Night Flight technical detail
Voice communication is achieved with 50 watts, two meter FM on the
regional ATV voice coordination frequency of 144.34 mhz, with
occasional operation on 146.52 mhz. A Tempo S-15 transceiver with amp
and audio interface is shown. Not shown is the antenna; a quarter-wave
vertical whip projecting downward from the rear fuselage radiates a
nearly omnidirectional pattern.
Fast scan NTSC video is transmitted with 100 watts peak sync at 439.25
mhz. A Wyman Tridon-2000 transceiver and related gear is shown in the
photo. The Tridon outputs 3 watts, with a 100 watt Mirage amp (not
shown). Duty cycle must be limited due to available dc power.
Cockpit illumination is limited to the normal three watt red light
so as not to disrupt pilot night vision, but the six infra-red LEDs on
the CCD camera have proved more than adequate to show good instrument
panel detail. The pilot will sometimes use a penlite to make
adjustments, look at maps, etc... even though the video shows what
appears to be a normally lit scene - the camera sees the deep red light
better than the pilot.
The package is mounted in a small aluminum rack, with an integral
camera mount at the top in the rear cockpit area.
Other RF systems aboard:
- (two) 118-136 mHz AM communications receivers
- (two) 118-136 mHz AM communications transmitters (10 watts)
- (two) 108-118 mHz AM (VOR) navigation receivers
- (one) 330 mHz ILS glideslope navigation receiver
- (one) 75 mHz ILS marker beacon receiver
- (one) 121.5 / 243 mHz Emergency Locator Beacon Transmitter
- (one) 1030 / 1090 mhz Secondary radar (IFF) transponder (250
watts)
- (one) 200 khz - 1.6 mHz Automatic Direction Finder navigation
receiver
- (one) 1575 mHz Global Positioning System Navigation receiver