10 I-R-E TRANSACTIONS--AERONAUTICAL AND NAVIGATIONAL ELECTRONICS December

A New Airborne DME Interrogator

Designed for Stable Operation and
Ease of Maintenance*
A. R. APPLEGARTHt

T- HE DISTANCE Measuring Equipment which is in the upper left corner. The two antennas are shown to
a part of common air navigation comprises a its right. By using two separate antennas they can be of
number of airborne interrogators and ground extremely simple design and need have a bandwidth of
transponders in which the interrogator transmits a only 30 mc each as compared to the 255 mc necessary to
coded pulse signal to the transponder on any one of ten include both bands with a single antenna.
uhf interrogation channels in the band 960 to 990 mc, The distance indicator shown in the lower left is
and receives a differently coded pulse reply signal on actually a DC milliammeter which is hand calibrated to
any one of ten uhf reply channels in the band 1,185 to provide sufficient accuracy. It includes a range switch
1,215 mc. Table 1 below shows the DME channeling which changes the maximum range from 200 to 20 miles,
system having 100 distinct DME channels each con- and also changes the scale numbers.
sisting of an interrogation and a reply frequency, and a The channel selector is shown in the lower center.
specified mode. The mode letter determines the interro- DME channels are always paired with specific asso-
gation and reply pulse spacings in a paired pulse multi- ciated VOR and ILS Localizer channels permitting the
plex system. dials to be marked with the VOR or Localizer channel
Fig. 1 (opposite) is a pictorial block diagram of the in the band 108.0 to 117.9 mc. The Channel Selector
NARCO Model UDI-I DME Interrogator, similar to consists of two coaxial rotary switches to provide step
the CAA type DIC set. The DME Interrogator Unit is tuning in 0.1 mc steps. The DME channel selection may
be combined with the VOR/Localizer channel selection
in a single control switch assembly. Existing VOR/
* Presented at the East Coast Conference on Airborne and Navi- Localizer Control Boxes already contain the extra
gational Electronics, Baltimore, Md.; November, 1954.
t National Aeronautical Corp., Ambler, Pa. switch wafers needed for DME control.
TABLE 1
DME CHANNELLING SYSTEM
Paired with .0 .I 3 . . 6 . 8 .
VOR Tenth Megacycle °.2 .3 .4 . .6 7 8 .9
DMEInterrogatio mc. 963.5 966.0 968.5 971.0 973.5 976.0 978. 5 981.0 983.5 986.0
Prd. with DM
VOR
mc Reply mcF GH
108 1188.5 A B C D E F G H I
109 1191.0 D E F G H I J A B C
110 1193.5 G H I AJ B C D E F
111 1196.0 J A B C D E F G H I
112 1198.5 C D E F G H I J A B
113 I 1201.0 F G H I J A B C D E
114 1203.5 I J A B C D E F G H
115 1206.0 B C D E F G H I J A
116 1208.5 E F G H I J A B C D
117 1211.0 H I J A B C D E F G

~~~~Microseconds
Interrogation Spacing Reply Spacing
Microseconds
A 14 77
B 21 70
C 28 63
D 35 56
E 42 49
F 49 42
G 56 35
H 63 28
I 70 21
J 77 14

Authorized licensd use limted to: IE Xplore. Downlade on May 13,20 at 1:4256 UTC from IE Xplore. Restricon aply.
1954 Applegarth: A New Airborne DME Interrogator 11

(3) Range Unit

(4) Power ITnit
IT (5) Frame and Control UTnit.
tANTENNA
These sections are interchangeable, permitting serv-
icing by simple substitution of units, thereby greatly
simplifying maintenance.

Fig. 3-Transmitter unit, bottom view.

IWdOCATOR
ORMOLLAOLLDAILA

Fig. 1-DMIE Interrogator, pictorial block diagram. PULE XITR.S.

Fig. 4- Transmitter, block diagram.
