Radio Direction-Finding by Transmission and Reception (With Particular Reference to Its Application to Marine Navigation)

This paper presents a critical résumé of the performance of apparatus employed for radio direction determination either by transmission or by reception. After an historical summary of results obtained in various parts of the world, a brief description is given of the fundamental principles underlying radio direction-finding. In this section attention is drawn to the application of the principle of reversibility to this art, by the aid of which the behavior of directive radio transmitters can be largely predicted from the more numerous results and greater experience already obtained with directional receivers. The next two sections of the paper give a review of the results obtained in Great Britain during the course of extensive investigations into this subject during the past seven years. Observations obtained from thirteen direction-finding receiving stations, specially erected for the purpose, have been carefully analysed and the performance of the apparatus studied under a variety of conditions, including operation in daylight and darkness, and both oversea and overland. In addition, some two years have been spent in studying the performance of a rotating-loop beacon transmitter, by means of which accurate radio bearing can be obtained with any type of receiving apparatus. The later portions of the paper deal with the application of direction-finding to marine navigation, and of the possible effect of coastal and night errors in connection therewith.