DISTANCE MEASURING EQUIPMENT (DME)

Objectives
Students will be able to : Describe the basic components of Distance Measuring Equipment. Understand operation of DME.

DME Basics
It shows pilot a distance from a ground station (usually VOR station) in Nautical Miles (NM). It operates in UHF band between 978 -1213 MHz. Its range is limited to line of sight. Its range is about 250 NM depending on the altitude of station and aircraft. DME stations are usually co-located with VOR stations. The distance shown is slant distance.

Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) System

It is a military system which gives both bearing and distance like VOR/DME. Its ranging part is exactly the same as DME, but with more channels. It operates between 962-1213 MHz. Civil aircraft may use this facility.

Slant Range
Error increases as aircraft nears station Slant Range

Ground Distance

Station

At the station
Altitude=6100 ft.

Distance reads as 1.0 NM, even though the aircraft is directly over the station!

Station

Slant range

Basic operation

Measurement of range
Aircraft DME unit measures the time elapsed between transmission and reception of the signal.

R = (t-d)/12.36
R = Slant range to station (NM) t = Total elapsed time (s) d = Fixed delay of ground station (50 s) 12.36 s = Typical time for signal to travel 1NM and return.

Interrogation and reply

Interrogation (air-to-ground) signal

DME has 100 channels with 1 MHz spacing. TACAN has 126 channels between with 1 MHz spacing. Interrogation signal is made of series of pulse pairs (p1-p2, p3-p4, p5-p6, etc.) X or Y mode (channel) operation 5-150 pulse pairs per second

X mode (channel) interrogation

p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6

3.5 s

3.5 s

Random Fixed

Random Fixed

12 s

Fixed Length of each pulse = 3.5 s (fixed) Distance between each pulse = 12 s (fixed) Distance between pulse pairs = variable (random)

Y Mode (channel) interrogation

p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6

3.5 s

3.5 s

Random Fixed

Random Fixed

36 s

Fixed Length of each pulse = 3.5 s (fixed) Distance between each pulse = 36 s (fixed) Distance between pulse pairs = variable (random)

Reply (Ground-to-air) signal

Reply is transmitted 63 MHz above or below interrogation signal It is made of series of pulse pairs. X or Y mode operation Channels are numbered 1X, 1Y, 2X,2Y,. both in interrogation and reply. (For example, 962 MHz is known as 1X or 1Y channel)

X mode (channel) reply

p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6

3.5 s

3.5 s

Random Fixed

Random Fixed

12 s

Fixed Length of each pulse = 3.5 s (fixed) Distance between each pulse = 12 s (fixed) Distance between pulse pairs = variable (random)

Y Mode (channel) reply

p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6

3.5 s

3.5 s

Random Fixed

Random Fixed

30 s

Fixed Length of each pulse = 3.5 s (fixed) Distance between each pulse = 30 s (fixed) Distance between pulse pairs = variable (random)

Summary of interrogation and reply signals

X Channel Y channel

Signal type

width

Pulse spacing

Width

Pulse spacing

Interrogation (air to ground)

3.5 s

12 s

3.5 s

36 s

Reply (ground to air)

3.5 s

12 s

3.5 s

30 s

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Segments of DME
Aircraft segments Ground segment

Aircraft segment
Transmitter Receiver Indicator Antenna
Transceiver

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Aircraft segment External Blocks

Bus NAV control head

DME TX/RX

IND

Audio Suppression RNAV

Transceiver
Transmitter continuously transmits its unique, randomly spaced interrogation signal Receiver is able to recognize its own signal when retransmitted back by the ground station with the same spacing. Then it measures the range. Suppressor bus prevents other radar transmitter from operating when one of them is working.

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Transceiver modes of operation

Jitter Search Track Memory Hold

Jitter
It is the process of placing random time spacing between the pulse pairs. It is unique to each aircraft and randomly produced. For example, if a DME unit sends 25 pulse pairs per second (called pulse repetition frequency) average random spacing between pulse pairs will be 1 sec / 25 = 0.040 sec = 40 millisecond

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Search
It is the process in which DME tries to match the transmitted signals to the received signals to recognize its own signals, when it is turned on. During the search period a warning flag in DME indicator is in view, showing that DME system is not operative yet. Pulse repetition rate is about 120-150.

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Track
Normal operating mode Continuous range is given as the aircraft moves towards or away from the station. Pulse repetition rate is about 24-30.

