I know that there are multiple threads about this, or similar topic, but I want to get a bit more into detail about it.
Well, during my flights in MSFS, I found out that most of the stations available (VOR/DME), do not have a sufficient range, which makes some decisions more difficult during certain phases of flight.
Just to give you an example, what I´m talking about:
During cruise flight I prepare my approach most of the time with a VOR station set to one of my NAV systems, which is located at the airport (if available). This allows me to x-check my descent profile, or even just the decision when to start my descent. In rl a VOR is good for to receive at about <200nm, of depending on FL and other factors, but I would say 150 nm is a good value
Most of the time I try to do so, I receive a DME read out very late, like 80-60nm from the station (still in cruise FL360, or greater).
So I´m wondering, if there´s a chance to increase the DME distance, more accurate according to the theoretical maximum reception range?
Hi all. This may have already been discussed, but I wanted to be sure it’s not related to something I do wrong.
I always fly with an instance of LittleNavMap on an extra screen. There I pick the frequencies of VOR and ADF antennas. LNM also indicates which type is the VOR selected and its range. Well, in MSFS the range is often incorrect or not aligned with what LNM says, if you want. Most of the time is limited to something around 30nm instead of 130, for example. Not that I have any cues to trust LNM more than MSFS, but I remeber some VORs in Italy where I used to fly in the past that had ranges way beyond the ones I see on MSFS. Is it a bug, is there a mod to solve the mismatch? Last SU did’t change the situation, at least in Italy.
Comments/explanations welcome.
Thx
There are three types of VOR navigational stations: VOR (just the VOR), VOR-DME (VOR plus distance measuring equipment), and vortac (VOR plus the military’s tactical air navigation system). Each VOR station can further be classified according to its range - terminal, low altitude, or high altitude. Terminal VORs are designed to be clearly received up to 25 nautical miles from the station at altitudes of 1,000 feet agl through 12,000 feet agl. Low-altitude VORs are meant to be used from 1,000 feet agl through 18,000 feet agl at distances of up to 40 nm from the station. Finally, high altitude VORs have the greatest range - 130 nm - between 18,000 feet agl and 45,000 feet agl, although they can also be effective at shorter ranges of 40 nm or more from 1,000 feet agl all the way through 60,000 feet agl. Remember that all VORs can only be received line-of-sight. So, if there’s a mountain between you and the VOR, you will not receive a reliable signal even though you are within the station’s range.
There is a setting in Options > General > Sound. VHF SIGNAL DEGRADATION can be set to ON or OFF. The ON setting will reduce signal strength based upon your altitude and terrain. This includes VORs and VHF radios.
VORs are line-of-sight. So it can be a 100nm VOR, but if you’re at 1,500 feet, you ain’t going to get it. Any terrain between you and the physical VOR will prevent you from receiving it. Any restrictions on receiving a particular VOR can be found in the FAA chart supplement.
Thanks all for the explanations. I supposed that there was something wrong on my side… Flying VFR only I never climb to VOR optimum “operational” range. Now I will do some tests with your indications. Thanks again.
During your flight you can quickly and accurately check the range of the raio aids on this site so you can see if there are any discrepancies … and then report on Zendesk.
I guess this only affects the morse code, since it’s in the sound settings, doesn’t it?
Otherwise the placement of a navigational aid feature hidden in sound settings would be quite weird.
Never thought about changing it since I usually don’t listen to the ident codes when tuning VORs and I assumed that it just degrades the sound output to match the real behavior.
The signal contains the VOR Morse code so if no sound is heard then the VOR is to far away or the NAV volume is turned too low. If the Morse code is heard and correct, there should be a VOR signal.
This seems to be a carry over from FSX and my experience mirrors yours where Littlenavmap will show a VOR as HIGH with a 130nm range. In the sim however, I won’t be able to receive the VOR unless I’m under 40 miles or so. Altitude makes no difference. I slewed my plane up to 50,000ft and I could still not receive the VOR inside the 130nm range ring.
Not being able to receive a VOR signal can be problematic if you’re doing old school navigation in a plane like the PMDG DC-6. For example, I often find myself out or range for NDB’s and VOR’s in places like Caribbean or Alaska and I have to brush up on my dead reckoning skills until I can get a signal.
Back in the FSX days I used Airport Scenery Designer to manual adjust VOR’s I couldn’t receive even though they were on published SIDs and STARs. There is currently an alpha available but I don’t think the current version allows a user to alter NAVAID data.
Until then it’s dead reckoning, celestial, or GPS.
Definitely it was a mix of lack of experience and bugs. I improved my performance by paying more attention to altitude, but this doesn’t work all the times. Yesterday I was flying in Scotland; I couldn’t get an ADF even if I overflew it, but could get correctly the next, about 25nm ahead. Frequencies doublechecked.
But it’s also interesting to apply dead rekoning sometimes. And wait unless the sim keeps improving.
High altitude VOR stations in Real World have a range of 130nm above FL180. There are several sites on the internet that give ranges for every world VOR station currently operational. But in MSFS these stations are not receivable and most seem to be modeled as “terminal” stations with ranges of 22 nm or less. Shouldn’t issues like this take precedent over development of “pretty” points of interest? The G3000 and G1000 mods correctly identify the frequencies but they fail to be accessible by the radios in the sim aircraft until the aircraft is low and close to a station. There are some pleasant exceptions but they are few and far between. This holds true for stock models without mods so it seems to be an Asobo programming issue. I have not submitted a ticket but please vote this issue up so that it receives Asobo’s attention. Thank you.
First, VOR requires line of sight.
Around 6-8000 feet VORs are often reliable up to 100nm.
At higher altitudes (like FL150 and up) I would say 200nm is possible.
But, as you mention there are also VORs with shorter range used for approaches.
It didn’t make sense to me at first since my understanding was that the setting was strictly related to the “display” distance on the MFD but, alas! It worked just as you said. It actually changes the “reception” range for the VOR’s. Thank you very much for that insightful information.
