Yardstick
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I’ve been hearing the term around a bit but am not exactly sure what it means. I’m sure it has to do with Tacan but not exactly sure what.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
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YARDSTICK—Directive to use A/A TACAN for ranging
From OPERATIONAL BREVITY WORDS, DEFINITIONS, AND COUNTERAIR (AFTTP 3-1.1).pdf in your \Falcon BMS 4.32\Docs\Operational Manuals folder.
More information on p124 in the BMS Manual in your \Falcon BMS 4.32\Docs\Falcon BMS Manuals folder.
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Ah found it.
Thanks!
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What exactly is the reason for having to set the channels 63 apart?
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What exactly is the reason for having to set the channels 63 apart?
Because thats the way it is in the jet?
Dunno why the devlopers of TACAN made it like that.
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What exactly is the reason for having to set the channels 63 apart?
The channels are frequency pairs, one receiving and one sending. To get communication with “client type” equipment you have to miss-set both ends so that the sending frequency of one channel matches the receiving frequency of another (both directions). In fact the X-band and Y-band use different schemes for how the frequencies change based on channel number so this will only work in real life on the Y-band.
Compare the frequencies of (N)X and (N+63)X followed by (M)Y and (M+63)Y in the list above and you’ll see why only Y band works at 63 channels apart for suitable values of N and M.
Dedicated “host type” ground-based (TACAN station) or airborne equipment (some tankers) is constructed a different way so it’s able to be a suitable source for whatever channel client. But equipment typical in fighter jets has to use this “client to client” trick to get ranging between them.