AP3456 - 4-3 - UHF Homing

CHAPTER 3 - UHF HOMING

Contents
Para
Introduction 1
Leading Particulars 2
Power Requirements 4
Equipment Components 5
Principle of Operation 10
Operating Procedures 13

Introduction

1. For the purpose of this description, only azimuth Direction Finding (D/F) will be considered,
although, the principles are also relevant to elevation D/F. UHF Homing is used in conjunction with
the UHF Transmitter/Receiver (T/R) to provide relative azimuth indications from sources of
Continuous Wave (CW), Modulated Continuous Wave (MCW) or Radio/Telephony (R/T)
transmissions on any selected frequency in the 225 MHz - 400 MHz band.

Leading Particulars

2. The equipment is used during SAR operations to enable an aircraft to home towards a Personal
Locator Beacon (PLB). The effective range is 100 nm maximum, decreasing with decreasing altitude.

3. The relative azimuth of a signal is shown by the deflection of the vertical pointer of an indicator.

Power Requirements

4. The power supplies for the equipment are obtained from the UHF T/R and from the aircraft 28V
DC supply.

Equipment Components

5. The units comprising a typical UHF homing system are:

a. Radio Frequency (RF) unit.

b. Audio Frequency (AF) unit.

c. D/F aerials.

d. Indicator.
e. Control switches.

6. RF Unit. The RF unit converts the phase difference of the two received signals into an amplitude
modulation of the carrier wave.

7. AF Unit. After amplification and de-modulation in the UHF T/R the AF unit converts the signals
into a form suitable to operate the indicator’s pointer.

8. D/F Aerials. Port and starboard aerials mounted close together on the upper surface of the
fuselage are used for azimuth D/F.

9. Indicator. Either the Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) or Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI) will
provide azimuth indications during homing operations. The 'OFF' flag appears when homing signals
become unreliable.

Chapter 4-3 (Reformatted Jun 10) Page 1 of 2

 AP3456 - 4-3 - UHF Homing

Principle of Operation

10. Depending on the relative bearing of a transmitting PLB, there will be a small time lag - and
hence a phase difference - between the signals received in the port and starboard aerials.

11. The signals are processed electronically to produce a DC voltage to the indicator which is a
function of the displacement of the signal source from the fore and aft axis of the aircraft. The
polarity of the DC voltage depends on the phase relationship of the incoming signals, and
determine which way the pointer deflects.

12. If the two signals are received at the same time then the transmitting source is directly ahead of
or directly behind the aircraft. Fig 1 shows a simplified block diagram of a typical UHF homing system.

4-3 Fig 1 Block Diagram of a Typical UHF Homing System

Port Stbd Comms

RF UNIT UHF
AF UNIT
Transceiver
providing
Amplification AF Phase Indicator
and Amplifier Discrim
Detection

Modulator
Delay
Delay

RF
Amplifier
Square
Wave
Generator

Operating Procedures

13. Selection of the homing function on the UHF T/R control unit brings the UHF homing into
operation.

14. It should be noted that signals received from astern the aircraft displace the HSI lateral deviation
bar in the same sense as those ahead.

15. Operation of the transmit button causes the D/F aerial relay to be de-energized and the
previously selected UHF aerial to be reconnected.

Chapter 4-3 (Reformatted Jun 10) Page 2 of 2