AIRBORNE WEATHER RADAR SYSTEM

Radar (radio detection and ranging) is a device used to see certain objects in
darkness, fog, or storms, as well as in clear weather.
In addition to the appearance of these objects on the radar scope, their range and
relative position are also indicated.
Radar is an electronic system using a pulse transmission of radio energy to receive
a reflected signal from a target.
The received signal is known as an echo; the time between the transmitted pulse
and received echo is computed electronically and is displayed on the radar scope in
terms of nautical miles.
A radar system (figure 13-19) consists of a transceiver and synchronizer, an antenna
installed in the nose of the aircraft, a control unit installed in the cockpit, and an
indicator or scope.
A waveguide connects the receiver/transmitter to the antenna.
In the operation of a typical weather radar system, the transmitter feeds short
pulses of radio-frequency energy through a waveguide to the dish antenna in the
nose of the aircraft.
 In one typical installation the antenna radiates the energy in a beam
3.8 wide.
Part of the transmitted energy is reflected from objects in the path of
this received by, the dish antenna.
Electronic switching simultaneously connects the antenna to the
transmitter and disconnects the receiver during pulse transmission.
Following the completion of pulse transmission, the antenna is
switched from the transmitter to the receiver. The switching cycle is
performed for each transmitted pulse.
The time required for radar waves to reach the target and reflect to
the aircraft antenna is directly proportional to the distance of the
target from the aircraft.
The receiver measures the time interval between transmission of
radar signals and reception of reflected energy and uses this interval
to represent the distance, or range, of the target.
Rotation or sweep of the antenna and radar beam gives azimuth
indications. The indicator sweep trace rotates in synchronization with
the antenna.
The indicator display shows the area and the relative size of targets,
whose azimuthal position is shown relative to the line of flight. e beam
and
 The weather radar increases safety in flight by enabling
the operator to detect storms in the flight path in order
to chart a course around them.
The terrain-mapping facilities of the radar show
shorelines, islands, and other topographical features
along the flight path.
These indications are presented on the visual indicator in
range and azimuth relative to the heading of the aircraft.
An operational check consists of the following:
(1) Tow or taxi the aircraft clear of all buildings and parked
aircraft.
(2) Apply power to the equipment, and allow sufficient
warm up time.
(3) Tilt the antenna to an upward position.
( 4) Check ~e scan on the radar scope for an indication of
targets.
 SELCAL
Purpose: The selective calling (Selcal.) system allows a
ground station to call an aircraft or group of aircraft
using h.f. or v.h.f. comms without the flight crew having
continuously to monitor the station frequency.
Operation :- A coded signal is transmitted from the
ground and received by the v.h.f. or h.f. receiver tuned
to the appropriate frequency.
The output code is fed to a Selcal decoder which
activates aural and visual alerts if and only if the
received code corresponds to the code selected in the
aircraft.
 Each transmitted code is made up of two r.f.
bursts( pulses) each of 1 +/- 0.25 s separated
by a period of 0.2 +/- 0.l s.
During each pulse the transmitted carrier is 90
per cent modulated with two tones, thus
there are a total of four tones per call; . the
frequencies of the tones determine the code.
The tones available are given by the formula

Where N = 12, 13 . . . 27 ,
 giving a total of sixteen tones between 312.6
and 1479.1Hz. The tones are designated by
letters A to S omitting I, N and O so a typical
code might be,: AK-DM.
There are 297O codes available for assignment
using the first twelve tones, the addition of
tones P, Q, R and S (1976) bring the total to
10920.
Codes or blocks of codes are assigned on
request to air carrier organizations who in turn
assign codes to their aircraft either on a flight
number or aircraft registration-related basis.
 Figure 2.14 illustrates a single Selcal system large passenger
transport aircraft would normally carry two identical
systems.
The decoder will recognize a received combination of tones
on any of five channels which corresponds to that
combination selected on the code select and annunciator
panel.
