Lighning does attract needle
One of the methods are forefathers spotted CB thunderstorms. Perhaps ADF still has its uses . . .
Another ‘trick’ which an Old Salt taught me about the use of the ADF:
If you can’t tune into a local beacon, always have it tuned to a powerful commercial station e.g. Radio 4 on 198, where it will be as solid as a rock.
If, then, you are in IMC and you are suddenly forced on to ‘partial panel’ you have another indicator: IF it moves, you know you are turning.
Ultranomad wrote:
given the increasingly frequent GPS outages around Northern Europe
Sorry for thread drifting a litte bit, but having not experienced this, can you elaborate that abit? How frequent is frequent and where? Quite something to have in mind!
Maybe I am just flying to little to notice…?!?
Does anyone produce ADF equipment for GA today?
AFAIK the only GA ADF that ever worked properly was the King KR87. The antenna unit is potted in sealant, which is why. But the radio box is no longer serviceable AFAIK. I don’t know if they still make it, but there are plenty on US Ebay, and people use a hair dryer to transfer the stickers since none of these come with an EASA-1
AndersB wrote:
Sorry for thread drifting a litte bit, but having not experienced this, can you elaborate that abit? How frequent is frequent and where? Quite something to have in mind!
Northern Norway, as far as I’ve heard.
AndersB wrote:
How frequent is frequent and where?
According to the reports I read, it has mostly been over the seas (Barents, Norwegian and Baltic) and sometimes adjacent coastal areas, occurring unpredictably a few times a year, lasting for some hours.
Hopefully the UK regulator will accept the safety benefits of allowing GPS overlay approaches. It has been providing safe navigation practice in the USA since IFR GPS was introduced. It would be interesting to know if NDB approaches would even be approved using modern RNP standards, or are they allowed on a grandfather rights basis?
The LF four course range was arguably a more reliable system than the NDB, assuming you got the null tone when not in convective weather or your antenna was not iced up.
The KR87 seems to be still manufactured and available new.
https://www.bendixking.com/en/products/productitems/kr-87
RobertL18C wrote:
if NDB approaches would even be approved using modern RNP standards
It would not. The NDB/ADF system is explicitly excluded from PBN (performance based navigation). If fails on monitoring (ADF) and probably other requirements as well.