NAV Radio Question Code Response How?

[Guest]

When you tune a Nav radio you receive beeps back from the station. What are they called and how do you reply to them. I can't find any answer in the documentation.Thanks in advance to all who reply.Regards!Bill

[Dark Moment 0]

Hi BillYou don't reply. NAV radios are tuned to beacons to assist in navigation - the beeps (identifier) simply alerts you to the fact that your radio has picked up the signal.COM radios are for communication. If you fly online, you'll get into using these, but you can pretty well ignore them for now; although where applicable you can pick up ATIS (weather information) in FS2002 using your COM equipment.Hope this helps a bit.Mark "Dark Moment" Beaumonthttp://www.swiremariners.com/cxkaitak.htmlhttp://www.swiremariners.com/cxkaitakv3.jpg

[Guest]

Mark,Thank you. I thought in an earlier version of FS you had to respond to them to turn of the beeping. I must have been dreaming. The beeping gets annoying.Regards!Bill

[Vulcan 14]

Just to expand on Dark Moment's reply.The 'beeps' from NAV aids are not just to show your radio has picked up the beacon signal, the 'beeps' actually identify the beacon.If you look NAV aids on charts you will find various details such as name, & frequency, also there is a Morse code identifier and it is these Morse Code 'beeps' that you hear when you have the ident switched on.To be honest I personally don't think they are much use unless you are good at 'reading' Morse Code.

[tjrush 54]

If you click on the buttons (NAV1, NAV2 or NDB?) on the top of the radio stack and the light is on, you will hear the morse code for the particular station. If the light is off you will not hear the sound. Either way the instrumentation will pick up and use the VOR or NDB that is tuned in.

[Guest]

To be honest I personally don't think they are much use unless you are good at 'reading' Morse Code.I disagree... The morse code identifier can be critical to radio navigation, especially if you are at altitude. As a real world VFR pilot, you are supposed to positively identify the VOR or NDB you are using.How do we do this? Well, we just look at the box next to the navaid on the aeronautical chart (sectional). It will have the name, frequency, and morse code identifer of the navaid right in the box. You listen to the beeps and make sure they match the graphical depicition of the morse code identifier in the box. Example:[table border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0][tr][td]

DEKALB[table border=0][tr][td]209 DKB[/td][td]-- . .-- . ---- . . .[/td][/tr][/table]

[/td][/tr][/table]There are 2 reasons you want to positively identify the navaid. First, you want to make sure you tuned the right frequency. Secondly, especially if you are high up, you want to make sure you aren't picking up some OTHER navaid far, far away on the same frequency.

[Dark Moment 0]

Thanks Vulcan, yes, my answer was too brief.In any case, Bill, your worry seems to be the incessant noise. We should point out that you CAN turn the signal off by clicking on the ID button.Mark "Dark Moment" Beaumonthttp://www.swiremariners.com/cxkaitak.htmlhttp://www.swiremariners.com/cxkaitakv3.jpg

[Guest]

Thanks to everyone.You people are great. I not only get FS answers but real world answers. Also, you answered that when I turn off the light I am still tuned into the beacon.Great answers from all.Regards!Bill

[Guest tallpilot]

For all you IFR pilots out there, here is another reason to listen and comfirm the ident. Some airports that have an ILS on each end of a runway use the same frequency for both ILS's but with different identifiers for each one. Example Los Angeles International (KLAX) runway 6L 108.5 IUWU and runway 24R 108.5 IOSS. I've seen it happen in real world when the tower has switched landing runways that they forgot to switch one ILS off and the other ON until an inbound flight reminded them. :-(Ed Weber a.k.a tallpilot