Setting up intra flight TACAN

[Sharpe]

All,
Further to recent discussions about setting up the intra-flight TACAN stations I have created the diagram below and added some words for reference.

The image below describes two different ways a flight might set up its TACAN to receive distance data on the CNI page of the DED. The frequencies used are examples, the frequencies available to a flight would always be pre-briefed so as to avoid conflicts with other flights/stations.

TACAN Yardstick.png (18.17 KiB) Viewed 1024 times

It is worth noting from the example above, 2 elements using two paired frequencies will only know their wingmans distance. When 1 flight is sharing a single frequency pairing the flight lead will only ever know the distance to the closest aircraft in the flight, but each pilot (2/3/4) will know their distance from the flight lead.

Note that a 'frequencies pairing' can only occur within the TACAN channel range, and must be +63 more or less than the channel it wishes to pair with, e.g. 1&64 are a pair, 10&73 are a pair and 15&78 are a pair.

The video below is instructive regarding the principle.
https://youtu.be/pKaYDGkcmlU

To set up your TACAN for intra-flight TACAN the procedure is as follows (very similar to setting up a ground or AAR TACAN):
- Open up the TACAN page on the DED: ICP 1 (T-ILS): Press
- Enter station channel you have been given (e.g. 11 for #1 or 74 for #2): Use the ICP key pad, then press ICP Enter.
- Set the X/Y band (typically y): Use ICP 0 then ICP Enter to switch between X and Y.
- Set the TACAN to Air to Air Transmit & Receive (A-A T/R): Use dobber right (SEQ) until A-A T/R is shown.
- You have now set your TACAN, check it is working by going back to the CNI page on the DED: Dobber left (RTN).
- If you have set up the TACAN correctly you will see a series of ------- in the bottom right of the DED. Once you have paired (or someone has paired with you) you will see a range readout measured in nm and tenths of nm (eg, 1.2).

-S