20 I-R-E TRANSACTIONS AERONAUTICAL AND NAVIGATIONAL ELECTRONICS December

Development of the Ring Goniometer

for Radio Direction Finders
YOJI ITOt AND ISOKAZU TANAKAt

INTRODUCTION where S1Si' direction makes angle of 4 with FjF1' direc-

Kf[1 HE RADIOGONIOMETER, the indispensable tion. But, because such a minimum sensitivity angle is
constituent of the Bellini-Tosi type radio direction not equal to 4) strictly, there occurs the so-called goni-
finlder, is a device which compares the direction ometer s octantal error and, to eliminate this error,
of wave arrival to the rotating angle of a search coil. winding distribution of the search coil should not be
As is well known, the radiogoniometer, generally, uniform but sinusoidal, as will be shown below.
must satisfy the following conditions:
1. Output characteristics should be sinusoidal to
eliminate the so-called octantal error. s
2. Coupling coefficient between field and search coils
should be as large as possible to improve signal/noise
ratio. Though various types of the radio goniometers
have been invented and put to practical use, the author
believes that the newly designed "RING GONIOME-
TER" is the most efficient developed thus far because
of the following features:
(a) Coupling coefficient is high. Even a conven- 2 S Z Searchcoil
tionally-designed ring goniometer for practical use has Ja
70-80 per cent coefficient of coupling.
(b) Coupling error (octantal error) is generally Field Coil 1
\V/ /
within one degree without correction, and can be elimi-
nated almost completely by the correction method
stated herein.
(c) Construction is simple, and detailed theoretical
analysis is easy. This paper presents the theory and I
measurement of such a ring goniometer.
Fig. 1
PRINCIPLE
The ring goniometer consists of two coils which are ANALYSIS
wound on ring-shaped concentric iron cores. Its operat-- . .
ing principle is shown in Fig.. 1, where the outer coil. ~~~~~~For
. sake of simpDlicity,
the , we assume that the ring- c

operates as a field, the inner as a search coil. If current shaped iron cores are concentric circular cylinders of n-
flows between field coil terminals F1Fi', magnetic flux finite lengths, and an equivalent surface current, which
(dotted line) is produced inside the field coil core and flows on the outer and inner surfaces of the iron core in
penetrates into the search coil core. Therefore a certain the direction of the cylinder axis, can be substituted for
voltage is induced in the search coil with the variation the field coil current. (See Fig. 2, opposite.)
of field current. It is clear, from the symmetricity of Let the field coil have a total of Nf turns, and the
magnetic flux distribution, that the induced voltage in directions of its terminals be 6=0 and 7r then the equiv-
the search coil is maximum or minimum (zero) when alent current, above defined, can be represented thus:
terminals are placed at SiSi' or S2S2'. at r=ai:
Now let us consider the case in which voltages E sin
4) and E cos 4) are applied to the crossed field coil termi- _-Ia: O)<60< 7r,
nals F1F1' and F2F2' respectively. Then, if we rotate the ra
search coil, it can be assumed that the induced voltage I1= (1)
between terminals SiSi' becomes zero at the position Ns
-- fn: 7r <O0< 2w;
t Koden Electronics Co., Tokyo, Japan. 2wra,

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1954 Ito and Tanaka: Ring Goniometer for Radio Direction Finders 21

at r=a2 44 = Zf(A4mrm + B4mrrn") COS MO,

m

-
2-a2
Io: O < 0 <w, 1='A,mrm
m
cos MO,
12 (2)
lNf (2)2where Bim, A2m, are unknown constant coefficients
2 :7ra2 X < < 2, and summation ' is to be taken about m = 1, 3, 5, * * .

in connection with the surface current distribution (3).

where Io is current which flows in the field coil. If we For the same reason, terms connected with sin mO are
expand the above formulas in Fourier series, we have: also dropped.
2Nf Every constant coefficient is determined from the
11 =' -- Io sin mO, boundary conditions, which require the continuities of
2 Yf
vertical component of magnetic flux, and tangent
component of magnetic field, Ho, on every boundary
IHr,
12 = 1o sin mw, (3) without any surface current. If there exists surface cur-
rent, the boundary condition must be modified for dis-
where summation ' is to be taken about m =1, 3, continuity by the addition of the amount of this surface
5, current. Thus, all the boundary conditions are ex-
pressed for use of magnetic potential 4' as follows:
"(2 14li a412 1 i1/ 1 04/2
i dr dr ~~~~~~~~~~al
(3)
= -At
(9r~~~~~~~O'/
o
Or~/ 1, a4/ 1, a11
+ 1, r= a,

