Flight Question What do the nav frequencies do?

[RobN]

I've used Orbiter for some time without ever using the nav frequencies. I don't actually know what they are for or what they do.

I can launch, dock, navigate around the Solar System and land without ever using any of that IDS/XPDR stuff.

Can anyone tell me what use the frequencies are?

 

[DaveS]

I've used Orbiter for some time without ever using the nav frequencies. I don't actually know what they are for or what they do.

I can launch, dock, navigate around the Solar System and land without ever using any of that IDS/XPDR stuff.

Can anyone tell me what use the frequencies are?

Your second paragraph has it: IDS/XPDR (Instrument Docking System/Transponder). The nav frequencies are used for tuning into specific docking port frequencies (each docking port can have a specific IDS frequency) as well as XPDR for rendezvous (less than 1000 km). Also runway ILS uses frequencies (this is for the HSI MFD) for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) approaches.

Also the VTOL pads use these frequencies so that you can align with a specific pad for landing.

 

[Cras]

there are also VORs you can tune to help you with navigation, they can be picked up from further away than the VTOL pad ones. Dont have to use them if you dont want to but its there to help you sort of simulate to futuristic space nav system I guess that resembles today's navaid network aviators use.

 

[Urwumpe]

there are also VORs you can tune to help you with navigation, they can be picked up from further away than the VTOL pad ones. Dont have to use them if you dont want to but its there to help you sort of simulate to futuristic space nav system I guess that resembles today's navaid network aviators use.

Also, if you design your bases for it, you can use some VORs for simplifying the approach to the runway with a DG or similar. Like using them as a marker for a HAC turn. And for vertical landing pads, a VOR can be used as navigation waypoint/decision point.