ILS nav tone

[effte]

[bTW, it shouldn't matter if you're on or near the localizer to get the identifier. This isn't directional (at least not in the US.)]

 

The localizer ident is modulated on the localizer carrier, so if you are outside of the localizer lobe you're not getting ident either. The localizer is definitely directional. While the nominal coverage volume when reasonably close is normally 35 degrees either side of centerline (and outside of 35, it drops drastically even though there are often clearly detectable false nulls, i e signal of sorts, outside of this), the ident is usually weak (weak/distorted) outside of say 25 to 20 degrees off centerline well within the range where you'd be tuning and identifying the facility. Seeing how the Wilcox systems predominant in the US differ very little from systems mainly used elsewhere, this should apply more or less universally across the globe.

 

When real close though, as I stated previously, I would expect the ident to be receivable more or less omnidirectionally - yet to be verified.

[bluepilot76]

In the real world I have always found that I can ident the ILS when within a reasoneable range of the airfield, regardlless of my position relative to the runway. You should ident the ILS and the associated DME seperately.

 

I have yet to see the ILS in the sim working correctly, I have tried a couple of times at Batumi and once at Vaziani. I find the localiser swapping from full left to full right deflection as I cross the runway centreline, there seems to be no middle ground.

 

Where reciprocal runways both have an ILS, from memory ( I dont have any charts to hand) both runways will have the same ILS frequency. The DME ident will change depending on which runway they are using.

[effte]

In the real world I have always found that I can ident the ILS when within a reasoneable range of the airfield, regardlless of my position relative to the runway.

 

Interesting. What's this 'reasonable range'? 10 nm? In the UK?

 

Reciprocal localizers can have different frequencies - and be active at the same time. There's a regulatory move to introduce interlocks though, effectively disabling one LOC if the opposing one is active.

 

Having two reciprocal localizers on when they are on the same frequency makes for an interesting day in the air... :P

[bluepilot76]

Yes about 10nm would seem about right from memory. Maybe further but you would probably be using a different facility when you are that bit further away (NDB or VOR in a typical IR qualification flight in the UK) - so I'm not sure how far out the ident can be received. Generally within the area that the approach procedure occurs or within the area where you are getting vectors towards an ILS. Often this starts with a downwind leg. Part of the Initial or at least Final approach checks would be to tune and ident the ILS. Obviously the instrument does not start to pick up a useable signal untill within an arc of the runway centreline, but you can ident it much earlier. The DME will be useful over a much broader area but that system works differently to the ILS system itself.

 

Why can you? - I have no idea. Its good that you can though because its good to get these things set up and idented well before you need them to make the turn onto the localiser.

 

None of this has been any use to me in A-10 so far, I have been maintaining flight within VMC. Hopefully the ILS will start to work for me soon because I really like the challenge of an approach through fog and low cloud in my flight simming.

[effte]

I think you will find that you were either real close to the airport (such as abeam the runway) or within those magical degrees off centerline. Covers a lot of the airspace which would be used for vectoring. Didn't have a GPS up and running by any chance?

[bluepilot76]

Well effte it certainly sounds like you have a solid understanding of the physics here, which I certainly cant claim to, long since forgotten unfortunately... I probably need to get into a cessna and go and fly around and make certain of my facts. But I cant do that for another couple of weeks. Anyway I stand by my memory, that I have always been able to ident the ILS whilst flying within the vicinity of the airfield. Thats why I mentioned the vectored downwind, in that case of course I am abeam the runway, but if I am being vectored I am not going to be THAT close to the airfield, the controller keeps you quite wide so they can provide you with an orderly turn and intercept onto the localiser. I have never had a GPS when flying in these situations, at least not that I was allowed to use in an exam or training flight. Anyway I dont see much difference in what we are saying; we both agree that you can ident the ILS when within a certain arc of the runway, and you say that you would be able to ident it anywhere close to the airfield. Thats what I am saying as well, its just that my idea of close goes out to 10nm or so, and it sounds like your idea of close is maybe 2-3nm.

[Fakum]

Back to the problem,,, whats the fix as it is VERY annoying

[Frostiken]

Turn ILS off.