Laer Posted March 5, 2020 Posted March 5, 2020 So, just curious about something... I know the Hornet uses inertial systems as it's primary/standard navigation system, but was surprised to see that it can't utilize NDB stations. (Yes, I know it can get NBD functionality from VOR and TACAN beacons, but I'm talking about using NDB stations). Normally, I'd understand that the inertial/TACAN systems are far superior to the NDB beacons, but in areas like the Persian Gulf map, I was (also) surprised to see that many of the airfields (ex. on the coastline, for example) do not have TACAN nor VOR. So, even though the map is litered with NDB stations in useful areas, you can't use them... and there seemingly isn't any VOR or TACAN beacons to take their place. Granted, again, the Hornet focuses on inertial nav systems... but I'm curious what happens if/when that system is damaged. Without that, it seems like there's no way to navigate to the coastal airfields, for example. It's odd that you can't utilize NDB beacons for such a situation. I'm by no means knowledgable on this (real world or sim)... but I was just curious about it. BTW, I'm talking in the SIM world... not real world, where I'm sure there are other factors/rules happening.
Tholozor Posted March 5, 2020 Posted March 5, 2020 (edited) Many of the navaids on Persian Gulf are missing from their real-world counterparts that would assist in navigation (e.g. VOR/DME at Dubai Intl. is missing), or using the incorrect station type (e.g. Al Minhad in DCS has a TACAN, but in reality is a VOR/DME on the same paired frequency, the actual VORTAC on that frequency should be at Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar). Even if you have degraded INS in DCS, you have aeronautical charts (e.g. F10 map) to help conduct dead-reckoning navigation, or you could contact ATC for vectors with the backup compass and go VFR. Edited March 5, 2020 by Tholozor REAPER 51 | Tholozor VFA-136 (c.2007): https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3305981/ Arleigh Burke Destroyer Pack (2020): https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313752/
Thump Posted March 6, 2020 Posted March 6, 2020 No one uses NDBs not to mention they would probably shut them down during actual combat situations.
Kang Posted March 7, 2020 Posted March 7, 2020 Uhm, what? I'm sure it used to work for a while? Set one of your radios to the NDB frequency and set the switch to ADF. Boom.
Tholozor Posted March 7, 2020 Posted March 7, 2020 Hornet ADF does not operate in the frequency range of NDBs (kHz), only VOR (MHz) since it hooks into the COMM radios as opposed to having its own dedicated receiver. REAPER 51 | Tholozor VFA-136 (c.2007): https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3305981/ Arleigh Burke Destroyer Pack (2020): https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313752/
Mikeck Posted March 7, 2020 Posted March 7, 2020 Phew....good thing for me b/c I have no idea what half of this stuff means
Chuck_Henry Posted March 7, 2020 Posted March 7, 2020 The only time I hear about pilots nowadays utilizing NDBs are when they're flying to airfields in sub-Saharan Africa. The options are no-kidding either GPS or NDB. No VOR or TACAN of which to speak. It's not unrealistic that modern aircraft lack the capability. We can file to NDBs as enroute waypoints in the V-22, but we have no way to tune up the raw data, either.
Kang Posted March 7, 2020 Posted March 7, 2020 Hornet ADF does not operate in the frequency range of NDBs (kHz), only VOR (MHz) since it hooks into the COMM radios as opposed to having its own dedicated receiver. Huh, true. Must have been something else I've been homing in on. It's been a while, I admit and I mostly did it just so I used the ADF once. I was sure it was an NDB at the time. Sorry.
Fusedspine33 Posted March 7, 2020 Posted March 7, 2020 NDBs are obsolete. When they break they are decommissioned. Most of the original GPS approach plates are called “NDB Overlays”. The patterns for these non precision approaches are the same but the navaid is obviously no longer necessary. Military use of the TACAN/VORTAC navaid makes them obsolete as well. You are right but aren’t we limited to late 80’s time frames? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Dagger71 Posted March 7, 2020 Posted March 7, 2020 You are right but aren’t we limited to late 80’s time frames? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Why would you think that?
iborg Posted March 9, 2020 Posted March 9, 2020 Wouldn’t the ADF functionality sub as a poor man’s NDB anyway ? Ryzen 3600X - RTX 2080 - 32 GB Ram - DCS on SSD. DCS Modules : M2K-C, F18-C, FW-190D, Huey, Gazelle, Black Shark, Mig-15, all maps.
Chuck_Henry Posted March 9, 2020 Posted March 9, 2020 Wouldn’t the ADF functionality sub as a poor man’s NDB anyway ? Not if it’s unable to receive the actual frequency range of NDBs.
Sierra99 Posted March 9, 2020 Posted March 9, 2020 NDBs are obsolete. When they break they are decommissioned. Most of the original GPS approach plates are called “NDB Overlays”. The patterns for these non precision approaches are the same but the navaid is obviously no longer necessary. Military use of the TACAN/VORTAC navaid makes them obsolete as well. The question wasn’t whether NDBs are still used. As far as I know if they are listed as available in the game they should work as advertised. That being said I believe the comment about the F-18 not being compatible because of frequency range might have merit. I know we use them in the Huey often and they seem to work. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Primary Computer ASUS Z390-P, i7-9700K CPU @ 5.0Ghz, 32GB Patriot Viper Steel DDR4 @ 3200Mhz, ZOTAC GeForce 1070 Ti AMP Extreme, Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe drives (1Tb & 500 Gb), Windows 10 Professional, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, Thrustmaster Warthog Stick, Thrustmaster Cougar Throttle, Cougar MFDs x3, Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals and TrackIR 5. -={TAC}=-DCS Server Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3, i7-3770K CPU @ 3.90GHz, 32GB G.SKILL Ripjaws DDR3 @ 1600Mhz, ZOTAC GeForce® GTX 970.
ED Team m4ti140 Posted July 26, 2020 ED Team Posted July 26, 2020 No one uses NDBs not to mention they would probably shut them down during actual combat situations. Mi-8 and L-39 use NDBs.
Recommended Posts