Beruflich Dokumente
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Contents
[hide]
1Operation
2Hardware
3Timing
4Distance calculation
5Accuracy
6Specification
7Radio frequency and modulation data
8Terminal DME
9Future
10See also
11References
12External links
Operation[edit]
Aircraft use DME to determine their distance from a land-based transponder by sending and
receiving pulse pairs – two pulses of fixed duration and separation. The ground stations are
typically collocated with VORs or ILS systems. A low-power DME can be collocated with
an ILS glide slope antenna installation where it provides an accurate distance to touchdown
function, similar to that otherwise provided by ILS marker beacons.
A typical Distance measuring equipment ground transponder system for en-route or terminal
navigation will have a 1 kW peak pulse output on the assigned UHF channel.
Hardware[edit]
The DME system comprises a UHF transmitter/receiver (interrogator) in the aircraft and a UHF
receiver/transmitter (transponder) on the ground.
DME distance and VOR/ADF cockpit display instruments
Timing[edit]
SEARCH MODE: 150 interrogation pulse-pairs per second.
The aircraft interrogates the ground transponder with a series of pulse-pairs (interrogations)
and, after a precise time delay (typically 50 microseconds), the ground station replies with an
identical sequence of pulse-pairs. The DME receiver in the aircraft searches for reply pulse-
pairs (X-mode= 12 microsecond spacing) with the correct interval and reply pattern to its
original interrogation pattern. (Pulse-pairs that are not coincident with the individual aircraft's
interrogation pattern e.g. not synchronous, are referred to as filler pulse-pairs, or squitter. Also,
replies to other aircraft that are therefore non-synchronous also appear as squitter).
TRACK MODE: less than 30 interrogation Pulse-pairs per second, as the average number of
pulses in SEARCH and TRACK is limited to max 30 pulse pairs per second.
The aircraft interrogator locks on to the DME ground station once it recognizes a particular
reply pulse sequence has the same spacing as the original interrogation sequence. Once the
receiver is locked on, it has a narrower window in which to look for the echoes and can retain
lock.
Distance calculation[edit]
A radio signal takes approximately 12.36 microseconds to travel 1 nautical mile (1,852 m) to
the target and back—also referred to as a radar-mile. The time difference between
interrogation and reply, minus the 50 microsecond ground transponder delay, is measured by
the interrogator's timing circuitry and converted to a distance measurement (slant range), in
nautical miles, then displayed on the cockpit DME display.
The distance formula, distance = rate * time, is used by the DME receiver to calculate its
distance from the DME ground station. The rate in the calculation is the velocity of the radio
pulse, which is the speed of light (roughly 300,000,000 m/s or 186,000 mi/s). The time in the
calculation is (total time – 50µs)/2.
Accuracy[edit]
The accuracy of DME ground stations is 185 m (±0.1 nmi).[2] It's important to understand that
DME provides the physical distance from the aircraft to the DME transponder. This distance is
often referred to as 'slant range' and depends trigonometrically upon both the altitude above
the transponder and the ground distance from it.
For example, an aircraft directly above the DME station at 6,076 ft (1 nmi) altitude would still
show 1.0 nmi (1.9 km) on the DME readout. The aircraft is technically a mile away, just a mile
straight up. Slant range error is most pronounced at high altitudes when close to the DME
station.
Radio-navigation aids must keep a certain degree of accuracy, given by international
standards, FAA,[3] EASA, ICAO, etc. To assure this is the case, flight inspection organizations
check periodically critical parameters with properly equipped aircraft to calibrate and certify
DME precision.
ICAO recommends accuracy of less than the sum of 0.25 nmi plus 1.25% of the distance
measured.
Specification[edit]
A typical DME transponder can provide distance information to 100 to 200 aircraft at a time.
Above this limit the transponder avoids overload by limiting the sensitivity of the receiver.
Replies to weaker more distant interrogations are ignored to lower the transponder load.
Terminal DME[edit]
A terminal DME, referred to as a TDME in navigational charts, is a DME that is designed to
provide a 0 reading at the threshold point of the runway, regardless of the physical location of
the equipment. It is typically associated with ILS or other instrument approach.
Future[edit]
DME operation will continue and possibly expand as an alternate navigation source to space-
based navigational systems such as GPS and Galileo.[4]
See also[edit]
Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)
Instrument flight rules (IFR)
Transponder landing system (TLS)
Instrument landing system (ILS)
Non-directional beacon (NDB)
Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN)
VHF omnidirectional range (VOR)
Squitter
Gee-H (navigation)
References[edit]
1. Jump up^ "Engineer exploded myths in many fields". 9 January
2013 – via The Sydney Morning Herald.
2. Jump up^ Department of Defense and Department of
Transportation (December 2001). "2001 Federal
Radionavigation Systems" (PDF). Retrieved 5 July2011.
3. Jump up^ Federal Aviation Administration (2 September
1982). "U.S. National Aviation Standard for the
VOR/DME/TACAN Systems".
4. Jump up^ Department of Defense, Department of Homeland
Security and Department of Transportation (January
2009). "2008 Federal Radionavigation Plan" (PDF). Retrieved 8
September 2010.
External links[edit]
DME Basics
UK Navaids Gallery with detailed Technical Descriptions of
their operation
Flash based instrument simulator with DME
U.S. National Aviation Handbook for the VOR/DME/TACAN
Systems
ICAO Annex 10 Volume 1 International Standards &
Recommended Practices
Categories:
Aircraft instruments
Radio navigation
Aids to navigation
Length, distance, or range measuring devices
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