Telefunken Kompass Sender

The system consisted of a series of 32 individual 60 m long cables supported in the center by a single mast and reaching the ground at their ends, forming a sort of umbrella-shaped device.

After the identifier was sent and a specific time interval had passed, the system started switching on individual dipoles in order around the station.

It was later discovered that the minimum point was much easier to distinguish, with the signal dropping almost to zero when they were aligned directly off the end of the powered dipole.

Like many radio navigation schemes, the Kompass Sender produced identical patterns along the selected path, as well as the 180 degree reciprocal course.

For this purpose, two Kompass Sender stations were built, at Kleve near the Dutch border, and at the German Zeppelin base at Tønder in today's Denmark.