ADF ANT mode?

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J van E
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ADF ANT mode?

Post by J van E »

Just curious (again :wink: ): what would you need the ANT mode of the ADF for...? The manual says it is 'used for optimum intelligibility of the received identification signal' but... what's the use of it exactly during a flight? When you use the ADF and the needle is active, what else is there to know?
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Nick - A2A
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Re: ADF ANT mode?

Post by Nick - A2A »

J van E wrote:When you use the ADF and the needle is active, what else is there to know?
Well, that you're tuned into the correct NDB for one thing! :) That's what 'ANT' mode is for; it disables the loop antenna for clearer reception of the morse ident. Here's a good starting article: https://www.avweb.com/news/avionics/183233-1.html.

Also useful for tuning into music stations and so on it seems!

Nick

J van E
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Re: ADF ANT mode?

Post by J van E »

Thanks again, Nick! It's clear to me now. :D Not something you'll ever actually need in a sim environment, I guess, where everything is quite perfect (like the ADF needle itself which is always 100% correct: I've heard that in real life it can move all the time and bring you out of course by 10 to even 20 degrees!). But good to know what it is for! :wink:
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Nick - A2A
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Re: ADF ANT mode?

Post by Nick - A2A »

Yeah, in the sim we certainly don't get any beat interference or whatever from the loop (or any radio stations to listen to), so the ANT mode button is just cosmetic I believe. :wink:

Cheers,
Nick

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AKar
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Re: ADF ANT mode?

Post by AKar »

Yep, precisely as Nick says: no use in the sim, and little if any use in today's flying. Most integrated solutions won't offer this mode at all these days.

-Esa

William Hughes
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Re: ADF ANT mode?

Post by William Hughes »

I just thought I would chime in regarding ADF usefulness. While I acknowledge that the various regulatory bodies are charging towards space based navigation as fast as they can, there are still many airports, particularly in Canada, that have *only* an NDB approach.

I flew into Whitecourt, AB, this spring with full NDB approach to minimums on ceiling, six miles visibility, in rain, with the freezing level 1000' over my head. I used the low level airways from Dawson Creek and over Grande Prairie to stay below the freezing level, and also got clearance to fly the wrong level for the direction to stay low and under that icing. No IFR GPS in that aircraft. NDB all the way.

Yes, the needle jumps around a lot, but you can pick a heading and fly well, and it does work fine, and it is not a mysterious magical thing that is difficult to do. And it is very comforting to have completely independent navigation aids.

As an aside, I had my first complete GPS failure this summer. A short in the wiring near the CB took the GPS out of service while in flight. Battery backup promptly went flat (five minutes of service!) Wasn't on instruments but the flight was through some pretty serious smoke. Climbed up high enough to get a VOR signal (now the ground is only visible as a small green circle directly underneath) and finished the flight following a radial. Lots of wrestling with PAPER MAPS! Thanks goodness I still keep them in the seat pocket.

Not taking out the ADF until I absolutely must.

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AKar
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Re: ADF ANT mode?

Post by AKar »

William Hughes wrote:I just thought I would chime in regarding ADF usefulness. While I acknowledge that the various regulatory bodies are charging towards space based navigation as fast as they can, there are still many airports, particularly in Canada, that have *only* an NDB approach.

[...]
Love it! Thanks for sharing. ADF is rather useful in cases, but do you use the ANT mode really much at all there?

Somehow I'd seriously like to visit Canada and fly along around there visiting these BC and Alberta towns so familiar from the sim. :)

-Esa

William Hughes
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Re: ADF ANT mode?

Post by William Hughes »

I use it to make sure the ADF is working. The needles points to the right (at rest so to speak) and so you can confirm it is pointing by watching the needle swing. Reception is pretty good either way.

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