The Distress Alerting and Locating System (DALS). Summary of Development and Documentation.
Abstract
This report documents the evolution of a Distress Alerting and Locating System (DALS) based on the retransmission of radio navigational aid signals. This equipment, developed from balloon tracking and meterological data gathering equipment manufactured by Beukers Laboratories, progressed through a test and development cycle culminating in a system that could: automatically alert search and rescue forces of a distress situation; identify the distressed vessel; automatically indicate the distress site location to within 1/2 mile; automatically plot the distressed vessel's location; track multiple vessels simultaneously; and operate at extended ranges by using aircraft-mounted telemetry equipment. Ancillary developments include a VHF-FM marine-band distress beacon whose radio signal includes identification information, a plasma-display-based SAR Command and Control Console, and techniques for narrow-band retransmission of the Omega navigation system signals over a telemetry link. Budgetary limitations and cost effectiveness studies resulted in termination of the DALS development prior to installation and testing of an operational system. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA042860
Entities
People
- J. R. Lindeblad
Organizations
- [Means, goals and clinical aims of physioradiological methods of examination.]