Alpha (navigation)
Alpha (also called RSDN-20 ) is a Russian system for long range radio navigation. RSDN in Russian stands for Радиотехническая Система Дальней Навигации (Radiotehnicheskaya Sistema Dal'ney Navigatsii), i.e., radio-technical long-distance navigation system.
ALPHA was used to determine positions of aircraft, ship and submarines (in underwater position). This system was being developed in parallel with U.S. OMEGA System and also works in VLF-range. ALPHA coverage is up to 10,000 km from the master station, position error of 2.5…7 km.
The alpha system consists of three transmitters, which stand in the proximity of Novosibirsk, Krasnodar and Khabarovsk. Two other transmitters at Revda and Seyda are not currently operational (2010). These transmitters radiate signals of 0.4 second duration in a 3.6 second cycle on the frequencies 11.905 kHz, 12.649 kHz and 14.881 kHz. From the phase difference of the received signals a location can be determined.
Much like the masts used for the Omega Navigation System, for technical reasons the masts of Alpha must be very tall. Unfortunately no data are available for their height.
Read more about Alpha (navigation): Transmitters
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