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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 4:39:03 GMT -5
I was wondering if anybody has installed the John Bell FSX version of the Radio Range Gauge into their aircraft panels and the Ground Stations into their Scenery files. More particularly have you used it and how does it work.
I am familiar with the principles of radio range navigation and how it used to work in principles but I was curious as to how well it functioned in the simulator.
I am thinking of installing the gauge into the Gibson/Pepper FSX DC-6B.
Feedback or tips appreciated.
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Post by mrcapitalism on Aug 1, 2019 13:03:14 GMT -5
It appears to work great, although after installing it I've had some problems with modern databases in some aircraft (FSLabs A320 and PT KLN90B). I don't know if they are related but you should exercise caution.
It places NDB stations at the RR locations, and the gauge has the Range data stored within it's code. Apparently the real station continuously broadcast the A and N signals (except when interrupted by the ID) but because the A and N is derived from audio files, there is a momentary break while the track loops. Thus an "on course" isn't a steady tone, but a very long "dash" (both files played simultaneously at same volume). You pick it up quickly, and it functions.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 17:03:49 GMT -5
Ok, I think get what they have done. I remember in the very distant past in my early flying career they had a few of the VOR versions still about with an ILS like needle same principle A or N depending on what side of the beam you were on and a steady or null tone when right on track (The panel instrument was a simple two halves, one blue one yellow with a single needle that swung between the two and the audio. There were only about 3 left in the whole country and they were quickly decommissioned and replaced with NDBs and VORs and of course the ILS for precision approaches (long gone now). For a long time a few aircraft still had the equipment installed but you could not longer use it, always a mystery box.
You can you use the range for flying a sort of ILS or precision approach and I was interested in giving it a go but just did not want to go the trouble of installing panel config etc to find out it was not really the same thing. I just wondered how they did it in the sim and whether to give it a go. Not sure about the US but here in OZ the range stations were very powerful transmitters on huge towers so they had very good range coverage in terms of distance, signal strength.
Thanks I will have a go see how it is.
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Post by mrcapitalism on Aug 1, 2019 17:51:03 GMT -5
If you haven't, please read the linked "2008 Propliner Tutorial" linked at the home page. www.calclassic.com/propliner_tutorial.htmPlease do this before trying to install Radio Range scenery. It's author (FSAviator) goes into great detail on the history of navigation, including the LF Radio Range. This tutorial will teach you how to replicate Range approaches in your flight simulator, and Blind (ILS) approaches (they are not the same thing). After reading the tutorial, the "FSAviator Archive" section of this very forum goes into greater detail if you so desire. You'll be specifically interested in "Backdating Approaches" "Airport Approaches" and "Backdating Airfields" |
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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Aug 1, 2019 17:57:25 GMT -5
Just to keep things clear, FSAviator is not the author of the Radio Range Scenery, he is the author of the Propliner Tutorial.  The blue/yellow approaches were known as VAR. Not sure what that meant. |
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Post by Jorge on Aug 1, 2019 20:01:31 GMT -5
VAR=Visual Aural Range. They bridged the gap between pure LFR (Radio Range) and the VHF Omni-directional Range (VOR). One beam was A/N in the usual aural way, while the other one was coded Blue and Yellow and worked like an ILS and the reciprocal back course. They didn't get too far in the U.S. since the LFR was easier to maintain and the Second World War also made the VHF radios scarce until later in the war. Here we just went straight to the VOR for the most part. There were a few VAR's in operation, however, until 1960 according to the following Wikipedia article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Aural_Radio_RangeJust out of curiosity, am I to understand that there is a gauge for FSX now that is not part of the payware Bobcat package available on the internet? Any info would be great! Thanks! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2019 0:55:44 GMT -5
Well I will have a close re-read of the propliner tutorial thanks for pointing that out, can always learn new tricks. Yes VAR was still around in Australia right up until the mid 1970s, Tamworth NSW had the last one, not sure why, nobody could use them anymore but you could you the VHF/VOR/ILS box to do it but it was a lost art.
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Post by mrcapitalism on Aug 2, 2019 13:22:38 GMT -5
Any info would be great! Thanks! And yes Tom, thanks for clarifying. FSAviator is the author of the 2008 Propliner Tutorial and forum posts, not the author of any simulated Radio Range system. |
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Post by Bjoern on Aug 2, 2019 13:43:22 GMT -5
On a related note: Does anybody have a spreadsheet or CSV-file containing all station locations? There's a LFRR plugin for X-Plane, but it only has data for west coast stations. - Edit: Found something. milviz.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=134&t=7339#p63571Both links in that post sadly lead nowhere. |
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Post by blockwood on Aug 2, 2019 14:33:23 GMT -5
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Post by Jorge on Aug 3, 2019 19:54:08 GMT -5
Folks,
Thank you as always!
As soon as I'm back home at the end of next week I'll see if I test out the files. I really appreciate it and it's going to REALLY help with the Platinum Wings project. I managed to do some more work on the B314 panel last week, but nothing more on the actual model yet. As soon as I get a chance to do some more I'll definitely post something!
Again, thanks for the files!
Jorge
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Post by matsh on Jan 5, 2021 18:57:44 GMT -5
Hello,
FSX doesn't work with my Windows 10 and I would really like to try radio range navigation.
Has anyone tried installing the radio range system in P3D V3?
I get the identifier signal for the stations but not the dit-dah and dah-dit sounds. I tune the volume up and try "range" and "voice" and "both". All I hear is the identifier signal.
/Mats
EDIT: Never mind! I have solved it!
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