What is the difference between a Radial, and a course in a VOR?

Question

why do you have to add/subtract a 180 from a radial to give your course to track inbound? can somebody please explain to me in detail! Get my best answer!!

Answer 1

the VOR (which stands for Very High Frequency Omni Range) is a specialised radio antenna which is on the ground. In other words, the VOR is the actual hardware.

VORs work by transmitting a radio signal in all directions from the station... but thanks to a special way of transmitting (it's all to do with overlapping signals - or "phase" - but it's a tricky thing to try and explain here!), if you are in an aircraft and tuned into the frequency, the aircraft can detect what heading away from the VOR it is... If you are due south, the signal will tell the aircraft that it is 180 degrees from the station or if you are due north, it will say you are 000 degrees.

A radial is simply a heading away from a station... using the above example, if you are on a radial of 180, you are due south of the station. You can use any radial you like, but it is always the heading away from the VOR itself.

So, if you want to fly toward a VOR, you set the radial you need... but if you follow in the same direction, you are actually moving away from the VOR... so, addding 180 degrees to that radial figure ensures you are flying exactly the opposite direction... in other words, towards the VOR.

In fact in the cockpit, most VOR dials have a small "flag" which pops up saying "TO" if you are flying towards the VOR... so you can see at a glance if you heading in the right direction.

Answer 2

A VOR is a device that expels signature frequencies of diffrent signals in an Omnidirectional Range (VOR: Very High Omnidirectional Range). The Receiver the Aircraft interrogates the signals and indicate the appropriate and corresponding radials on the VOR display.

When the pilot tunes a course, he is actually tuning an Azumith that searches for the frequency wavelengths of the radial from the VOR. It then measure the strength of the frequency as the Ariplane approches it or departs from it. It will be indicated on the Course Deviation bar/lubber.

So conculsion is the pilot sets the course (frequency wave lengths requested) from the VOR and crosschecks with the Deviation bar at to the direction and location of the selected radial. The course is just what the pilot/aircraft request.

If asked by ATC you radial you will report the RADIAL FROM, however your heading will not always be the same as the radial selected with a FROM indication. If you have a TO indication with ATC query you will report the recipricol.

Lets say you are south of a station and you select a southern radial (90 degress left or right of your current postion the VOR will be FROM) the VOR.

If you are on the 180 degree Radial no matter what the aircrafts heading it will say FROM. If you change the Course to 000 then it will say TO, but you are still south. So if you are south of a station and you want to use the TO indication you will always be on the opposite side if the VOR (VisiVersa).

If you use a TO indication SUBTRACT 180 to know the radial you are located. If you use a FROM indication then ADD 180 for your heading. TO: subtract.for Radial location......FROM: add for Heading info.

Answer 3

The answer is simple.

The radial is a particular direction from the VOR.

The 360 radial is a line north of the vor. (magnetic.)

If you are flying south toward a VOR, you can track the 360 radial as you fly a 180 degree COURSE. When you then pass over the vor you would then be on the 180 degree radial, with a 180 degree course.

The course is where you're going. The radial is always relative to the VOR.

Answer 4

radial is the asimuth FROM VOR to your position.

if the radial is 135 deg ,then you are somewhere south east from the VOR