How much does an NDB cost?

[NorthSouth]

Has anyone bought or sold an NDB recently? Any ballpark figs as to the cost - equipment, installation, commissioning?

NS

[Scott Voigt]

With GPS and WAAS, why would anyone want an NDB???

regards

Scott

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I should think an NDB could easily be thrown together for less than £100..... but I bet the quotes you get are well over 10 times that figure!! It's only a low-power CW transmitter with a simple coding mechanism and a basic antenna.

[avidflyer]

Quoted replacement cost for one just withdrawn due to extreme old age - £35000. The major items there were the site, aerial and approval.

[Ropey Pilot]

Theoretically one could be made cheaply but wouldn't be of v. good quality - I can make a radio for a fiver but Bose aren't going to be worried any time soon....

There is a fair amount of copper cable which is pretty expensive and I heard that in some parts of Africa they keep getting stripped. Spoke to a guy who was doing an NDB approach when it went offline - turns out someone had stolen all the wiring :\

[got caught]

Have you tried contacting the military or BAE to check if any are surplus to requirement ?

[snips]

Second hand or brand new?

As avidflyer suggests the cost of antenna equipment and site are the biggest factors!

If your just replacing the transmitter and not replacing the antenna, you may be able to justify not having to flight test the hole thing again.

Two companies spring to mind that can supply them. Fernau Avionics (UK) and Southern Avionics Company (USA)

Cheers

[NorthSouth]

Thanks guys v useful as always.

Scott:With GPS and WAAS, why would anyone want an NDB???Who him? Never heard of either of those in the UK and not likely to for some time yet. :{

NS

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<Quoted replacement cost for one just withdrawn due to extreme old age - £35000.>>

Anyone with reasonable technical knowledge would fall about laughing at that figure. Anyone with knowledge of commercial prices would think it cheap!

[niknak]

We'll shortly be dispensing with one of ours, it eminates from the steam driven age and has had several different names during it's illustrious history.
I can't imagine that even our engineers, (the kings recycling things you never imagined would be of any use to anyone), would have a use for it.

If you are in the market for an elderly navigation aid and are willing to dismantle and remove it, I can't imagine that even our bean counters would charge you for it.

PM me if you are interested.

[PPRuNeUser0211]

Northsouth.....


GPS +WAAS = Galileo + the european augmentation jobber, soon to be up and running across europe :).....but will we be allowed to use it?

[Dan Dare]

On a similar note, how much would I fork out for a rudimentary, but working VDF? Then how much extra would I pay to get its use approved by our CAA?

[OverRun]

North-South: Having had to pay for the damn things, I was going to say GBP40,000, so your price is realistic. Since you have power and access, then the price should drop to about GBP 24,000. Take niknak's offer - that will cost no more than GBP10,000 by the time it is installed [including several cases of Pommery's best Chateau Ether for niknak].

[Tweety]

why would you want to purchase an NDB, now that GPS is in I cant see the value, its an archaic navaid.

TTFN

[flash8]

might be archaic... but plenty of 'em still around!!