User manual: Installation and Operation of Direction Finder System RHOTHETA RT-600 / SAR-DF 517
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1 General information
RHOTHETA Elektronik GmbH is the developer and manufacturer of the Direction Finder System RT-600.
In the United States of America, the system is marketed under the system designation SAR-DF 517.
1.1 Purpose of use of the direction finder
This modern precision direction finder was mainly developed for professional SAR (search and rescue) and LE
(Law Enforcement) purposes.
There are existing two versions:
•
The standard version, which offers the possibility to bear and analyze either traditional emergency
frequencies in the UHF and VHF band, the general distress calling channel 16 of maritime radio and the
common COSPAS/SARSAT emergency signal
•
The Law Enforcement version, which offers the possibility to bear the traditional VHF emergency
frequency, the common COSPAS/SARSAT emergency signal and different LE-signals (LoJack, ETS
and Med-track)
The complete COSPAS/SARSAT Frequency range (also future channels) is supported by this direction finder.
For practical use, there is also a very fast scanning mode for detecting any possible COSPAS/SARSAT
frequency within one pulse period (< 400 ms) available.
The excellent bearing results becomes possible due to our newly developed patented antenna concept (small,
robust and wide-banded) and the sophisticated bearing analyzing algorithms, which deliver a quick but
nevertheless steady display.
The direction finder was developed to be used under rough conditions such as mobile use on aircrafts or
vehicles.
