VERY HIGH FREQUENCY (VHF)

Introduction

VHF FREQUENCY RANGE - (117.975 - 136.975) MHz

USERS - ATCO (Air Traffic Controllers), Airlines/Defense Pilots.

The VHF unit of Airports Authority of India provides for the following functions-
- Maintain all VHF channel.
- Providing radio communication between ATCO and Aircraft.
- Additional standalone system is provided through J -Controller and Transceivers at different
ATC positions.
- Serviceability of Mains and Standby equipment 99·9%·
- All preventive and corrective maintenance schedules are performed.
- The air-to-ground communications are also recorded. Analysis of recorded communication is
done by DGCA, AAI, ATC personnel for the purpose of investigation in case of
accident/incidence.

Facilities/Components Available With VHF Unit

VHF Tx, Rx, and J -Controller /Tran receiver.

RCAG (Remote controlled Air to Ground)
DATIS (Digital Airport Terminal Information Services)
VCS (IeS 200/60)
Dipole antenna Integrated Communication System for Air Traffic
Control
Recording Facilities
- DVTR (Digital Voice Tape Recorder)
- MVLR (Meltron Voice Tape Recorder)
- Ricochet (Digital Voice Tape Recorder) • HF (High Frequency) Communication

VHF TRANMITTER /RECIEVER

The VHF Tx /Rx work on Amplitude Modulation principle. There are three transmitter/receivers
used in the VHF unit- those made by ECIL, PAE and OTE.

MAKE ECIL PAE OTE

MODEL NO. OF Tx 5350 T6T DT100
MODEL NO. OF Rx 5100 T6R DR100
About Tx 5350:

The Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) / Park Air Electronics (PAE) type 5350 single
channel transmitters are designed for the transmission of amplitude modulated signals within VHF
aeronautical frequency band. The transmitter is intended for use in ground station environments
and can be combined with an associated EClL / PAE receiver to form a transmitter / receiver
system. The standard transmitter operates in the frequency range 118 to 136.975 MHz, with 25
kHz channel spacing. The frequency range of the 5350 transmitters can be extended to operate
between 108 and 155.975 MHz.

The Transmitter consists of six PCBs / modules-

Synthesizer module
Audio & Control module
RF PA module
Filter / Coupler assembly
Power supply module
PSU regulation module

Function of various modules of VHF Tx 5350 is given below.

Synthesizer Module: The Synthesizer module produces the transmitter's carrier frequency,
which is used as the RF drive to the RF PA module. The RF drive output is enabled only when
the transmitter is keyed. The synthesizer's carrier frequency output is derived form a 6 MHz
Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator (TCXO) which provides frequency stability of 1.5
ppm (parts per million).

Audio and Control Module: - The audio and control module processes the transmitter's speech
and data inputs to provide a modulation signal for the RF PA module. The module contains audio
circuits, transmitter control circuits and BIT control circuits.

RF PA Module: - The RF PA module provides the drive and power amplification necessary to
produce the 50 watt transmitter output. The module is supplied with two inputs i.e., carrier
frequency from the Synthesizer, and the modulation signal from the Audio and Control module.

Filter / Coupler Assembly: - The filter / coupler assembly contains a low-pass filter to remove
unwanted RF components, and a directional coupler to detect the forward and reflected power
levels.

Power Supply Module: - The Power Supply Module provides an unregulated supply between
21.4 V and 32 V DC from the mains AC supply of220V.

Power Supply Regulation Module: - The PSU regulation module is supplied with the un-
regulated supply from the PSU module as one input and 28 V (Nominal) DC supply from the
battery backup as the second input and provides the following outputs.

A + 15 V regulated supply for the Synthesizer Module, and the Audio & Control Module.
B. + 10 V and + 5 V regulated supplies for the Audio & Control Module.
 C. + 21.4 to 32 V unregulated supply for the RF PA Module, Audio and Control Module and
front panel indicators.

All these output voltages are generated from internal regulator ICs. When both AC and DC
supplies are connected, an automatic changeover to DC is initiated on the loss of the AC supply.
When both supplies are connected, priority of operation is from the AC supply.

DIPOLE ANTENNA

A dipole antenna is an antenna that can be made by a simple

wire, with a centre-fed driven element for transmitting or receiving
radio frequency energy. These antennas are the simplest practical
antennas from a theoretical point of view; the current amplitude on
such an antenna decreases uniformly from maximum at the centre
to zero at the ends.

