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Author Topic: "Orchy" NDB  (Read 7724 times)

WrongwayCorrigan

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"Orchy" NDB
« on: August 07, 2010, 0212 UTC »
Today I visited "Orchy" NDB located at Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, New York. I discovered this is also the site of an Outer Marker which likely serves Runway 22 at La Guardia Airport.

You can see the dual V-Yagi antenna of the Outer Maker in the image below.



Orchy NDB
Identifier: UR (..- .-.)
Frequency: 385 KHz
Location:  N 40 51' 59'', W 073 48' 12''
Intended use: terminal-area navigation (low power)
Country: United States
Associated airport: La Guardia Airport
« Last Edit: August 07, 2010, 0214 UTC by WrongwayCorrigan »

Offline Throbbing Gristle

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Re: "Orchy" NDB
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2010, 0217 UTC »
Any pics of the NDB ant?

WrongwayCorrigan

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Re: "Orchy" NDB
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2010, 0235 UTC »
I was expecting an antenna mast, but the NDB uses a flat-top wire antenna supported by wooden poles.



Offline Throbbing Gristle

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Re: "Orchy" NDB
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2010, 1345 UTC »
That's typical.  Most are pretty cheesey looking installs, dog house sitting between two poles in the middle of nowhere.
I've had alot of fun tracking NDB's down using the Degen 1103 portable.

Best install (and 25 watt siganal) I've found around here is the "Cash",  "SYW", 428khz site.
60' grounded tower with a large loading coil at the top. Top guys are a huge capacity hat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-4WjX5miu0&feature=channel

I believe the vlf NDB's are no longer FAA supported and will slowly go away, left to die of natural causes and not repaired if they fail.       

WrongwayCorrigan

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Re: "Orchy" NDB
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2010, 1652 UTC »
The install you shot in that video is exactly what I expected. At least it was nice to discover the outer marker.

I didn't have a proper camera to take decent pictures but at least I had my Grundig G6 with me.

It's a shame that NDBs are not properly maintained. They could still serve as backup navigation if VOR beacons or GPS satellites fail.

My hope is that "Orchy" will stay in service. It's a waypoint for helicopter ILS approaches at LaGuardia's runway 22, so maybe it will be deemed as useful.

http://tiles.skyvector.com/sky/files/tpp/1008/pdf/00289COPTERID22.PDF

Offline SW-J

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Four-course radio range
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2010, 1305 UTC »

Related, a demo of a four-course radio range (A-N beacon system): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-VqtNY8vpw

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I thought this was pretty cool (they built a 4-course/AN type range operating at 28 MHz for the purpose of reducing the physical scale for demonstration purposes) ...
o Icom IC-756ProII, ProIII, Alinco DX-70, Kenwood TS-680s
o WinRadio G303e, Degen/Kaito 1103/DE1103, Stoddart NM-25
o 1/2 wave 80m Dipole used with several tuners
o Tuned loops from 2' thru 16' diam. capable of 160m thru 10m

WrongwayCorrigan

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Re: "Orchy" NDB
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2010, 0214 UTC »
I have never seen/heard an A-N Beacon system in action. This confirms my suspicion...they were very irritating to work with. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.  :'(