'I'he NARCO IJDI-1 Interrogator Unit is showni in
Fig. 2. The shock mount includes a rear box assembly The transmitter section, pictured in Fig. 3, is shown
which houses the cooling blower, starting relay, and in block form in Fig. 4. It consists of a crystal oscillator,
external connection terminals. The front cover encloses in which any of ten crystals oscillating between
teremote tuning ratchet motor assembly or controlV-0,I 80.292 and hcanoftnryalosiaigbe
82.167 mc can be selected. This is followed
unit and includes a connection at which variouis test by a pulse modulated amplifier, V-102, which excites
leads are made available. Amplifier V-103 with pulsed rf. The output of this stage
After the unit is removed from its shock mount, the drives Doubler V-104 which provides pulsed output at
rear case fastener can be released permitting the set to approximately 162 mc. This drives tripler V-105, a
be removed from its case. It is then possible to separate 1
the set into the following five major sections by releas- 4X150A
h several snap fasteners:
lighthouse tube providing an output
at approximately 486 mc to drive the final doubler,
"jumbo"
ig *V-106, a 4X150G. This coaxial input lighthouse-type
(1) Transmitter Unit tetrode provides 1 to 1I kw output at approximately
(2) Receiver Unit 972 mc.
The receiver section, Fig. 5, is a standard super-het-
g . _ _ . _ erodyne as blocked out in Fig. 6 (see next page). The
antenna feeds a fixed-tuned bandpass preselector. (See
. :Fig. 7, next page.) This unit consists of three coupled
resoniant lines using end capacitor tuning and aperture
intercoupling. The fourth section is the local oscillator
injection resonator. The preselector has a bandpass fre-
(luency response that is 32 mc wide at the 3 db points
with less than 1 db variation over the normal passband
of 1,188.5 to 1,211.0 mc.
The local oscillator signal originates in V-201, a
crystal oscillator having 10 crystals between 75.844 mc
and 77.250 mc. The second harmonic of this oscillator
drives a germanium crystal frequency quadrupler,
XT-202, feeding an approximate 615 mc signal to the
local oscillator injection resonator of the preselector as-
sembly. Final doubling takes place in the crystal mixer,
Fig. 2-DM Inergt. XT-201.

Authorized licensd use limted to: IE Xplore. Downlade on May 13,20 at 1:4256 UTC from IE Xplore. Restricon aply.
12 I-R-E TRANSACTIONS-AERONAUTICAL AND NAVIGATIONAL ELECTRONICS December

Fig. 5-Receiver uniit.

XL22 V-200 00 02 e60

MULTIPLIER RCVR. DETECTOR| Fig. 7-Preselector, covers removed.
t ~~~~~~G AT E

5670 VIDEO OUTPUT (8) Provides identity lamp signal when DME iden-
O5CILLATOR TO RANGE UNIT tity pulse is keyed on at grouLnd station, provided
station is being tracked.
Fig. 6-Receiver, block diagram.
The two transmitter modulating pulses are generated
by V-301 and V-303 which are miniature gas tubes
The 25 mc heterodyne IF frequency is amplified in a arranged to discharge delay-line type pulse-forming
four stage conventional IF strip usinig double-tuned networks. The gas tube generating the first pulse is
coupling transformers to provide a high degree of ad- biased to self-trigger at about 25 pulses per second. A
jacent channel rejection. A conventional diode detector, noise signal generated by passing a small reverse current
video amplifier and cathode follower output stage are through a germanium diode is applied to the grid of
used. The bias to the IF stages is gated by the range this gas tube to cause it to fire irregularly in a random
unit so as to permit the receiver to function only during manner, so as to jitter the PRF thereby preventing
the time interval after each interrogation that a reply accidental synchronous operation of two or more inter-
could be received within a 250 mile range. 'I'his is done rogators, which might otherwise cause a cross-lock on a
to reduce the average plate current required to operate common ground transponder.
