"Michael Black" wrote in message
...

"Brad" (bradvk2qq AT w6ir.com) writes:


Since the newsgroup is r.r.shortwave, then DF'ing shortwave seems to me
to
be the topic. Here is another method worth trying, particularly because
of
it's compact size. http://www.qsl.net/dj3tz/loop1.html

And a significant point is that a "radio compass" was so simple, because
it was at a time when applications for radio was relatively small. The
more complicated systems came later, when things had built up and a
need for something better came along.

Direction finding has come to mean tracking down an unknown station, but
in the case of a Radio Compass the scheme is identical, using a
directional
antenna and a basic receiver, but you pick a station you know the location
of, so when you point to it you know you are going the right direction
(unless you pick the wrong side of the null, and go 180 degrees in
the wrong direction, but there were ways of fixing that).

While there were beacon stations set up for Radio COmpass use, I gather
it was not uncommon to use existing broadcast stations for the purpose.

Were talking sixty to seventy years ago when they first started using
Radio Compasses.

Michael

That's right. A Radio compass is like DF'ing in reverse. I know where you
are, so where am I?
ADF is still an approved and popular form of aircraft navigation. The VLF
beacons are maintained for that purpose.

Whilst broadcast stations were also used for navigation, it was not really a
recomended practice. The radiation pattern could change, but more
importantly, without a proper identification, it was possible to DF on the
wrong transmitter, sharing the same frequency. If they carried the same
music program, there may be no way to know until the pilot is truly lost.
That said, the ABC station near us is called 2RN and is the inbound
checkpoint. That's mostly because it is a big thing with flashing lights.

Where is SR located? If he tells us his home town or local airport, we'll
find a beacon for him to practice on.

Brad.