[Milsurplus] [ARC5] AN-Ranges

[Bruce Gentry]

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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