Distance Measuring

Equipment

Navigation and Communication

 Navaids such as VOR, NDB and localizer guide an aircraft along a
course. But they do not help a pilot fix his position because they don't show
distance to a station. That information is provided by DME, Distance
Measuring Equipment. DME lowers pilot workload and air regulations require
DME for aircraft flying at or above 24,000 feet (Flight Level240).
Principle of the DME

The principle of DME is that an airplane sends out an interrogating

pulse to a ground station and the station replies. The DME aboard the
airplane measures elapsed time to compute distance to the station. Time is
multiplied by speed of the signal, which is close to the speed of light. A DME
signal takes just over 6 microseconds to travel one nautical mile.

DME is usually part of a military system known as TACAN (Tactical Air

Navigation). TACAN provides course guidance (like a VOR) and DME distance
for military aircraft. By agreement between military and civil authorities,
TACAN stations are located on the same site (and in the same structure) as a
VOR station. This benefits civil aircraft; they follow courses from the VOR
station, while using the TACAN's DME for distance.
DME Channeling
A pilot does not directly tune a DME frequency; this is controlled by the
VOR receiver. When the pilot chooses a VOR or localizer frequency, the radio
automatically channels the correct DME frequency. (This is similar to the
pairing of localizer and glideslope frequencies.)

DME ground speed and time-to-station are accurate only when flying
directly “to or from the station”. The airplane, however, may fly in any
direction and see the correct distance-to-station.
 The pilot never sees the DME frequency. When the VOR (113.50 MHz in this
example) located with the DME is selected, the DME receiver is channeled to its
correct frequency.
Ground Speed and TTS - Information developed by an airborne DME isn't
only distance-to-station. By calculating how rapidly distance is changing, it also
displays aircraft ground speed (GS). By knowing ground speed and distance, the
DME also reads out TTS, or time to station.
 The airplane DME sends pairs of interrogating pulses to the DME ground station.
After a delay, the ground station replies by retransmitting the pulses back to the airplane.
The round trip time is divided in half and computed as one-way distance to the station.
Most DME ground facilities are housed in VOR stations, and are part of the military TACAN
system.
Slant Range

DME is very accurate, but has an error known as "slant range." Because signals
follow a slanting path from the airplane to the ground, altitude is included in the
distance measurement.

It is not a factor when the airplane is many miles from the station; at 35 miles at
an altitude of 4000 feet, the error is only several dozen feet. When overflying the
station, the DME reads the altitude of the airplane.

DME Ground station

Each station is automatically identified by a 3-letter Morse code ID. The pilot
does not have to listen to the code; the dots and dashes are electronically detected
and identified.
DME Ground Station
The ground station receives, decodes and replies to
interrogations from the airplane.
50 Microsecond Time Delay
When the airplane is close to the DME station, outgoing
pulses may not allow enough time for replies to arrive from the
ground station. To avoid interference, the ground station delays
transmitting the reply by 50 microseconds.
Squitter
If the ground station receives no interrogations from
any aircraft, it "squitter“ that is, freely broadcasts pulses. This
"awakens" any aircraft within range; and their DME's go from
"automatic standby" to an interrogating mode.
Audio ID
Every 30 seconds, the ground station sends a Morse
code identifier on 1020Hz. The pilot can identify the DME, or
tones are decoded electronically by scanning DME's
Airborne DME
Pulse Generator
After pulses are produced in the pulse generator, spacing between pulse
pairs is varied in random fashion. This imprints the signal with its own identity, in a
process known as "jitter." Each aircraft will have its own jitter pattern.
Transmitter
Pulses modulate the transmitter, then are emitted by the antenna as
radio signals. They are DME interrogations on a channel between 978-1213 MHz.
Receiver
After interrogations are received from the ground station, they return to
the antenna as replies. Note that both transmitter and receiver are connected to
the same antenna. Outgoing and incoming pulses don't conflict because they are
sent and received on different frequencies (63 MHz apart).
Decoder
Replies from the ground station for every airplane in the area are
received at the antenna. The decoder in the airplane recognizes its own signal
after searching for, and locking on to, its unique jitter pattern.
DME Indicator
After measuring the transit time for a reply from the ground station, the
DME computes distance and time to station. Ground speed is determined by the
rate of change of the distance signal.
 A single DME display can connect to two VOR
receivers. The pilot selects either "N (nav)1" or
"N2." Note that "1" appears near the top, above
"NM," to indicate VOR 1 is the source of the
DME.
DME distance appears on the EFIS screen, near
the compass rose (horizontal situation
indicator). "NAV 1" shows it's reading data from
the No. 1 VOR receiver.