the receiver. '[he spacing between the two interrogation pulses
.he range unit, shown in Fig. 8 on the opposite page, can be set to any of 10 intervals between 14 and 77

serves the following functions: (See block diagram, Fig. microseconds, depending on the chaniinel or mode. It is
9, also on the opposite page.) produced by a magneto-striction delay line, Z-301,
shown along the extreme bottom of Fig. 8. TIhe end of
(1) Generates transmitter modulationi pulses. a length of nickel tubing is inserted inside the coils which
(2) Generates receiver gate signal. are part of the network forming the first pulse (long
(3) Decodes receiver video signal. can at left). Thus the large peak currents which flow
(4) Provides slowly searching range gates permiitting in these coils during the pulse formation momentarily
search-track circuit to operate if gates encounter magnetize the end of the nickel tube and create a me-
properly coded reply signals. Searclh retraces chanical shock by virtue of the magnetostrictive proper-
automatically at maximum selected ranage. ties of nickel. 'I'his disturbance travels along the nickel
(5) After search-track circuit operates, servo system tube as an acoustic shockwave which, on passing
keeps gates centered on reply signal. through the pickup coils distributed along the line (to
(6) Provides DC outl)ut signal to external distance the right), disturbs the steady magnetic field estab-
indicator which is precise linear funiection of gate lished by a series of polarizing magnets, causing a volt-
delay, and hence accurate measure of distance. age pulse to be generated in each pickup coil as the
(7) Includes memory circuit which holds gates and shockwave passes through it. The signal so produced
indicated distance at last measured (ldistance amounts to about one volt, anld so (loes not require a
when reply signal fades for periods up to 15 large amplification to trigger the gas tube producing
seconds. If signal reappears withini this time, the second pulse. Th1e accuracy of the time delay of
tracking is resumed, but if signal does not return, such a system is primarily controlled by the speed
search is resumlie(d. of acoustic propagation in the nickel tube which is

Authorized licensd use limted to: IE Xplore. Downlade on May 13,20 at 1:4256 UTC from IE Xplore. Restricon aply.
1954 Applegarth: A New Airborne DME Interrogator 13

-&Ur0$0 ltP 3:O8 TP3II

3iTP
TP 314 TP-315 TP43O5
T-312 T-07 TP30 ' Pw3O TP303 TP'306 Tj Ps3l3 TP-3) S

Fig. 8-Ra2ge init, left-side view.

ItfE L P A
| v-Xa r-l2Z-301 V-302 rlV-306
P
5
CA
r-0
V-307AV-30tR
IM
ATO J 5654 1 15 /2n
1 1I5726 W15F4 r

PME
PULSES l l
I /2
V 3"ll . | 1
|~~~~~~~~~~V V-310A
AM__XOOFJXZtX^PLIFIER
||REY

|RCVRG^TE I rRCVR G4TE

Fi. 17
Fiag. 8-Ranerunit,in || v iegw.
leftit-sidelo i | 2Z5StO0
RCVR | ATH. FOL,
V-305A 1T
CHAR DOMEII
v-304A
GATE | I EARLY GATE i|
~
VIOCO ~ ~ ~
IS67O0
/ NCD ELYDRNKPON
1/252 |? GENERATOR AMP,|
LIFIER || Z |C33R3

1 1 ~~~~~~~~~~56ro10 _ 5725 11 1

I IE IDENTITY I | , . I I . .I , I
CL~~*II
EAMO
PLFDE O DETECTD

V-3051 1 -| 2V-304B1 V-3{15A8

2~ ~~~~~/ 5726 .~~~~~~~~L 1/57 31JA|
572
NDS
O
Fi.9Rtg itnillgdrut,bokdanil

Authorized licensd use limted to: IE Xplore. Downlade on May 13,20 at 1:4256 UTC from IE Xplore. Restricon aply.
