Automatic Direction Finder

A piece of electronic navigation equipment which operates in the low- and medium-frequency bands. ADF uses a directional loop antenna and a non-directional sense antenna to find the direction to a radio station. This direction is shown on an instrument that looks much like the dial of a compass, with zero degrees representing the nose of the aircraft, rather than north. The needle on the ADF indicator shows the pilot the number of degrees clockwise from the nose of the aircraft to the radio station being received.