FOLDED DIPOLE ANTENNA

The tips of the antenna are folded back until they almost meet at the feed point, such that
the antenna comprises one entire wavelength. This arrangement has a greater bandwidth
than a standard half wave dipole. If the conductor has a constant radius and cross-
section, at resonance the input impedance is four times that of a half-wave dipole

STACKED DIPOLE ANTENNA

We stack dipoles in order to increase the gain over that obtainable from one dipoles
and/or to decrease the beam width. The increase in gain is due to the reduction in beam
width and it should be noted that the beamwidth is reduced in the plane of stacking only.
If we stack vertically the beamwidth is decreased in the vertical or "H" plane of a
horizontally polarised dipole. Stacking horizontally results in a narrower beamwidth in the
horizontal or "E "plane of a horizontally polarised dipole. In some applications, such as
interference from or to points off to one side or below the main lobe, the reduction in beam
width is a more important consideration than the gain increase. However mostly with stack
to get more gain.
VCCS (Voice Communication Control System)

Features:

Upto 700 radio and telephone interface and upto 200 operator positions
VCCS used is ICS200/60
Two VCCS systems are used-one online and other standby.

It has the following parts-

Communication Server
Communication Controller
Interface Cards
Operator Position
Management Server

The Integrated Communications System ICS 200/60 uses the most advanced digital
technology based on the standard 2 Mbps Ei, including powerful microprocessors, digital signal
processors and fast, nonblocking switching components.

The ICS 200/60 has a fully digital design and provides distributed intelligence on the server
and operator positions. Thus fast switching performance for radio and telephone channels as well
as a high availability with smooth degradation in case of eventual failures is achieved.

The four main elements of the system are:

The analogue interface modules for radio, all types of telephone applications (LB, CB, PSTN ... )
and the digital interfaces (e.g. Leased Line)! Each interface module connects for redundancy
reasons through a 2 Mbps Ei main and a standby bus to the server system.
The intelligent operator positions with integrated voice switching and signal processing, located
in one or more dual 2 Mbps Ei rings with redundant design.

The server systems (usually in a redundant configuration) act as a cross connects between the
interface bus and the ring of the operator positions.
The management position is present to monitor, control and, configure the system.

A separate communication path is reserved for configuration and system management: the
Ethernet LAN. It is used for the transmission of configuration data, event logs as well as for the
program and data download into the server system. Multiple management positions as well.
RCAG (REMOTE CONTROL AIR TO GROUND)

Function is to provide extended range of VHF communication

Control site consist of single equipment fitted with voting unit and band signaling unit configured
to control one two, three or four radio sites.

Two type RCAG used:

1. RCAG-ECIL

Local site- Delhi

Remote site- Khajuraho
Frequency - 120.000 Mhz
Used for area control centre (east)
Media-VSAT or OFC
VSAT-provided by heel
OFC-provided by mtnl/bsnl

2. RCAG- PARK AIR SYSTEM

Local site-Delhi
Remote site
1. Amritsar
2. Jodhpur
3. Sundar Nagar
Frequency-124.55 MHz
Used for area control centre (west)
Media - OFC (optical fiber communication) and DSCN( dedicated satellite communication
network)
OFC - provaided by mtnl / bsnl
DSCN - maintained by AAI

DATIS (Data-link Airport Terminal Information Service)

Function - It provides all Terminal information to the Aircraft at regular interval. It is a

software-based system.

The current and real-time aeronautical information is essential for aircraft’s operation and air
Navigation, particularly the meteorological information and active NOTAMs in the approach and
landing phases. They are also important for the coordination and development of air services.
One of the systems providing this type of service to aircraft is the ATIS systems (Automatic
Terminal Information Service).

DATIS is a transcribed, digitally transmitted version of the ATIS audio broadcast, usually
accessed from a digital display. DATIS may be incorporated into the core ATIS system, or be
realized as a separate system with a data interface between voice ATIS and DATIS

The DATIS transmissions are used at airports to notify the landing and take-off aircrafts regarding
current local atmospheric conditions, runway conditions, communication frequencies and any
other important information. These transmissions are updated each time when meteorological or
runway conditions changes. The ATIS transmissions are used by most of the airports, the
operation frequency could be found in the aeronautical charts close to the airport symbol. If there
is an ATIS system, the operation frequency is close to the word ATIS.

Data link-automatic terminal information service is a continuous broadcast of recorded noncontrol

information in busier terminal (i.e. airport) areas.D ATIS broadcasts contain essential information,
such as weather information, which runways are active, available approaches, and any other
information required by the pilots, such as important NOTAMs. Pilots usually listen to an available
DATIS broadcast before contacting the local control unit, in order to reduce the controllers'
workload and relieve frequency congestion.