14 I-R-E TRANSACTIONS-AERONAUTICAL AND NAVIGATIONAL ELECTRONICS December

accurately predictable, and is not affected by environ- (2) The delayed reply signal from the receiver video
mental conditions, except large temperature changes, output.
which are compensated by certain physical design fea- (3) The tracking gate signal from the early or late
tures. gate generator (depending on which coincidence
A trigger signal derived from the second interrogation tube is being considered).
pulse is applied to the suppressor grid of the range
phantastron, V-306. This stage produces an output pulse Correctly spaced reply pulses will satisfy conditions
which is delayed with respect to the trigger signal by a (1) and (2) and also (3) if the second reply pulse co-
time interval which is a precise linear function of the dc incides with either tracking gate.
ccntrol voltage applied to its plate circuit. The range
accuracy of the DME interrogator is directly dependent
on the linearity and stability of this delay circuit, so 2JI1E __
it has been designed accordingly. Both ends of the
phantastron linear rundown are clamped by diodes, RANGET11R5 T 3000 PuLS
RANGE
V-307A and B, and the plate and filament supply volt- v- 306
ages to these circuits are carefully regulated. The sensi- I
tive circuit components have been chosen for stability. L
'RAN GE pULSE {u
As a result, the range error does not exceed plus or minus DIFFERENTIATED
0.1 mile at ten miles, or plus or minus 0.5 mile at 100
miles over a temperature range from -40 degrees C. PULSE AMPLER ourPur
to plus 55 degrees C., and over an input voltage range v- 315 B PULSE
from 24 to 30 volts does not exceed plus or minus 0.1 -u 3- uSEC OVERLAP
mile. The principal source of error is the distance indi- EARLY GATE AERLY GATE
cator which is held to a maximum of plus or minus 1 GENERATOR V- 316
per cent of the indicated distance. Hand calibration is IOJ
S
necessary to accomplish this. OVERLAP DELAY OUTPUr
The phantastron output pulse is amplified by V-315B NETWORK PULSE
and triggers the early gate generator, V-316, which is 4-7 US
a monostable blocking tube oscillator arranged to pro- O D P
duce a 10 microsecond gate. The leading edge of this DIFFERENTIATED
gate excites an LC overlap delay network which in
turn triggers the late gate generator, V-319. This is LATE GATE
likewise a monostable blocking oscillator producing a sENERATOR v-320 LATE GATE
10-microsecond pulse delay seven microseconds from
the early gate pulse thus establishing a 3 microsecond Fig. 10-Range determining circuits, time relationships.
overlap period during which both gates are operative.
These time relationships are illustrated in Fig. 10.
The two tracking gate signals are fed to the screen The search is produced by generating a sawtooth
grid circuits of the two coincidence tubes, V-317 and control voltage for the phantastron having a slow linear
V-320. rise lasting about 30 seconds, followed by a rapid retrace.
The reply signal, like the interrogation signal, con- The phantastron control voltage is provided by the out-
sists of pulse pairs having a particular mode, or spacing put of the servo amplifier, V-308, which has a large
which may be any multiple of 7 microseconds from 14 capacitor coupling its grid to its plate in the familiar
to 77 microseconds. A decoder is needed to respond only Miller circuit. During search this capacitor is charged
to pulse pairs having the correct spacing for the particu- slowly from a source of negative bias causing the
lar channel being used. This decoder comprises a mag- phantastron control voltage, and hence its delay to
neto-striction delay line, Z-303, similar to the one slowly increase. After reaching a point somewhat be-
previously described for spacing the interrogation pulses, yond the full scale of either range, the indicator makes a
but driven by the receiver output signal as amplified momentary contact which quickly discharges the Miller
by V-305B. The output of the decoder pickup coils is capacitor causing the range control voltage to fall below
about 0.1 volt, and is amplified by V-311 to bring it zero miles whereupon the search cycle repeats until a
up to a level sufficient to drive the suppressor grids of properly coded reply signal is found. If during the
the two coincidence tubes, V-317 and V-320. search a signal appears in either coincidence tube out-
The coincidence circuits require the simultaneous puts, it will trigger the pulse detector, V-310B, which
application of three signals to produce any output. These will generate a large dc voltage. This will bias V-310A
are: beyond cut-off and thereby operate the search-track
(1) The undelayed reply signal from the receiver relay. This large dc voltage will also charge the memory
video output. capacitor, C-313, through R-348 which will maintain

Authorized licensd use limted to: IE Xplore. Downlade on May 13,20 at 1:4256 UTC from IE Xplore. Restricon aply.
