NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: UNK
Date: 2014 Jul 31, 07:34 +0100
Thanks Gary,
Yes, I found the Scillies NDB on skyvector( which is fantastic), but cannot pick it up from my garden (40miles) will try if I get to sea and get closer! The longest range I’ve picked up is Newquay at 28nm.
Do you pilot guys still use these NDBs for landing and do you think they will continue in service long term?
Could be new lease of life for old RDF units (albeit short range). My frequency range is limited to 250-450 KHz. I’m getting a surprisingly accurate bearing on the Irish radio station(252Khz) 204 nm distant, but cannot find any other stations broadcasting in long wave. A 3 bearing fix, RTE, Newquay, Culdrose gave me a fairly small cocked hat for my garden (less than half a mile) and I had forgotten to correct for variation which I will now repeat!
This is like some sort of time warp!
Celnav and ordinary pilotage/visual bearings etc are more accurate, but this re-discovered RDF, although hardly “traditional navigation method” is quite good fun. In the 80s, used to do Brittany and Ireland with this and dead reckoning only. (got lost quite a bit in those days!) Went to Decca before i got into sextants/celnav/Bygraves etc.
Any more information on these NDBs would be helpful.
Best wishes
Francis
From: NavList@fer3.com [mailto:NavList@fer3.com] On Behalf Of Gary LaPook
Sent: 31 July 2014 06:26
To: francisupchurch@gmail.com
Subject: [NavList] Re: Small craft RDF in 1967
That's a really cool website for us pilots. I noticed the NDB, Scilly Iles/St. Mary's, freq 321, ident, STM.
cool
gl
From: Francis Upchurch <NoReply_Upchurch@fer3.com>
To: garylapook---.net
Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2014 5:36 PM
Subject: [NavList] Re: Small craft RDF in 1967
Thanks Noell,
That is brilliant. Just found 2 airports NDB ,Newquay 347Khz, bearing 230deg, distance 28nm, Culdrose Naval base 370KHz, 11nm, bearing350deg. Just did a triple fix including the RTE Irish radio 1 252Khz, bearing 350 deg, distance 204nm. Gave my garden correct within about half a mile. I’m amazed. Cant remember it being that accurate using marine bearings in the 80’s but perhaps it was!
Looks like I could use this as another back-up get home system!
Francis
From: NavList@fer3.com [mailto:NavList@fer3.com] On Behalf Of Noell Wilson
Sent: 30 July 2014 17:11
To: francisupchurch---.com
Subject: [NavList] Re: Small craft RDF in 1967
My copy and paste didn't work.
Look at http://skyvector.com/
Zoom in almost anywhere in the USA and a beacon with morse code identifier will show up.
Regards, Noell