ATIS Transmitter - Power Ouput

[CYUL]

What is the power output of an ATIS transmitter? Is it fixed or dependent on location?

Thanks

 

[navaidstech]

We keep it at 5 watts here in Toronto.

 

[CYUL]

Hi Alex

Does this vary from airport to airport? Does NAVCAN have standards for this nationwide?

Thanks
Paul

 

[kma371]

On documents I've seen it varies. 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 watts.

 

[majoco]

There's probably not a lot of point in having coverage that extends further than the approach arc, it is, after all, Terminal information. Depending on the surrounding terrain, 5watts should give coverage out to 25nm with a good antenna, usually just a quarter wave ground plane up on the tower.

 

[CYUL]

We keep it at 5 watts here in Toronto.

Cool website Alex, lots of interesting NDB things I never knew!

 

[navaidstech]

Thanks very much!
I should really expand the content to other navaids before they start dropping off the face of this planet. NDBs and VORs are first to go.

 

[alphazulu]

Agree with CYUL - great NDB resources, Thanks Alex!
Another good website for basic navaid information, check out ourairports.com - "tick" navaids

 

[SCPD]

whats the farthest?

Whats the farthest an ATIS has ever been heard from its source?How far have you heard one?

 

[ab3a]

I'm not sure how common it is any more, but I have known some airports to use their terminal NDB transmitter for an ATIS. If they do that, then with good evening propagation you might hear it from hundreds of miles away.

 

[navaidstech]

That's true...we used to have ATIS transmissions fed into our NDBs and VORs in the past. This is not so anymore even though every VOR in Canada has a reserved modulation space of 28% for any sort of a voice transmission be it TWEB, ATIS, etc.

 

[navaidstech]

Thanks alphazulu and CYUL. Haven't updated the page in a while but will expand to cover other types of navaids I work on.

 

[navaidstech]

Hi Alex

Does this vary from airport to airport? Does NAVCAN have standards for this nationwide?

Thanks
Paul

Paul, good question. I'll have to look up our documentation for this info. Every airport I look after has their ATIS running at 5 watts but it's possible that, due to terrain or other factors, the power might be increased.
Given the fact that every airport frequency (as well as majority of PAL outlets) is running 20 watts, you'd think 5 watts is more than enough for approaching aircraft to get the latest weather and runways usage information.

 

[profiledescent]

There's probably not a lot of point in having coverage that extends further than the approach arc, it is, after all, Terminal information. Depending on the surrounding terrain, 5watts should give coverage out to 25nm with a good antenna, usually just a quarter wave ground plane up on the tower.

25 miles is terrible coverage. Jet and turboprops usually want to have this information before they enter the terminal area. 80 to 120 miles out has been my experience. At altitude, 5 to 10 watts will do it. Aircraft radios are generally 5 to 25 watts.

 

[autovon]

I am able to routinely monitor my home field ATIS 150-200 miles out on VHF/UHF. Granted we're up around 20 or 30k feet or so. Being able to monitor ATIS far out does have its purposes.

 

[kma371]

I enjoy ATIS DX. Sometimes I'm able to copy one about 50 miles away. Not bad at 2.5 watts

 

[ridgescan]

I enjoy ATIS DX. Sometimes I'm able to copy one about 50 miles away. Not bad at 2.5 watts

Me too I get San Mateo city, San Rafael city, Oakland Airport civilian ATISes here daily on 530, 840, and 1700kHz all are 10 watts-as well as Travis AFB ATIS out at 49 miles at night on 135.55mHz-BTW anyone know how many watts Travis is?

 

[kma371]

Me too I get San Mateo city, San Rafael city, Oakland Airport civilian ATISes here daily on 530, 840, and 1700kHz all are 10 watts-as well as Travis AFB ATIS out at 49 miles at night on 135.55mHz-BTW anyone know how many watts Travis is?

I'll check out my list and see if SUU is on there.

 

[ridgescan]

I'll check out my list and see if SUU is on there.

ok (what's "SUU")

 

[kma371]

I'll check out my list and see if SUU is on there.

10 watts.