What does the term "Reverse Sensing" in VOR systems refer to?

The term "Reverse Sensing" in VOR systems refers to incorrect course guidance. This phenomenon occurs when a pilot is navigating with a VOR receiver and has the aircraft's course set to the 180-degree radial, but instead of receiving the expected guidance for the intended course, the aircraft receives information as if they are on the opposite radial.

For instance, if a pilot is flying on a radial that is supposed to give them guidance toward a specific VOR station, but they are actually on the reciprocal heading (180 degrees opposite), the VOR will indicate that they are going away from the station instead of toward it. This situation can lead to confusion and incorrect navigation, as pilots may misinterpret the indicated information and end up deviating from their intended course.

Understanding reverse sensing is critical for pilots to avoid navigational errors and to ensure they are accurately interpreting the information provided by their VOR systems during flight.