When the correct code is recognized the chime switch and
appropriate lamp switch is made.
The lamp switch supply is by way of an interrupter circuit so
that the lamp will flash.
A constant supply to the chime switch causes the chimes to
sound once. Each lamp holder designated H F - I , HF - I I
etc. Incorporates a reset switch which when depressed will
release the latched lamp switch and chime switch.
The tone filters in the decoder will typically be
mechanically resonant devices.
 Although five reset leads will be provided they
may be connected individually, all in parallel to a
single reset switch or to the p.t.t. circuit of the
associated transmitter.
In this latter case isolation diodes (within the
decoder prevent 'sneak' circuits, i.e. keying one
transmitter causin gone or more others to be
keyed.
The lamp and chime supplies shown can be
changed at the operators option.
Possibilities are to reverse the situation and have
steady lights and multi-stroke chimes, or have
steady lights and single-stroke chime, in which
case the interrupt circuit is not used.
 The Selcal systems which do not comply with
ARINC 596 may not provide facilities for decoding
of five channels simultaneously.
A switch is provided on the control panel with
which the single desired channel can be selected;
in this case only Selcal codes received on the
corresponding receiver will be fed to the decoder.
Only one annunciator lamp is required.
Code selection in an ARINC 596 system is
achieved by means of a 'b.c.d.' format.
Each of the four tone selectors has four wires
associated with it; for any particular tone an
appropriate combination of the wires will be
open circuit, the rest grounded.
 If the tones A to S are numbered 1 to 16 (0)
the open wires will be as given by the
corresponding binary number;
e.g. tone M-12-l l00, so with the wires
designated 8,4,2 and I we see 8 and 4 will be
open. Note this is not really b.c.d. but is never
the less termed so.
 Testing
Selcal is quite straight forward. If Testing of
possible a test rig, consisting of a tone
generator in conjunction with a v.h.f. and h.f.
transmitter should be used,otherwise
permission to utilize a Selcal equipped ground
station should be sought
 Audio Integrating Systems( AlS) -
lntercom
In a light aircraft the function of the audio system
is to provide an interface between the pilot's mic.
and tel. and the selected receiver and
transmitter; such a 'system might be little more
than a locally manufactured panel-mounted
junction box with a built-in audio amplifier and
appropriate switching.
ln contrast a large multi-crew passenger aircraft
has several sub-system making up the total audio
system.
 Audio Integrating Systems( AlS) -
lntercom
The following services comprise the complete audio system:
1. flight interphone: allows flight deck crew to communicate with
each other or with ground stations;
2. Cabin interphone: allows flight deck and cabin crew to
communicate
3. Service interphone: allows ground staff to communicate with each
other and also with the flight crew;
4. Passenger address( PA): allows announcements to be made by the
crew to the passengers;
5. Passenger entertainment system: allows the showing of movies
and the piping of music;
6. Ground crew call system: allows flight and ground crew to attract
each other's attention;
7. Cockpit voice recorder: meets regulatory requirements for the
recording of flight crew audio for subsequent accident
investigation if necessary.
 Flight Interphone
All radio equipments having mic. inputs or tel. outputs, as
well as virtually all other audio systems.
A crew member selects the tel. and mic. Signals required by
use of the appropriate controls/switches on an ASP.
The various audio signals entering an ASP are selected by
twelve combined push select and volume controls.
Each ASP has an audio bus feeding a built-in isolation
amplifier.
The v.h.f. and h.f. comm. ADF, interphone and marker audio
signals are fed to the bus via the appropriate select buttons
and volume controls.
The vh.f. nav. and DME audio is fed to the bus when voice
and range are selected with the Voice pushbutton; with
voice only selected the DME audio is disconnected while
the v.h.f. nav. Audio is passed through a sharp 1020 Hz band
stop filter (FLl) before feeding the bus.
 With the fail-normal switch in the fail position only one audio
channel can be selected (by passing the amplifier) and the PA audio
is fed direct to the audio out lines.
