User manual ACR ELECTRONICS VECTA 2 REV A2

[. . . ] PRODUCT SUPPORT MANUAL Vecta2TM Dual Scale Direction Finder Product No. 2769. 4 121. 5MHz 121. 775 MHz Y1-03-0227 Rev. 5757 Ravenswood Road Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 Tel: +1(954) 981-3333 Fax: +1 (954) 983-5087 www. acrelectronics. com Email: info@acrelectronics. com IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH YOUR PRODUCT, DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE STORE!CALL ACR ELECTRONICS AT +1 (954) 981-3333. [. . . ] Visual Mode: When Audio Tone has stabilized (as signal strength increases), the LED Signal Meter will scroll in an upward fashion indicating an increase in signal strength, as you approach the BEACON. Signal strength can be observed in two different modes: COARSE and FINE. 4. 1 Reading Power Measurements to Determine Bearing and Direction The Vecta2 is designed to indicate the signal strength of a transmitting BEACON. With the antennas deployed and held in its operating position the Vecta2 will be able to measure the signal strength of the received signal and when pointing in the direction of the BEACON the Vecta2 will display the highest power reading level (You need to determine this in your 360 degree sweep). A COARSE scale reading of 2 combined with a FINE scale reading of 10 equals an overall signal strength value of 2. 10. Adding 7 FINE steps to the above signal strength forces the next COARSE LED to illuminate and the FINE to loop to 1 again, giving an overall signal strength value of 3. 1. Figure 7 Figure 8 When determining bearing you should be focused on the fine scale and looking for the highest power reading and from slowly scanning left and right you should see where the power starts to drop off from the highest power reading and proceed forward in that highest readings direction. Walking or not holding the Vecta2 in its operation position can be misleading when trying to read the power meter, ensure you are always in the operating position when recording power measurements. 7 Y1-03-0227 Rev. A2 5. 0 RANGE EXERCISES 5. 1 Selecting a Location for the Test BEACON This range exercise involves placing the test BEACON in an area similar to where rescues are expected to take place, then moving away from the BEACON in measured distances and recording the signal strength. For open water searches, anchor the BEACON in an area where there is at least 8 nautical miles of open water in all directions. Secure the BEACON so it cannot be moved or pulled under by wind or current. Attaching the BEACON to an orange life buoy or similar flotation device in addition to the supplied flotation collar will improve the BEACON's visibility in heavy seas. If the application is an oil platform, anchor the test BEACON in an area around the platform. If an airport, then place the test BEACON somewhere on the airport grounds. If you expect to conduct a search in more than one environment, do a range exercise in each environment. This will help you build experience with the Vecta2 and how the effects of your particular search environment impact the radio waves traveling from a BEACON. 5. 2 Recording Observations Once the test BEACON is placed and the location accurately determined, turn the test BEACON ON and point the Vecta2 directly at the BEACON. Move away from the test BEACON, recording the COARSE and FINE at intervals of 0. 25, 0. 75, 1. 0, 1. 5, 2. 0, 2. 5, 3. 0, 3. 5, 4. 0, 5. 0, 6. 0, 7. 0, 8. 0 (nautical and/or statutory miles) etc. , until it can no longer be heard under any circumstances. A form similar to the following may be helpful in recording the results of your range exercise: 0. 0 COARSE FINE 0. 25 0. 5 0. 75 1. 0 1. 5 2. 0 2. 5 3. 0 3. 5 4. 0 5. 0 6. 0 7. 0 8. 0 When doing a range exercise in the ocean, especially at greater distances, wave height can cause a BEACON to be heard intermittently as it rides up out of a trough to the crest of a swell or wave and back down. A GPS is invaluable in ensuring accurate distance intervals. Emergency transmitters that emit the VHF 121. 5 MHz frequencies are limited to line of sight and will be detectable at a much greater range or distance on the open ocean than on land. This is a function of the transmitted signal being absorbed by hilly terrain, vegetation and buildings. 5. 3 Conducting a Blind Search A partner hides the test BEACON within a realistic search area. Place the test BEACON in an area that does not inhibit the signal. [. . . ] An old fashioned c91 ELT does not notify him that it is transmitting. He taxis to his tie down spot, shuts down his plane and leaves, not realizing that his c91 ELT is transmitting a signal to the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system. Action: The airport manager, (or ATC, FBO, Unicom, etc. ) is alerted to the ELT transmission by the AC power connected Vecta2. Airport personnel respond by removing the Vecta2 remote omnidirectional antenna connector and AC power supply, unfolding the directional indicating antennas and initiating a search of the airport grounds to identify the source of the emergency signal and determine if indeed there is an emergency or if the signal has been set off by accident. [. . . ]