Some advice on my setup

[dabser1]

So I'm trying to get some decent reception from an airport that is just under 2 miles away.  There is residential real estate all the way between me and the airport.  I have a Pro-97 that I have tried hooking up several ways.

With the rubber antenna I get moderate reception if I stand in 2 spots upstairs.  So I decide an antenna in the attic might do the trick.  I try this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103641&cp=2032052.2032075.2032078.2032098&allCount=24&fbn=Type%2FScanner%26%23047%3BHAM&f=PAD%2FProduct+Type%2FScanner%26%23047%3BHAM&fbc=1&parentPage=family

which is supposed to work for 108-1300 (big range, i know) with peak being 152-400.  I use RG-6 cable from the antenna to the scanner.  I get absolutely no signal from the attic using this setup (I do however seem to get a Christian rock radio station that cuts over the ATIS??).  I hold the antenna in the air where I had moderate reception with the rubber antenna and got relatively good results.

So I decide the attic is no good and try using a cheap antenna that sticks to the window.  I am able to get decent results with this setup, but the scanner seems to be extremely sensitive to the wire coming from the antenna.  The wire is properly shielded and I have had similar problems when using the RG-6 and RG-58.  Also if I move the scanner to different locations along the window ledge I get much different results (should the scanner location matter…shouldn’t I only be concerned with the location of the antenna?)

So…after I’m getting pretty good results, I decide to hook the output up to the computer and again I am faced with very poor results.  It seems the RCA sound cord was also causing problems.  I change out the cord with another and play with the wire to cause minimal interference.  Now with this setup I can hear most planes very well, I can hear tower and one app/dep well, but the other app/dep and ATIS still have too much static

My exterior walls are brick and wood, and the floor between the upstairs and downstairs is made of steel joists or whatever they are called.

I live in an apartment area where I cannot put up an external antenna (or at least one that will be noticed, I might be able to put one near the chimney)

Sorry for the long narrative, I’m just looking for some advice and want to make sure I’ve given everything I’ve tried.

Thanks for the help.

[cactushp]

Hey dabser,

It seems like one of the primary limiting factors in your problem is location. Location, location, location is the name of the game. You being just 2 miles from the airport would seem logical that you would recieve quite good reception, however, there could be things such as:
Power/electricity lines
Hills/mountains
Line of sight issues?
Other houses
and others...

Also, the transmitters power output may be a problem also. For example, I feed the Phoenix feed, and I can only pick up south departure and south satelite with any hint of "clearness." As LH said a couple of post back, the transmitters at PHX are weak. Sometimes, the aircraft on the ground at Sky Harbor come in clearer than the controllers themselves.

I understand your frustration. Just keep on trying, and eventually you will get the results you want.

[LHP50]

Transmitters are not always at the airport.

[PIT]

You said that you have a radio station  interfere. that is probably the biggest cause of you recievin bad transmissions. There is a filter that is out there to reduce it. I was thinking of buying it myself but  I lost the order page. If anyone out there can find it???

[Jason]

You said that you have a radio station  interfere. that is probably the biggest cause of you recievin bad transmissions. There is a filter that is out there to reduce it. I was thinking of buying it myself but  I lost the order page. If anyone out there can find it???

A quick search of the LiveATC.net forums yielded the following post from dave in response to your question on August 15, 2006:

Google for "AB-125 filter."  They are less than $50 and will work magic for your situation.

[edro20]

I had the exact same thing happen to me. I bought a PAR notch filter from Universal Radio. I have since upgraded to J-Pole antennas with a notch filter for each. They are $75 with shipping (oww), but they eliminate the interference. I was getting mexican radio on the approach frequency with the discone LOL.

I have all my stuff ready to rock, but I have not got a reply to set me up with software. Ideas to expedite would be appreciated.