LiveATC Discussion Forums

Air Traffic Monitoring => Feed Setup Pictures => Topic started by: youngpilot on November 21, 2007, 04:18:53 PM

Title: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: youngpilot on November 21, 2007, 04:18:53 PM
I have a radioshak PRO-92 and I live about 12 miles away from KMIA and like 5 miles from KTMB. Like everyone else, I can hear the planes, but no ATC. (sometimes I do) I wanted to know if an OUTDOOR VHF-HI/UHF SCANNER ANTENNA from radioshack would work. Website to antenna is below. Would it work?

Thank You :-)




Website:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103641&cp=2032052.2032075.2032078.2032098&parentPage=family
Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: dave on November 22, 2007, 08:47:35 AM
It should help tremendously - unless you have local power line noise that covers the ATC up.  It's likely to help a lot.

Dave

Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: youngpilot on November 22, 2007, 09:07:36 AM
Thank You.
Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: KB6HLM on November 22, 2007, 08:32:49 PM
I am sorry to say that this antenna proforms very poorly on the aircraft Frqs !

You would be much better off making your own 1/4 wave

It makes a good scanner antenna but its not cut right for the airband


73s
Glenn KB6HLM Las Vegas, NV
Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: KTAN John on November 24, 2007, 12:48:05 PM
I have mounted this Radio Shack antenna and works okay. However, being situated between KBOS and KPVD I pick up no ATC whatsoever.

I do get considerable local GA traffic, and AWOS, which was my goal at the time of purchasing the RS antenna. It out-performs my truck antenna, but just barely.

I'd spend a bit more for something better.

John
Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: KB6HLM on November 25, 2007, 04:16:38 AM
You may consider building your own 1/4 wave ground plane or even a J-POLE
 The basic math for 1/4 wave antenna is quite simple
1/4 wave = 234 divided by frequency or to arrive at a proper antenna length

If not there are lots of antennas on the market cut just for the airband  personally I would stay away from the so called all bander if your serious about ATC  !

I use the Custom tuned 5/8 wave LARSEN SUPER BASE  http://wingsandwheels.com/page14.htm

I looked around for you to find a cheap well constructed Airband antenna and came up with this one (The Airband J-Pole) $33.00 at http://kb9vbr.com/products.php

Price is right and it looks like he did a nice job !!

Anyone have this antenna ? let us know :-)

73s
Glenn KB6HLM Las Vegas, NV




Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: rbrong on November 27, 2007, 11:50:09 AM
Youngpilot,

I have this antenna in my attic as I didn't want to fool around with a mast, grounding, etc., etc., outside.  Even at that, it improved my reception here in Reno quite a bit.  My only gripe is that it also increased my interference from nearby FM broadcast towers a lot.  I've ordered a couple of filters from Universal Radio that should fix that problem.

My scanners are a RaidoShack PRO-2052 and an old Uniden Bearcat BC175XL I bought for a few bucks off of eBay.  I use the Bearcat for my LiveATC feed for Reno.

Cheers!

Richard

p.s.  I should add that I live about ten miles from KRNO and I do pick up ATC and aircraft most of the time.  I agree with some of the other posts, too, in that this antenna isn't the perfect fit for the aircraft band.  Considering the price, though, it's a decent option if you're an antenna idiot like me.
Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: jerry814 on January 24, 2011, 10:22:08 PM
I went with a commercial antenna, an ASP635 (Andrew) groundplane antenna. Cost about $110.00 and works fantastic for airband only (cut to 124MHz).

jerry814
Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: jerry814 on February 12, 2011, 08:08:32 AM
My posting was lacking in several areas: I assumed all knew about such things, and was wrong. After working for Motorola for 39 years, I should have realized most for our members do not have this experience. This assumption will not be repeated in the future - my bad, sorry.

The commercial grade antenna, an ASP635 ground-plane will have to go outside as the attic attenuation inside a wood-frame house is far greater that some websites say it shoud be.  Be very, very carefull of "facts" on websites, and be especialyl carefull of Ham Radio sites, as some are totally BS.

And I cry your pardon to the Hams that really know what they are doing, but most do not have 39 years of Motorola Public Safety & P25 day-to-day experience that I have. And the "Hams" are going to blast away at me, but they need to do some homework before the blasting begins; I did my homework.

Jerry814

Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: martgenia on May 09, 2011, 11:48:22 AM
I am sorry to say that this antenna proforms very poorly on the aircraft Frqs !

You would be much better off making your own 1/4 wave

It makes a good scanner antenna but its not cut right for the airband


73s
Glenn KB6HLM Las Vegas, NV

This isnĀ“t true, I have three set up and they perform ok, but depending on radio receiver thell perform even better: with a Bearcat BC895 and this antenna, I can get planes 80 miles out (sometimes) but 50 miles always...
Title: Re: Scanner Antenna Setup
Post by: AB9IL on May 20, 2011, 11:48:18 AM
For general listening, a J pole has actually worked well for me.  I've had good luck with some ATC transmitters 10 to 25 miles away, from a 2nd floor window mounted antenna.  For more specialized listening at a distance, a yagi or log periodic antenna (with high quality feedline) would give good results.

For the antenna builders out there, have a look at these plans for big time high gain air band antennas (http://www.ab9il.net/aviation/airband-antenna1.html).