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DME

AST 241

DME Theory
Most VORs in the US have DMEdistance measuring equipment or are colocated with a military TACAN facility which provides the same information. VOR navigation is much improved with DME as it only provides: Azimuth information

DME Theory
DME is required for aerial navigation above? FL 240 or 24,000 ft. Especially useful in IFR operations VOR and DME are essentially unified systems which are seamless to the pilot when co-located

DME theory
Each VOR frequency from 108.00 to 117.95 MHz (VHF) has a corresponding UHF freq. Ranging from 962 1213 MHz Pilots usually have to tune only one freq. With newer receivers DMEs can be received independent of the VOR if the tuner is separate but the information is of little use for most pilots

DME Theory
For civilian users VOR/DME and VORs co-located with TACAN (VORTACs) are essentially the same thing providing pilots with the same information. TACAN was developed by the military to:
Rectify terrain interference problems Rectify portability problems Rectify the need for a level platform- (carriers)

DME Theory
Civilian users cant take advantage of TACANs azimuth information and military pilots cant use DME information

DME Operation
Similar to the ATC Radio beacon system or Transponder system VORs are a Passive System giving continuous information DMEs respond only when interrogated making them an Active System

DME Operation
Each DME receiver emits two distinctly (to that receiver) spaced pulses which are replied to in identical fashion by the ground based unit. The DME receiver ignores all other replies. This is why the DME can take up to 10 seconds to lock on to its unique reply Once locked it updates every 1/10th mile

DME Operation
The time difference between interrogation and reply corresponds to the aircrafts straight line distance from the station. 12/1,000,000 of a second in time corresponds to 1 NM in distance

DME Operation
DME accuracy varies from 3 % of total distance (6 NM at 200 miles out) up to being within .1 NM at all distances for the higher end receiversas good as GPS The most common operational mistake is to forget to select the correct VOR if the aircraft is equipped with 2 VORs or leaving it in the hold mode which holds the last frequency tuned rather than the current one.

DME operation
The most common units today are selectable between the dual VOR receivers- if not then the DME signal is usually taken from the #1 VOR but BE SURE! ALWAYS VERIFY!!

DME Operation
Groundspeed and time to Station- Since DME uses rate of response information to get distance it is a small step for the receiver to calculate groundspeed and time to the station. This information is usually displayed in a separate window labeled- KTS. MIN. OFF

DME Operation
It is important to remember that this only works if heading directly to or from the station- angular motion w.r.t. the station makes all DME information USELESS!

DME identification
DME stations are identified in the same coded manner using the same identification as the corresponding VOR station. The DME portion is broadcast at a higher pitch and is less frequent than the VOR identification- every 30 seconds.

DME overload
DME transmitters can become overloaded during heavy usage causing the late comers not to lock on the the freq. It is courteous to always turn off the DME receiver when not in use such as when on the ground or when DME info. Is not needed.

DME error
Slant range error occurs because the DME calculates its straight line or slant range distance from the station which is not as useful to pilots as ground distance. This causes all DME indications to be inaccurate when greater than 1,000 ft. AGL for each NM from the station- otherwise it can be ignored.

DME Error
For example if a pilot is at 3,000 ft AGL at 2 miles from the station the error is out of tolerance. Remember for accuracy be at least 1NM from the station for each 1,000 ft AGL

DME Arc
Older instrument approach procedure where the DME information is used to fly a constant radius around the transmitter This becomes easier when VOR lead radials are used to prompt the turn

DME Operation
DME is Rho-Rho navigation Rho = distance Theta = azimuth VOR/DME together is theta rho nav. 2 VORs are theta - theta nav. Rho rho nav. Requires 3 DME readings to determine position

Questions?
The End

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