Memory
It becomes active when DME unit loses reply signals from the ground station. There are two memory mode : Static memory : The indication remains steady showing the last range before signal is lost. Velocity memory :The range continues to change at the last known rate. Memory period lasts about 10 sec.

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Indicator
Styles
self contained integrated

Warning flag Self Test Digital

Antenna
UHF band Short (2 inch) Vertically polarized Blade type belly on the CL

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Antenna

Ground station

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Ground station
Operates with the same principle of aircraft unit When it receives interrogation signal from aircraft it waits 50s. Then retransmits back to aircraft at a frequency 63 MHz above or below of incoming signal.

Ground station operation

TX Computer RX

P1 & P2 @ dedicated freq. and spacing

RX 50us delay

Indicator

ETA GS

NM

F=+/- 63Mhz

TX

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Ground station
Each ground station can handle up to 100 aircraft simultaneously. It is assumed that 95% of aircraft in track mode and 5% is in search mode. Thus, to serve 100 aircraft at the same time, the station should answer app. 2700 interrogation signals (pulse pairs) in a second.

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Where did we find 2700 pps?

Number of signals from 95 aircraft in track mode (24-30 pps) : 95 x 25 pps = 2375 pps Number of signals from 5 aircraft in search mode (120-150 pps) : 5 x 125 pps = 625 TOTAL = 3000 pps It is taken as 2700 pps in design of ground stations

Constant duty cycle operation

A ground station is designed to reply 2700 interrogation signal (pulse pairs) always even if the number of aircraft is less than 100. This is known as constant-duty cycle operation.

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Advantages of constant duty cycle operation

The station is automatically maintained in its most sensitive condition. The circuit always has a constant number of pulses to work on, thereby simplifying its design. In case of interrogation more than 100 aircraft, it allows to maintain service to the closest aircraft and neglect the farthest .

Squitter
Ground station is designed to emit 2700 reply signals per second (constant duty cycle) assuming 100 aircraft in the region. If there is less than 100 aircraft, the station continues to emit 2700 signals, but some of them are fake (noise) signals. This type of signals are called squitter. Squitter are not used for range measurement, but may be used for identification of the station by the aircraft.

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Squitter
A ground station also emits an identification signal in Morse Code at 1350 Hz. Thus, it can be said that the ground station signals are composed of three types : Real reply signals Squitter (noise) signals. A continuous identification signal If the number of aircraft interrogation the station is 100, then all ground signals are real reply signals.

Squitter
If number of aircraft less than 100, then some signals are real reply signals and others are noise signals. Assume only one aircraft is in the region and interrogates the station at a rate of 27 pps. Then, the signal composition of the ground station will be; 27 real reply signals. 2700-27 = 2673 squitter signals.

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Frequency pairing
DME ground facility is usually co-located with VOR station. Thus, when pilot selects a VOR frequency on the VHF navigation panel, the frequency of DME located at that station is automatically selected. This is know as frequency pairing.

Frequency pairing
Each NAV frequency is assigned two DME VHF frequencies. Channel
One for transmit One for receive

108.00 108.05 113.30 113.35

DME TX 1041 1041 1104 1104

DME RX 978 1104 1167 1041

Mode X Y X Y

By changing modes and frequencies, the each DME channel can be used twice.
This gives us a virtual 200 channels.

You may find a complete table in a DME maintenance Manual.

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Hold mode
If this mode is selected, the frequency pairing is destroyed. That is, in this mode, a change in VOR frequency, will not cause the DME frequency change automatically. The range and bearing information are received from not a common station, but different stations.

VORTAC
Military aircraft are equipped with TACAN. It provides range and bearing. In most countries, VOR stations are colocated with TACAN, not with DME station. This type of combination is known as VORTAC.

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VORTAC

DME flight line test set

ATC-600A TEST SET

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DME flight line tests

Flight line test tips

Calculation of "time-to-station (TTS)" (in minutes) : (Speed / distance)* 60 Due to memory feature, the test should be started with low signal output, then it is increased until unit locks on. The squitter on ATC-600A should be on or the DME unit may not search. ATC-600 is used only for 17X and 17Y frequencies.

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ATC-600A TEST FREQUENCIES

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DME bench test set

ATC 1400A TEST SET

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DME bench tests

DME bench test tips

Calculation TTS (same as flight line test). Test should be started with low signal output. Squitter must be on. Frequency can be set automatically set to the VHF NAV channel. Decimal placement on range/speed/acceleration should be watched. Unit must be connected to a oscilloscope to for pulse width and spacing test.

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Objective checking
Can you check DME unit on all channels? For what tests do you need oscilloscope?

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