Radio altimeter audio is fed direct to the audio-out lines.
Six mic. select buttons are provided on an ASP;
Three v.h.f. comm., two h.f. comm. and PA.
Additional switches associated with mic. Select and transmission
are the boom-mask and r .t.-int.p .t.t. on each A SP and also p .t.t.
buttons on the hand-held microphones. jack panels and the
captain's control w heel (R/T-int.).
To speak over interphone a crew member should select interphone
using the r.t..int. switch on the a.s.p which will connect mic. high(
boom or mask) to the interphone mic. high output feeding the
flight interphone amplifier in the interphone accessory box.
Alternatively the captain can select interphone on his control wheel
p.t.t. switch which will energize relay K2 thus making the mic. high
connection as before.
 Cabin Interphone
The cabin interphone is a miniature automatic telephone exchange servicing
several subscribers: the cabin attendants and the captain.
In addition the system interfaces with the PA to allow announcements to be made.
Numbers are dialed by push buttons on the telephone type handsets or on the
pilots control unit.
Eleven two figure numbers are allocated to the subscribers, plus additional
numbers for PA in various or all compartments, an all-attendants call and a call-
call.
Two dialing code consists of letters: P-P is used by the pilot to gain absolute priority
over all other users of the PA system.
The directory is listed on the push-to-talk switch incorporated in each handset to
minimize ambient noise. All dialing code decoding and the necessary trunk
switching is carried out in the central switching unit, CSU.
The cabin interphone and service interphone systems may be combined into a
common network by appropriate selection on the flight engineers interphone
switch pane, captains ASP and cabin interphone control unit.
Any handset may then be lifted and connected into the network. In a similar way
the flight interphone circuits may be used to make specific calls over the cabin
interphone system.
 SERVICE TELEPHONE
A total of 22 handset jacks are located in various part of
the airframe in order that ground crew can communicate
with another using the service interphone system.
Mic. audio from all handsets, with press to talk
depressed, are combined in and amplified by the service
interphone audio accessory box.
The amplified signal is fed to all handset tells.
Volume control adjustment is provided by a preset
potentiometer.
With the flight engineers interphone switch selected to
ON the input summing network for both service and
flight interphone systems are combined.
All mic. inputs from either system are amplified and fed
to both systems.
 PASSENGER ADDRESS
The system comprises 3 PA amplifiers, tape deck, annunciator panel,
attendants panel, PA accessory box, control assemblies, speaker switch
panel and 53 loudspeakers.
The various PA messages have an order of priority assigned to them: pilots
announcements, attendants announcements, prerecorded
announcements and finally boarding music.
All PA audio is broad cast over the speaker system and also, expect for
boarding music, overrides entertainment audio fed to the passenger
stethoscope headsets.
A prerecorded emergency announcement may be initiated by the pilot or
an attendant, or automatically in the event of cabin decompression.
A chime is generated when the pilot turns on fasten seat belt or no
smoking.
The tape deck contains up to 5 tape cartridges apart from the necessary
tape drive mechanism, play back head and pre amplifier.
Boarding music is selected at an attendants panel while prerecorded
announcements are selected by means of 12 push buttons on the
annunciator panel.
PASSENGER ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
Both movies and music are provided, the movie audio
being fed to individual seats via the music portion of the
system.
10 tape deck channels, four movie audio channels and one
PA channel are provided using the multiplexing.
A time interval termed a frame is divided in to 15 channel
times during which the signal amplitude of each channel is
sampled.
The audio signal amplitudes are binary coded and
transmitted, together with channel identification, clock and
syn. pulses, over coaxial cable running throughout the
aircraft.
The controls necessary for the activation of the
entertainments system are located on attendants control
panels.
 GROUND CREW CALL SYSTEM
The horn and flight deck call button are
located in the noise wheel bay while the
ground crew call and aural warning box are on
the flight deck.
Should horn or chime sound, the ground crew,
or flight crew respectively, will contact each
other using one of the interphone systems.