> He told me that the generators were so reliable they never worried about 
>> them after a while.
>> Apparently, none ever failed.
>>
>> As I remember it, they were 1500 watt units.
>>
>> Ken W7EKB
>>
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