LONG-RANGE RADIO NAVAID SIGNAL RELIABILITY

W. B. Ruhnow

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	This paper presents the results of a continuing study of long-range radio navigation signal reliability for Loran-C, VLF communication, and Omega. In particular, a preceding article on this subject is updated. Meaningful statistics, such as mean time between failures and mean time to repair, on Loran-C, VLF communication, and Omega ground stations have been obtained from failure data supplied by the U.S. Naval Observatory. Trends in failure statistics from late 1973 through 1981 are presented by both six-month and year intervals. These trends show that the signal reliability of Loran-C has substantially improved in recent years. VLF communication stations show random fluctuations which have degraded performance in certain years while Omega signal integrity has remained fairly constant since 1973. Probabilities of completing a stated mission of given duration (in 1981) are calculated for each transmitter type in zero- to two-station redundancy situations. Redundant signal coverage calculations show that airborne equipment should be structured to take advantage of redundant signals having good geometry.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 29, Number 2
Pages:	152 - 159
Cite this article:	Ruhnow, W. B., "LONG-RANGE RADIO NAVAID SIGNAL RELIABILITY", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 29, No. 2, Summer 1982, pp. 152-159.
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