Radio Beacon? Shannon Airport

zg3409

I passed this thing on the hill near shannon airport. I have not seen a similar looking thing at other airports. I think it may be a non directional radio beacon for the airport. It is in line with the runway, and very close.





Here is a link to a satellite image of the location that can be zoomed out
https://www.google.ie/maps/@52.7210423,-8.8857474,125m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

So what is it?
If it is a beacon is it VHF or UHF?
Is it directional.
Can anyone link to details on it?

Presumably if it is a non directional beacon it would be listed in charts for pilots etc.

ED E

I'm not one of the resident experts but its an omnidirectional marker. "VHF Omni Directional Radio Range (VOR)". Cant comment on whether thats a lightning rod.

I would assume Shannon has ILS too so I would guess theres an array for the glide slope nearby.

Edit:
If you listen to ATC you'll hear them instruct pilots to head towards VOR points as an easily communicated wayfinding system.

Here's a list of points in Ireland:
Name ID Type
BALDONNEL BAL VOR-DME
CLONMEL CML NDB
CONNAUGHT CON VOR-DME
CONNAUGHT KNK NDB
CONNAUGHT OK NDB
CORK CRK VOR-DME
DONEGAL CFN NDB
DUBLIN DAP VOR-DME
DUBLIN DUB VOR-DME
DUBLIN ID DME
DUBLIN OE NDB
ENNIS ENS NDB
FOYNES FOY NDB
GALWAY CRN NDB
GARRISTOWN GAR NDB
GORMANSTON GMN NDB-DME
KERRY KER NDB
KILLINEY KLY NDB
OP OP NDB
RUSH RSH NDB
SHANNON SHA VOR-DME
SLIGO SLG NDB-DME
WATERFORD WTD NDB
WESTON WST VOR-DME

EchoIndia

It is indeed the Shannon VOR. http://wikimapia.org/7611960/SHA-Shannon-VOR-DME-Transmitter

billy few mates

VORs are gradually being phased out in the US and are destined to become obsolete entirely by 2020

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/acf/media/Presentations/12-01_Discon-of-VOR-update.pdf

But then again they've been saying that for about twenty years.

faoiarvok

VOR-DME

VOR sends out directional signals so pilots can tell their bearing from the VOR, DME (Distance Measuring Equipment) allows them to tell their distance from it. Thereby, an aircraft can tell its position very accurately without GPS or other satellite navigation systems.

I'm open to correction, but I think the upright antenna is the DME.

Irish Steve

There's another that's pretty much similar close to the threshold of Runway 10 at Dublin, went in relatively recently, I think it's the latest design that uses a Digital system for transmitting, it's very different to the aerial system that's used for the DUB VOR that's up behind the golf club outside Swords, which is on the approach to 16.

NH2013

Irish Steve wrote: »

There's another that's pretty much similar close to the threshold of Runway 10 at Dublin, went in relatively recently, I think it's the latest design that uses a Digital system for transmitting, it's very different to the aerial system that's used for the DUB VOR that's up behind the golf club outside Swords, which is on the approach to 16.

That would be the "DAP" - Collinstown VOR/DME, a D-VOR or Doppler VOR, used for VOR approaches to both Runway 28 and 10. Both VORs associates with Dublin Airport, the DUB VOR north of runway 16 and DAP VOR at the 10 threshold are doppler VORs, conventional VOR systems started being phased out in the mid to late 60's, the DUB VOR north of the field just looks older but is the same type as the DAP VOR.