Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
Subject: Re: Fun with ADF
From: jbolinger@lintek.com (J L Bolinger)
Organization: AeroFlex Lintek
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Date: 23 Nov 1998 12:59:46 -0500
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In article <365831AD.43E3@value.net>, njh@value.net says...
>
>Let's say you have an Automatic Direction Finder in your trainer. Lucky
>you! You can navigate by difficult methods due to be phased out in the

I haven't seen one that does not.

>Anyway, the point of all this is: Tired of looking for a working NDB?
>Tired of Limbaugh? Want to impress your CFI by flying your long cross
>country solely by reference to AM radio stations? Just want to listen to
>the game?
>

I don't know where you are located, but around here there are lots of
NDBs still in service.



>Then check out this site, which is the FCC database for AM radio
>stations. It doesn't list format but it does give latitude/longitude
>information and allows you to query by state, city, lat/long, call sign,
>etc. 
>
>http://www.fcc.gov/mmb/asd/amq.html
>

Good info to have.  I seem to recall---way back 20 years ago when I was
first interested in this stuff---that they used to put some of the AM
stations on the sectional charts.  Too bad they still don't do that.

One probem with this, however, is that FCC regulations require that AM
stations only have to identify every hour.  Many years ago it was every
15 minutes.  When they _do_ identify (at least the ones around
here) you have to be sharp because they stick it in between all the other
'monkey chatter'!  They also do such things as identify as 'FYI talk radio
1230' which does nothing for you if you are lost at 8000 ft with ice forming
on the leading edge.  A lot of stations also go off the air at night or change 
their power or radiation pattern.


>By the way, once you get your license, be careful when showing off the
>AM radio properties of the ADF to your new passengers. It's dangerous.
>For example, I learned at 6500' that my 10 yr old niece prefers urban
>rock, and once she knew she COULD listen to it in the airplane, she HAD
>to. Whew!

You're the PIC, aren't you?  Just say that you need it for some real
navigating.

Jim

