Distance measuring equipment (DME)
Distance measuring equipment (DME) is a transponder-based radio navigation
technology that measures slant range distance by timing the propagation delay of
VHF or UHF radio signals.
Developed in Australia, it was invented by James Gerry Gerrand under the
supervision of Edward George "Taffy" Bowen while employed as Chief of the
Division of Radiophysics of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation (CSIRO). Another engineered version of the system was deployed by
Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited in the early 1950s operating in the 200
MHz VHF band. This Australian domestic version was referred to by the Federal
Department of Civil Aviation as DME (or DME Domestic), and the later international
version adopted by ICAO as DME.
DME is similar to secondary radar, except in reverse. The system was a post-war
development of the IFF (identification friend or foe) systems of World War II. To
maintain compatibility, DME is functionally identical to the distance measuring
component of TACAN.
Operation
Aircraft use DME to determine their distance from a land-based transponder by
sending and receiving pulse pairs two pulses of fixed duration and separation. The
ground stations are typically collocated with VORs. A typical DME ground
transponder system for en-route or terminal navigation will have a 1 kW peak pulse
output on the assigned UHF channel.
A low-power DME can be collocated with an ILS glide slope antenna installation
where it provides an accurate distance to touchdown function, similar to that
otherwise provided by ILS marker beacons.
Hardware
The DME system comprises a UHF transmitter/receiver (interrogator) in the aircraft
and a UHF receiver/transmitter (transponder) on the ground.
Transponder DME
Timing
SEARCH MODE: 150 interrogation pulse-pairs per second.
The aircraft interrogates the ground transponder with a series of pulse-pairs
(interrogations) and, after a precise time delay (typically 50 microseconds), the
ground station replies with an identical sequence of pulse-pairs. The DME receiver
in the aircraft searches for reply pulse-pairs (X-mode= 12 microsecond spacing) with
the correct interval and reply pattern to its original interrogation pattern. (Pulses-pairs
that are not coincident with the individual aircraft's interrogation pattern e.g. not
synchronous, are referred to as filler pulse-pairs, or Squitter. Also, replies to other
aircraft that are therefore non-synchronous also appear as squitter).
TRACK MODE: less than 30 interrogation Pulse-pairs per second, as the average
amount of pulses in SEARCH and TRACK is limited to max 30 Pulse Pairs per
second.
The aircraft interrogator locks on to the DME ground station once it recognizes a
particular reply pulse sequence has the same spacing as the original interrogation
sequence. Once the receiver is locked on, it has a narrower window in which to look
for the echoes and can retain lock.
Distance calculation
A radio signal takes approximately 12.36 microseconds to travel 1 nautical mile
(1,852 m) to the target and backalso referred to as a radar-mile. The time
difference between interrogation and reply, minus the 50 microsecond ground
transponder delay, is measured by the interrogator's timing circuitry and converted
to a distance measurement (slant range), in nautical miles, then displayed on the
cockpit DME display.
The distance formula, distance = rate * time, is used by the DME receiver to calculate
its distance from the DME ground station. The rate in the calculation is the velocity
of the radio pulse, which is the speed of light (roughly 300,000,000 m/s or 186,000
mi/s). The time in the calculation is (total time 50s)/2.
Accuracy
The accuracy of DME ground stations is 185 m (0.1 nmi).[2] It's important to
understand that DME provides the physical distance from the aircraft to the DME
transponder. This distance is often referred to as 'slant range' and depends
trigonometrically upon both the altitude above the transponder and the ground
distance from it.
Radio-navigation aids must keep a certain degree of accuracy, given by international
standards, FAA,[3] EASA, ICAO, etc. To assure this is the case, flight inspection
organizations check periodically critical parameters with properly equipped aircraft
to calibrate and certify DME precision.
ICAO recommends accuracy of less than the sum of 0.25 nmi plus 1.25% of the
distance measured.
Specification
A typical DME transponder can provide distance information to 100 to 200 aircraft at
a time. Above this limit the transponder avoids overload by limiting the sensitivity of
the receiver. Replies to weaker more distant interrogations are ignored to lower the
transponder load.
Radio frequency and modulation data
DME frequencies are paired to VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) frequencies and a
DME interrogator is designed to automatically tune to the corresponding DME
frequency when the associated VOR frequency is selected. An airplanes DME
interrogator uses frequencies from 1025 to 1150 MHz. DME transponders transmit
on a channel in the 962 to 1213 MHz range and receive on a corresponding channel
between 1025 to 1150 MHz. The band is divided into 126 channels for interrogation
and 126 channels for reply. The interrogation and reply frequencies always differ by
63 MHz. The spacing of all channels is 1 MHz with a signal spectrum width of 100
kHz.
Technical references to X and Y channels relate only to the spacing of the individual
pulses in the DME pulse pair, 12 microsecond spacing for X channels and 30
microsecond spacing for Y channels.
DME facilities identify themselves with a 1,350 Hz morse code three letter identity.
If collocated with a VOR or ILS, it will have the same identity code as the parent
facility. Additionally, the DME will identify itself between those of the parent facility.
The DME identity is 1,350 Hz to differentiate itself from the 1,020 Hz tone of the VOR
or the ILS localizer.
Terminal DME
A terminal DME, referred to as a TDME in navigational charts, is a DME that is
designed to provide a 0 reading at the threshold point of the runway, regardless of
the physical location of the equipment. It is typically associated with ILS or other
instrument approach.
