DME Tuning RNAV

While it is possible to have a standalone DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment receiver, on most civilian aircraft it is more commonplace to have a VORVOR —VHF Omnidirectional Range box which "autocouples" to an associated DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment frequency. This is very similar (even in terms of frequency bands!) to the ILSILS —Instrument Landing System tuning, where tuning the VHFVHF —Very High Frequency localiser gets the UHFUHF —Ultra High Frequency glideslope "for free". This is especially helpful as with a VORVOR —VHF Omnidirectional Range (giving a bearing) and a DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment (giving a distance) you have a rho/theta positional fix.

If it is a standalone DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment (i.e no nearby VORVOR —VHF Omnidirectional Range), you will be given an "associated" VORVOR —VHF Omnidirectional Range frequency to tune the DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment on the VORVOR —VHF Omnidirectional Range box.

The ident of the DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment gives rise to some unusually niche questions. The ident cycles every ten seconds in the order VOR-VOR-VOR-DME meaning the DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment will be heard every 40 seconds. The DMEDME —Distance Measuring Equipment is the higher pitched ident, at or around 1350 kHz (note kilo, not mega - it has to be an audible frequency.)