Introduction to VHF Direction Finding

Graham G0UUS

Why Direction Finding?

We want to locate a transmitter
For a fox hunt (Dont forget our hunt 14th July) To locate a source of interference

Two basic ways

Bearing and Range Two or more bearings

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FDARC Intro to VHF Direction Finding

Bearing and Range

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FDARC Intro to VHF Direction Finding

Locating TX using multiple Bearings

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How do we measur the bearing

Simple directional antenna
Yagi or Dipole

Special DF system
Watson Watt - Adcock Doppler Pseudo Doppler TDOA

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Effect of bearing errors

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Sources of Bearing Error

Identifying the bearing from the antenna direction (reading a compass errors in the compass itself) Body effects for a hand held antenna Bias due to the antenna construction Inherent uncertainty in the antenna design Multipath effects may cause the apparent direction of the signal to be many degrees away from the actual direction.
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Yagi
Yagi has a non uniform response to radio waves coming from different directions Strongest signal when antenna pointed directly at the transmitter
Not easy to identify the maximum signal because the peak is usually relatively wide (especially for something you can walk around with)

A minimum signal is generally easier to identify but there are lots of them so not useful!
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Example Yagi Polar Diagram

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FDARC Intro to VHF Direction Finding

A Simple Dipole DF antenna

Has a figureofeight polar diagram As for a yagi the maximum signal is too broad to be useful
Generally wider than a yagi as well!

Minima can be used but there are two of them 180 apart so we can identify a line but not which direction along that line.
Multiple bearings can disambiguate since they will cross on the correct side.
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Dipole Polar Diagrams

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Loops
For lower frequencies Loops can be used since they have similar figure-of-eight response. Ferrite loops can also be used for the lowest frequencies e.g., topband

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A Professional System
Uses the relative signal strength received by two antenna set at 90 Needs an additional sense antenna to disambiguate between two possible opposite bearings. Simplest seems to be a pair of dipoles or loops which have similar polar diagrams (loops work for lower frequencies) Actually set of 4 monopoles turns out to be even simpler (for vert. polarisation anyway)
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Two crossed dipoles

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Watson Watt DF
Consists of a directional antenna A DF Receiver A DF Bearing Processor A DF Bearing Display

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WW-AD Func Diag

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Watson Watt DF System

Uses either loop or Adcock DF antennas Antenna produces separate signals for N-S & E-W directions (plus sense) DF RX fairly normal AM RX but two channels
Output is separate E-W(x) and N-S(y) signals

DF Processor computes the bearing DF Bearing Display displays the bearing(!)

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Adcock DF Antenna

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Dual Band Adcock DF Antenna 80 520 MHz

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Doppler (FM) DF
Consider a vertical dipole on the end of a rotating arm. A Frequency Modulation will be impressed on any carrier received. Mechanically hard (rotating coax connections) Achievable rotation freq too low to be useful Moving parts -> unreliable

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Pseudo Doppler System

Use a circular array of aerials Electronically switch each aerial in turn to a common feeder No moving parts
Much higher rotation frequency possible Much more reliable

There are amateur implementations

These generally roof mount on cars
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Whistling Dipoles DF
Uses a single pair of dipoles Doesnt require a groundplane Useable as handheld system Works with unmodified 2m Handheld Switches the two dipoles onto common feeder at audio frequency (~1kHz)

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Simple TDOA

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Indicating Version
Adds a phase sensitive detector and indicator The audio recovered by the RX is input to a phase sensitive detector. Output is a DC signal whose sign depends on the relative phase of the audio and switching signal AND whose level is directly related to the audio level. DC Signal displayed on centre zero meter
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TDOA 2 Schematic

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Questions?

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