adf or dme?

murphey

murphey

Touchdown! Greaser!
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murphey
Installing new avionics and it turns out the new overlay from Plane Plastics is slightly smaller than the original 1960s stuff. Hence something on the far right needs to be removed - either the ADF or the DME. Opinions?

Or, did Plane Plastics send me the wrong panel overlay?
 
In general, I'd consider the ADF to be a more limited-purpose and limited-to-nearly-dead-lifetime device than the DME, unless you have an NDB approach that you frequently use.
 
At this point, unless you want to kill two birds with one stone by navigating home from a long way while also listening to the Broncos game, if II kept one, I'd keep the DME.
 
I was thinking about replacing my busted ADF with something off EBay. Everyone said not to. When I read about the mental gyrations to use to fool thing I deep sized it with no regrets. I like my DME and even use it from time to time.
 
DME. Much more functional if GPS goes bye bye. Unless you frequently fly somewhere where there is still an NDB with Approaches.
 
I would keep the DME also. We have an ADF but no DME. You can still navigate with an ADF using AM radio station so it is not totally worthless in the event of GPS failure, but with the FAA maintaining the MON, I believe the DME would work better.
 
If you fly a lot IFR and the loss of GPS had you using the MON VOR network for navigation, the DME would be handy, but not necessary. All radios require maintenance and personally I clean up the panel and dump both the ADF and the DME.
 
RussR said:
I'm having trouble picturing the situation you're in. The overlay has to fit "over" existing equipment, doesn't it? Have a picture?
Click to expand...
Not really. So many new devices don’t fit into the round hole formst, eg G5 indicator.

But, as it turns out, the question came from the shop because there’s an indent for the cig lighter. So the shop was wondering what I wanted to do. They didn’t want to cut into the new overlay without my ok. At this point, no longer an issue.
 
I ripped out the ADF (old KR86) when I redid the panel 15 years ago. Since my KN64 was pretty new at that point, I kept it. I might not have bothered. I've not turned it on in years.
 
Do you know how much the DME weighs? The ADF? Also keep in mind that the ADF antenna itself is probably 3-4 pounds alone.

As I recall, you fly a heavy lifter so the weight issue might be moot. If that's the case, keep the DME and toss the ADF. By my estimation:
  • VOR stations with DME capability: 2433 738 (EDIT: math was a bit off)
  • NDB stations: 404
 
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I'll jump on the bandwagon. Lose the ADF. Anecdotal, but my belief is that they can be either so far out, or easily pick up false signals that they are worse than useless.
 
I haven't flown much lately but it seems to be VOR stations are certainly on the way out. The last time a looked there were few around here that have been out of service for a long time.
Back in my day...pre GPS, no loran.... I found DME of course extremely useful
and I thought ADF approaches to airports with the station on field were beautiful in terms of their simplicity. I still do feel that it's a shame to dismiss this simple system.
but it seems to me that maybe you really don't need either of these things. Get rid of them both?
 
Being they have the plane opened up. I would have them pull both now. Save them from doing it at another time and charging you more.
 
Depends. Do you fly IFR? Do you have an IFR GPS?

If yes to both and you have to keep one, I'd keep the ADF so you can listen to AM radio. Otherwise, I'd ditch them both.

If you fly IFR but don't have a GPS, then I would probably keep the DME.
 
I'd figure that these days if you had a GPS failure you'd land immediately.
 
If the DME works I would keep it.
 
donjohnston said:
Depends. Do you fly IFR? Do you have an IFR GPS?

If yes to both and you have to keep one, I'd keep the ADF so you can listen to AM radio. Otherwise, I'd ditch them both.

If you fly IFR but don't have a GPS, then I would probably keep the DME.
Click to expand...

Exactly! What can you listen to with the DME? AM radio is the answer!
 
I pulled the ADF out when I put in the IFR GPS and got an XM Radio for the ballgames.
I left in the DME because it was a relatively recent purchase. Frankly, I've not turned it on in years.
I'd ditch them both.
 
As much as I have a sentimental attraction to the ADF, its time has come and gone.

It's sad, but the loss of the VARs was probably poo pooed back then, too!
 
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