How does a VOR work?

n57flyguy · February 16th, 2007, 09:58

I tried to look it up but I really couldn't get a direct "pilot explanation" if you know what I mean. I looked through a few books, like Pilots handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, but I seem more confused coming out. Can some one please give me an explanation of how it works?

tgrayson · February 16th, 2007, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by n57flyguy

Can some one please give me an explanation of how it works?

The normal explanation is this:

There are two signals, one which is directional and rotates through 360 degrees around the VOR and the other which issues an omni-directional signal when the rotating signal is pointed towards 360.

Your receiver detects the omni-directional signal, which indicates the rotating signal is pointed North, and starts a clock. When it detects the rotating signal, it checks the time elapsed since it received the omni-directional signal and, using a known rotation rate, it figures out many degrees the rotating signal rotated in the elapsed time, which determines which radial the aircraft is on.

BajtheJino · February 16th, 2007, 10:19

To use another CFI cliche, think of a VOR as a dual lighted Light House. The first light rotates and a split second later the second light rotates. The time between light A and light B computes what radial your on. Of course, I think this happens many times over a second.
Very basic. Hope this starts a platform to better understand.

Ian J · February 16th, 2007, 10:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by n57flyguy

I tried to look it up but I really couldn't get a direct "pilot explanation" if you know what I mean. I looked through a few books, like Pilots handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, but I seem more confused coming out. Can some one please give me an explanation of how it works?

They work pretty well.

Chris_Ford · February 16th, 2007, 10:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChinookDriver

They work pretty well.

Thread derail: nice grammar.

I've been thinking about this for like weeks. But if someone asks you how you're doing, the response "Pretty well" is the correct answer, isn't it?!?!? It's driving me nuts that everybody looks at me weird when I say that.

If I am doing well, I'll say well. Pretty well is adverb+adverb... Sounds legit to me.

Ian J · February 16th, 2007, 10:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_Ford

Thread derail: nice grammar.

I've been thinking about this for like weeks. But if someone asks you how you're doing, the response "Pretty well" is the correct answer, isn't it?!?!? It's driving me nuts that everybody looks at me weird when I say that.

If I am doing well, I'll say well. Pretty well is adverb+adverb... Sounds legit to me.

Uhh... I'd have to defer to Kris on that one. She's the grammar nazi - uh, I mean, grammar guru.

SeatClutcher · February 16th, 2007, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_Ford

Thread derail: nice grammar.

I've been thinking about this for like weeks. But if someone asks you how you're doing, the response "Pretty well" is the correct answer, isn't it?!?!? It's driving me nuts that everybody looks at me weird when I say that.

If I am doing well, I'll say well. Pretty well is adverb+adverb... Sounds legit to me.

Yeah, it's right. I mean, correct!

Maybe they're making the face at "pretty" - like, they're thinking, "So, you're only pretty well? What does that mean? Am I supposed to ask you what's keeping you from being TOTALLY well?"

Chris_Ford · February 16th, 2007, 11:05

It drives me crazy when I ask people how they're doing and they say "Good." I usually respond, you're well. I think it pisses people off, but there's two things they can do about it: nothing, and like it.

SteveC · February 16th, 2007, 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_Ford

Thread derail: nice grammar.

I've been thinking about this for like weeks. But if someone asks you how you're doing, the response "Pretty well" is the correct answer, isn't it?!?!? It's driving me nuts that everybody looks at me weird when I say that.

If I am doing well, I'll say well. Pretty well is adverb+adverb... Sounds legit to me.

We could really derail and talk about the meaning of "I'm good" versus "I feel good" or "I'm well". Often tempted to respond with "You're behaving better now, eh?" when receiving the first, but people look at me weird...er...strangely when I do so.

Oh, and about that "...for like weeks" thing you've got going there...

<edit to add: oops, you started the good/well discussion without me. I'm slow. Good and slow.>

Cessnaflyer · February 16th, 2007, 11:28

What it is doing technically is looking at the phase shift between the two signals if it is peak verse valley then it is a 180 degree phase shift.

n57flyguy · February 16th, 2007, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgrayson

The normal explanation is this:

There are two signals, one which is directional and rotates through 360 degrees around the VOR and the other which issues an omni-directional signal when the rotating signal is pointed towards 360.

Your receiver detects the omni-directional signal, which indicates the rotating signal is pointed North, and starts a clock. When it detects the rotating signal, it checks the time elapsed since it received the omni-directional signal and, using a known rotation rate, it figures out many degrees the rotating signal rotated in the elapsed time, which determines which radial the aircraft is on.

See, now that makes a lot more sense than books....Thanks.

Quote:

To use another CFI cliche, think of a VOR as a dual lighted Light House. The first light rotates and a split second later the second light rotates. The time between light A and light B computes what radial your on. Of course, I think this happens many times over a second.
Very basic. Hope this starts a platform to better understand.

Actually yes it does, thanks to you to. Now I'm going to read and pot this back into FAA engineer terms....

Quote:

They work pretty well.

Your breaking into this freight dog thing well to.

February 16th, 2007, 09:58	#1
n57flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,744	How does a VOR work? I tried to look it up but I really couldn't get a direct "pilot explanation" if you know what I mean. I looked through a few books, like Pilots handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, but I seem more confused coming out. Can some one please give me an explanation of how it works? __________________ -Paul It ain't always 65 and sunny

February 16th, 2007, 10:19	#3
BajtheJino Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bubble Pop Suck and Squeeze Posts: 1,050	Re: How does a VOR work? To use another CFI cliche, think of a VOR as a dual lighted Light House. The first light rotates and a split second later the second light rotates. The time between light A and light B computes what radial your on. Of course, I think this happens many times over a second. Very basic. Hope this starts a platform to better understand.

February 16th, 2007, 11:05	#8
Chris_Ford Banned Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,329	Re: How does a VOR work? It drives me crazy when I ask people how they're doing and they say "Good." I usually respond, you're well. I think it pisses people off, but there's two things they can do about it: nothing, and like it.

February 16th, 2007, 11:28	#10
Cessnaflyer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sammamish, WA Posts: 1,427	Re: How does a VOR work? What it is doing technically is looking at the phase shift between the two signals if it is peak verse valley then it is a 180 degree phase shift.

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