A Or2 or
-_=__
a2 06 aQ 06O
1+2- r =a2
Air,l'-- lir0(Air °0 )0J \f00 df3 dQ4 a2 dO (7)
0413 01144
IA IA 4/34/4 r a3
or ar
Surface Current

Iron Core A -- 110 -

{4=5 r =a4.
Or Or
Fig. 2 Substituting (3) and (6) into (7), and comparing
every coefficient of cos mO or sin mO, we can determine
Though Io is generally alternate current, quasi-static all the constant coefficients Blm, A2m, . (Results of
treatment is possible in field analysis if frequency is low. calculation are omitted here.)
Therefore, we assume the surface currents h1 and 12 to
be direct currents, let the magnetic field induced bv MUTUAL-INDUCTANCE AND COUPLING ERROR
these cutrrents be Hl Ho (H=O), and the magnetic Total magnetic flux inside the inner iron core is cal-
potential be 4'. culated from (4) and (6) as:
"1r and Ho are evidently functions of r and 0, but not
of z, and are obtained from 41 as: f adHodr
lA=
Hr 0-Y
Or
IHo 10K44
r 06= d (a3m - +a
a4 n)Q44n ±
1
B4m) sin mO, (8)
m aima4ln
where 4' satisfies Laplace equation:
where d is the height of the ring-shaped iron core.
1 Oil, 1 024, 0 Let the angle between the directions of search coil
- ± = 0. Y (5) terminals and field coil terminals be 60, and the winding
r Or Or r2 062
distribution of the search coil be where 0 is an n(6)d6,
4' in each domain (Fig. 2) is given as follows: angle measured from the terminal direction. Moreover,
we assume n(6) to be a symmetric function of 6, (i.e.
4{i = Z'Bim,r-7 cos mO, winding distribution to be symmetric about the termi-
m ~~~~~~~~~nal
axis). The total magnetic flux which intersects the
'12 = Z'(A2mr'n + B2msrm) COS mO, search coil is then given by:
r 0o+ir
{3= Z'(A37rnr' +Bimrm') COS mfl, (6) 2J n(6 - 6o>1d6, (9)

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 22 I-R-E TRANSACTIONS-AERONAUTICAL AND NAVIGATIONAL ELECTRONICS December

and, as current flowing in the field coil totals 21, mutual To obtain self-inductance of the search coil, we must
inductance formula is obtained from (8) and (9) as: perform similar analysis for the case when surface cur-
lid (l1 rent is associated with both walls of the inner iron core.
M(f0) =- E(as3" - a4m) A4,, + B4,, (Details are omitted here.)
Io rn a3 na4 4n
- O0)0sin mrdO. FINAL RESULTS OF THEORETICAL CALCULATION
j u1i(6-o) sin mOdO. (10) Following the course of analysis above mentioned,
&° xwe can deduce the expressions for every self- or mutual-
If the search coil is uniformly wound with N, turns: inductance, and final results are summarized as follows:
n(0) = N,/2wr, (11) Self-inductance of the field coil:
and, substituting this into (10), we obtain: Lf= 1.6X 103 ATf 2d
Z2`- 1
1

Al1(0o) = _
lo ,,n
, m
(a3l -
a4') ,-(a,
1 (0
ss-a22) +-(al"'-a,t)2

aA4m
+-- B4fl) cos rn0o (12) X {
as the mutual-inductance formula. Because the above
expression for M(0o) contains the terms associated with
(A (ag' 2) (19)
/1+ (1_ _( )a3_2na4_2_
2 . 19)
cos 30o, cos 50o, etc., there occurs the so-called goni- A A a22'
ometer's coupling error. This error is given by: Self-inductance of the search coil (with uniform distri-
/1r \ bution of turns):
Al -906
\_2 1.6X 10-3N2d t-
1
40o) = o- tan1-', (13)
M(6o)
Ls= _ _
w2
,
m m3F-n
and is known as an octantal error. If we put La -(aL"o-a4"b)2'
I
2?
M(60) = M(cos Oo + mi cos 30o + M2 cos 500- ), (14) 2a3m
then, from the usually satisfied condition ml, M2, . 1+ at2"- 1- A) a2 2 in

<<1, (13) reduces to: \/\

b(OO) (15) ~((ml M2) - cos 40o (radian). (+i) (1 I AO\ (a3lll-a(4,0')2
--
(al2n"-a22-")j (20)
To eliminate such a coupling error, we must make the ! a I
mutual-inductance formula proportional to cos 00, and, Self-inductance of the search coil (with sinusoidal distri-
to this end, the winding distribution of the search coil bution of turns):
should be sinusoidal, and not uniform. That is, when
the total number of turns is N,: Ls=2.5X10-5 7r2N8s2 ArO
F (a32-a42)+ (a3-a4)2j2
(16) n(6) = NT8 sin 0/4 (/L\ / Ao2
for sinusoidal distribution and, substituting this into
(10), we obtain:
X {(1+-) aA2-(j }

