Displaying info 738?

Question

ummm...when I'm flying in the 738 i have to use my gps (FSX) to see my nm distance. On my ILS display, it'll have DME with random numbers, and the nav display shows VOR 1 and VOR 2 with changing numbers, and they both have ICAO codes above them. I'm really confused - I thought the DME is supposed to display my distance from the airport im goin to, and what's with these VOR things? Can I adjust them?

Answer 1

DME is typically colocated with a VOR, and the DME distance you see is between your aircraft and the DME transmitter.  The codes you see are the IDs for the VORs that are colocated with the DMEs.  So SLI means the DME colocated with the Seal Beach VOR (in Southern California).

To get the distance from the airport, you either have to tune to a VOR/DME that is located at the airport, or you have to use the GPS to give you the calculated distance to the airport.

Answer 2

"DME.  Equipment used to measure, in nautical miles, the slant range distance of an aircraft from the DME navigational aid."

That navaid can be a VOR, TACAN, localizer, glideslope projector, or an NDB.  Sometimes there is no DME source on an airport.

A VOR is a kind of navigation radio on the ground.  There are many hundreds of them in the US.  "Used as the basis for navigation in the [US] National airspace System."  Some airports have a VOR.

The VOR frequency is shown on the chart.  Using the omnibearing selector or the course selector you set the radial or its reciprocal, as desired.

Answer 3

the vor is a thing on the ground which helps you navigate. most of them have a dme as well, hence they are what is termed 'vor/dme'. they radiate at a certain frequency. usually between 114-116MHZ. to use them you have to dial up your vor's to the said frequency and then you can see the 'radial' you are on by turning the little k**b (called the obs) and also you can read the distance you are from it directly. the dme will only tell you the distance from the airport if there is a vor/dme planted right there dude. try dialing up the frequency on one of your vor's and then fly right to it, you will see the number counting down, that is your dme telling you how many nautical miles you are from it. fly away from it and it will count up. turn the obs and the 'needle' will eventually centre. that tells you what radial you are on. good luck.