The recording is updated when there is a significant change in the information, like a change in
the active runway. It is given a letter designation (e.g. bravo), from the ICAO spelling alphabet.
The letter progresses down the alphabet with every update and starts at Alpha after a break in
service of 12 hours or more. When contacting the local control unit, a pilot will indicate he/she has
"information" and the ATIS identification letter to let the controller know that the pilot is up to date
with all current information.

Data link-automatic terminal information service (D-ATIS). The provision of ATIS via data link.

Frequency - 126.4 MHz

This equipment has two parts-
1. Control Equipment
- Location - Equipment Room along with Tx/ Rx.
- Transmitter located at Remote RX and Tx station Bijwasan
broadcast by one Tx at a time.
- Media - UHF Link for Bijwasan
- Two wire line for Remote Rx

2. Operator interface
- Location - Tower
- DATIS Data is updated by ATM at regular intervals.

Recorder:
Recording and storage of all voice communications is a basic requirement for air traffic control
units. The requirement applies to all communication, i.e. ground-ground communications (G/G)
and air-ground communications (A/G). The G/G is the communications among air traffic control
units or centers where as the A/G communication is between air traffic controllers and pilots.

Recording facilities shall be provided on all voice communication channels. Each station is
provided with multi channel voice recording systems (analog/digital) for recording of channels
which includes operational voice communications on all ATS channels and all important
telephones and intercoms.
In vhf two recorders are used one is of RETIA and another is of RICOCHET company.

RETIA
Retia is a type of reorder which is designed to store any type of data source.In Retia 128 and 64
channels are available. Retia works on unix operating system.
RICOCHET
Ricochet is a modular system capable of being expanded and interfaced with a variety of data
source. Ricochet is designed to be adaptable to virtually any type of data source. Other than audio
recording, the system can record RADAR data and CCTV images. In Ricochet 64 channels are
available. Ricochet works on window XP.

RECORDING OF SURVEILLANCE DATA

Surveillance data from Primary and Secondary radar equipment provided at different airports shall
be recorded automatically and continuously in the hard disc of computer. It is required that back-
up of the recorded data files be taken every day for retention.

The surveillance data from primary and secondary radar equipment used as an aid to air traffic
services shall be automatically recorded for use in accident and incident investigations, search
and rescue, air traffic control and surveillance systems evaluation and training.

Automatic recording shall be retained for a period of at least thirty days. When the recordings are
pertinent to accident and/or incident investigations, they shall be retained for longer periods until
no longer required.

Transmitter

Carrier oscillator-The carrier oscillator generates the carrier signal, which lies in the RF range.
The frequency of the carrier is always very high because it is very difficult to generate high
frequency with good frequency stability, the carrier oscillator generate a sub multiple with the
required carried frequency. This sub multiple frequency is multiplied by the frequency multiplier
stage to get the required carrier frequency.
Buffer Amplifier-The purpose of the buffer amplifier is twofold.
a) It first matches the output impedance of the carrier oscillator with the input impedance of
frequency multiplier.
b) This is required so that the multiplier does not draw a large current from the carrier
oscillator. If this occurs, the frequency of the carrier oscillator will not remain stable.

Frequency Multiplier- This stage is also known as harmonic generator. The frequency multiplier
generates higher harmonics of carrier oscillator frequency.

Power Amplifier- The power of the carrier signal is then amplified in the power amplifier stage.
This is the basic requirement of a high-level transmitter.

Class C power amplifier-It gives high power current pulses of the carrier signal at its Output.

Audio driver amplifier-The audio signal to be transmitted is obtained from the microphone. The
audio driver amplifier amplifies the voltage of this signal. This amplification is necessary to drive
the audio of this signal.

Audio power amplifier- class A or a class B power amplifier amplifies the power of audio signal.
Receiver

RF Amplifier-This provides amplification for the signal as soon as it arrives from the antenna. The
amplified signal is then passed to the mixer.
Mixer- The purpose of the mixer is to translate the frequency of the incoming signal to the
intermediate frequency.
I.F.Amplifier- I.F amplifier where most of the amplification in a receiver takes place.
Demodulator-From the IF stages, the signal passes to a detector. Here demodulation of the radio-
frequency signal takes place to produce an audio signal.
Audio Amplifier- output of detector is amplified and then it goes to speaker.