71udN 1 +-(1+-( 1- - (a2- a2 2) (21)

M(00) = (a3 - a4) -A41+-B41 cos Oo. (17) A \ /\ a22 !
8I1 %4 I a2a4
Mutual-inductance (with uniform distribution of turns):
SELF-INDUCTANCES 1.6 X 10-3 NfN,d 1
Self-inductance of the field coil can be calculated
analogously with the case of mutual-inductance and is
M(0o) = 2E Z
88 ina2ma3mFm
obtained as: {(a9 t- 22) +-l(ai" -at)}
1lNf c rCpal
=-=- | ,uLd[Idrd9
I,, 27r J o J 112 ~~~~X
{(7- a42nt + -(aa"' -am2 COS in0. (22)

wIo) m in (a>- )(A2m a+ma2m)/ 18 Mutual-inductance (with sinusoidal distiuonftrs)

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1954 Ito and Tanaka: Ring Goniometer for Radio Direction Finders 23

N!N1d1_2)+(
=2aXNfNd)a2a3F
M(Oo) = 2 X 10-4 ( / (a, - a))02 circuited, since the circuit consists of the field coil only.
Therefore, the value of inductance at the terminals SS'
should not vary even if the search coil is rotated.
X {(a32-a42)+ (a3-a4))2} cos 60, (23) If the terminals F,Fi' and F2F2' are both short-
/1 circuited, the value of inductance at SS' is calculated
where: to be:

F,= (1 + -) ai"'- ± 8°)(1-\'( [M(0)]' - [M( -2

al2rna42in Lf
* (a,2_
ta2mnz
- a2 2) (a3 2 - a42m) + a2 2m) +--
a32t m which also depends on the self-inductance Lf and the

+
7/ 1--O Y 4 d22-a42,'
(24)
mutual-inductance M(0) of the field coil. Using the for-
mula of (14) for M(0), the above expression (27) can
Yi a3 2 further be calculated as:
In above formulas, Nf and N8 are total turns on field M9
and search coils, d the height of iron core (in mm), a, Ls- [1 + (mI + m2) cos 40 +
and a2 the outer and inner radii of the outer core, f
a3 and a4 the radii of the inner core (a,, a2, a3 and = Ls - k2'[1 4+ (min + M2) cos 40 + ]} (27a)
a4 being arbitrary dimensions), 0o the angle between
terminal directions of the field and search coils, and tz/yo F1 ) M(
the magnetic permeability of the iron core (with respect CS
to the value in air). Then every inductance value is F1' O7,
>A c
obtained in ,uH uniits. Summation E' is to be taken Oil
about m = 1, 3, 5,.. F O1- M(f-9) S
Using the above formulas, we can also calculate the 2
goniometer's coupling error from (14) or (15) and the (a) (b)
coupling coefficient from the definition: Fig. 3-Equivalent circulit and measuLremenit of couplitng error.

Therefore, the inductance at SS' is a function of 0 in k = M/V\LfL. (25)

general, and should vary, nearly octantally, with the
NUMERICAL EXAMPLES rotation of the search coil.
If there is no coupling error in the radio-goniometer
Assumling: crut hnm=2 =,ad(7)bcms
Nf = Ns:= 36, 2a,=45mm, 2a2= 31mm, 2a3= 27.5mm, circuit, then =m, . . . =0, and (27a) becomes:
Ml

2a4=19.7mm, d=11.5mm, /u//ioo=50. Ls(I - k2), (27b)

Calculated results from above constants are: which does not vary with respect to the search coil
Lf = 5.236 AH, rotation.
L= 5.975 jH, (uniform distrib.), To measure the degree of coupling error on the basis
= 8.8 5 0 uH, (sinusoidal distrib.),
of the above principle, appropriate condensers are con-
M(6o) = 4.641 (cos Oo+0.02038 cos 36o±0.002112 cos nected to the terminals SS', as shown in Fig. 3(b) and
560±6 )os (sinunoifor
56o+ * * * ) AsH (uniform distrib.)
= 5.726 cos_0=6opH
84H (sinusoidaldistrib.),
distrib.),
the resonant frequency fR of the whole LC circuit is
measured with F,Fi' and F2F2' in both open- and short-
k = M LfL8 circuited conditions. The variation of fR with respect to
= 84.1 per cent (sinusoidal distrib.),
the search coil rotation is read through calibration of the
= 0. 182 7 sin 46 = 10 03' sin 46o (uniform distrib.)
small condenser A\C (parallel to the fixed condenser C).
=0 (sinusoidal distrib.). Examples of results obtained are shown in Figs. 4 and 5
(next page). It is seen from the figures that, when the
turn distribution of the search coil is uniform, the
The radiogoniometer circuit can be replaced by the octantal error is apparent with the field coil terminals
equivalent circuit shown in Fig. 3(a). Now, consider the F,F,' and F,F,' short-circuited, while it is not apparent
impedance (inductance) at the search coil terminals in the case of the sinusoidal distribution, as was antici-
SS'. The inductance will be basically pated from the theoretical calculations. It is noted, in
L ~~~~~~26)
particular, that the search coil impedance L8 varies with
s, ( ) ~~~~rotation (F,F,' and F,F,' open-circuited), which con-
when the field coil terminals F,F,' and F,F,' are open- tradicts the theoretical computations. This phenomenon

