If something is way off beam, it is completely wrong or mistaken. Some of his remarks were way off beam. Note: This refers to the use of a radio signal or beam to direct aircraft which were coming in to land. A radio transmitter on one side of the runway transmitted dots, or short tones, while one on the other side transmitted dashes, or long tones. If pilots were coming in on the right course, the dots and dashes merged and the pilots heard a continuous tone.