1954 Applegarth: A New Airborne DME Interrogator 15

the cut-off bias on V-310A during a brief interruption is provided in this circuit to limit the inrush load on the
of the reply signal. If the interruption persists, the mem- vibrator. A 60-second time delay prevents pulsing of
ory capacitor will slowly discharge through R-348 caus- any of the various circuits until all tube cathodes have
ing the search-track relay to resume search at the end had time to heat.
of 10 to 15 seconds. The power unit contains a terminal board on which
The tinme discriminator, V-318, rectifies the reply a set of links may be set for operation on either 13.5
signal which appears at the output of the coincidence or 27.0 volts dc primary power systems.
tubes, and compares their amplitudes. If the signal Remote channel selection is accomplished by a ratchet
appears in both gates, as it will during the overlap, motor mechanism which positions the transmitter and
no output signal is generated by the time discriminator. receiver channel switches to match the channel as
When the reply signal occurs slightly early or late, a selected by the remote-operated switch assembly. The
dc output voltage is developed by the time discrimina- transmitter and receiver channel switches include mode
tor which tends to either charge or discharge the Miller control switches, which in turn provide the information
capacitor connected to the grid and plate of the servo for the third ratchet motor mechanism, which drives
amplifier, V-108. This serves to correct the phantastron the magneto-striction pickup coil selector switches.
delay so as to recenter the reply signal at the gate over- The remote channel selector switch circuits have been
lap. This is a form of automatic tracking. The distance made to match the wafers already provided for DME
indicator measures the dc phantastron control voltage, on the standard VOR channel-selecting switches made
and thus displays the distance. Range switching for the past few years in anticipation of DME. Provision
amounts to changing the voltmeter range multiplier. is also made to prevent DME interrogation when these
The DME ground transponder also transmits a remote switches are set to channels outside the naviga-
third reply pulse 10.5 microseconds after the second tion range (above 117.9 mc) so as not to permit the
one, which is keyed for identification purposes. The DME to radiate energy when it is not in use.
presence of this pulse at the proper time is detected by The design emphasis of the NARCO DME Interroga-
V-315A and causes the identity lamp on the aircraft tor has been placed on stability and ease of mainte-
instrument panel to operate. nance. The particular features which have resulted are:
The signal from the second interrogation pulse is (1) Crystal-controlled transmitter and receiver which
shaped bv V-304 into a 3,000 microsecond gate which have no frequency adjustment or drift problems.
is fed to the receiver via a cathode follower, V-305A, (2) Magneto-striction encode and decode systems.
turning it on during the 250-mile time interval when a (3) Temperature-compensated and voltage-stabilized
reply miglltpossibly be received. range delay system using a double clamped
The power requirements of the transmitter, receiver phantastron.
and range unit are supplied by a vibrator type power (4) Unitized mechanical design permitting rapid dis-
unit. The total plate and bias load is only 29 watts. assembly into its several interchangeable major
The cathode heater of the transmitter final output stage components.
(4X150G) is supplied by ac power taken from the
vibrator transformer because it requires 6.25 amperes It has been granted an unrestricted CAA Type
at 2.5 volts, which would present problems to tie in Certificate which includes operation from -40 degrees
with the other heater strings. A 15-second time delay C. to plus 55 degrees C.

CtAD

Authorized licensd use limted to: IE Xplore. Downlade on May 13,20 at 1:4256 UTC from IE Xplore. Restricon aply.