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24 I-R-E TRANSACTIONS-AERONAUTICAL AND NAVIGATIONAL ELECTRONICS December

20.1 - -
ifor- 401-
frDiTtriL' tionSnsia
- -

U Dsr to

oR
of ope
ZOC
.
__ __ __
lo_.
__ __~~~~~~~~~~~~~pe

19.91 -----
990
0 90 180 270 3 60 o9 8 7 6
Rotating Angle 8 in Degrees Rag l 9 n Degrees
Rotating Angle in Degrees

Nf= Ns =36, 2aI= 46 mm, 2a2 = 32 mm

20.1
fSinIsoial.Di.stri Iutio Za3 = 27 mm, 2a = 19 mm, d = 12 mm, 111/po= ioo

u .C - - Fig. 5
--.-open short-circuited, are nearly identical in the case of sinu-
1.9 l. - soidal winding distribution indicates almost zero-
0 90 180 270 360 coupling error (less than 0.5 degrees). We have designed
Rotating Angle 0 in Degrees
several radio-goniometers for the higher frequency
= 40 Ns36, 2a1 =85mm, 2a2 - bands (hf and vhf), and they all have proved to be very
2a3 = 46 mm, 2a4 = 32 mm, d = 12 mm, a//.L.oo0 J successful, the errors being smaller than one degree.
Fig. 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

may originate from the eccentricity of the central axis We are indebted to T. Kurimura for his discussion of
between the search coil and field coil cores, and from this type of radio-goniometer system. We also wish to
irregularities in coil winding, etc. The fact that two express our sincere thanks to Dr. K. Funabashi and M.
curves with F1Fi' and F2F2' both open-circuited, or Goto for their constructive mathematical criticism.

Electronic Simulators for Study

of Aircraft Flight Paths*
S. L. McDONOUGHt
Summary-This simulator was designed for use as an aid in position to polar form for Plan Position Indicator and RHI presenta-
the study of the problems of co-ordinating many aircraft in a tion. The simulation methods vary in the degree of aircraft maneuver-
given geographic area. Correspondingly, the equipment is only as ability from nonmaneuvering straight-line aircraft to that of fixed-
sophisticated as the requirements of the special problem dictated. rate-of-turn aircraft. The complete installation has the capacity to
The main significance of the simulator lies in its ability to develop, simultaneously generate twenty-four aircraft paths.
with a small operating crew, a complex aircraft traffic situation as
might be viewed by a ground based surveillance radar. Further, the INTRODUCTION
simulator is capable of generating signals for use in testing and de- HE AIRCRAFT flight-path generators described
v eloping experimental data-processing, computing, and recording 7 ere were designed to simulate the static (or
equipment. A hr vr eindt iuaetesal o
Several methods of simulating simplified aircraft tracks in three steady-state) behavior of aircraft and not the
dimensions are included. Simulation equipments based on these dynamic (or transient) behavior. The simulation equip-
methods are in use as data sources for track-while-scan radar re- ment was used on several projects as an aid in the study
peater presentation and for direct use in ground-installed computing of the problems invzolved in co-ordinating many aircraft
and recording equipment. The methods involve both integration and
multiplication techniques in generating voltages whilch represent in a gie ae.Tequp ntwsdigdtomk
tracks in rectangular co-ordinates. The voltages maybe used directly use of readily available hardware and as such does not
in computers, or video circuits may be employed to convert aircraft necessarily represent the optimum. The operational
requirements for the equipment demanded that one
operator be able to control many path genlerators so
* This paper was delivered at the J.R.E. National Conference of that a complex pattern of paths could be developed
Airborne Electronics, May, 1954.
t Physics Dept., Cornell Aeronautical Lab., Inc., Buffalo, N. Y. without an excessive amount of manpower.

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