How can you confirm that your ADF receiver and the NDB are serviceable?

To confirm that your ADF (Automatic Direction Finder) receiver and the Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) are serviceable, monitoring the Morse code identifier transmitted by the NDB is essential. The Morse code identifier is a unique code that each NDB transmits, allowing pilots to confirm that they are receiving the correct beacon. If the ADF receiver is functioning properly and is tuned to the correct frequency, the correct Morse code should be audible. This auditory confirmation assures the pilot that both the ADF and the NDB are operational.

Other methods, while they contribute to a thorough pre-flight check, do not directly confirm the serviceability of both systems in the same way. Observing the bearing pointer can indicate the directional information, but if the ADF or NDB is malfunctioning, the information could be inaccurate without confirming through the Morse code. Checking frequency settings ensures you're tuned to the correct NDB frequency, but again does not establish that both devices are functioning correctly. Testing audio output is important for verifying the ADF itself can produce sound, but without the Morse code, it doesn't specifically confirm that the NDB is working as intended. Thus, monitoring the Morse code identifier provides the most definitive confirmation of serviceability for both systems.