Hosting a feed

[ZOTAN]

I have the Radioshack Pro-83 scanner and I would like to host a feed for San Diego Tower or Approach. How do you host a feed for the site, and is there a better antenna I can get for my scanner? Its hard to understand the pilots sometimes, and I cant even hear the controller.

Thanks

[dave]

I have the Radioshack Pro-83 scanner and I would like to host a feed for San Diego Tower or Approach. How do you host a feed for the site, and is there a better antenna I can get for my scanner? Its hard to understand the pilots sometimes, and I cant even hear the controller.

Thanks

If you can't hear the ATC, it doesn't make much sense to host a feed.  That being said, your best bet is to install an outdoor antenna.  Radio Shack has several types to choose from, and there are other sources as well.

This one is pretty good:
http://www.antennawarehouse.com/Scanner/Scantenna.htm

Radio Shack recommendations:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=20-176
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=20-043

Depends on your budget.  The MOST important thing is to get it outside and as high as you can manage.

Dave

[pocho]

How far are you from SAN? An outdoor antenna definately improves the reception. I have a Scantenna and it's a great antenna. For $48 I think it's a good deal. It comes with everything (cable, connectors, etc) except the mast. Keep in mind though that VHF aviation communications are line-of-site, so if your antenna "sees" the transmitter you should be able to hear the controller. If there is a hill or any big obstructions between your antenna and SAN, then you won't be able to hear the SAN tower controller, even with the Scantenna (or any antenna!)

p cho

[ZOTAN]

As the crow flies I am about 10 miles from SAN. Im out in Chula Vista if you know where that it is. I can always hear the pilots, and the reason I said its hard to understand them is because I havent been listening to ATC for that long.

[KSYR-pjr]

As the crow flies I am about 10 miles from SAN. Im out in Chula Vista if you know where that it is.

Looking at a map of the SD area, it seems to me that you would get excellent reception with an outdoor antenna or even a higher quality indoor antenna (handheld upgraded antenna).  There do not appear to be any hills higher than you or the SD airport in between you both, which means you probably have excellent line of sight between you and ATC's transmitters.  (My father used to live right on the beach at Mission Beach, so SD became a second home for me back in the 80s.)

I live about 15 miles or so from my airport and there are a couple of higher ridges between the airport and my house.  The standard antenna worked marginally, but when I mounted an outdoor antenna reception was excellent.  This was an important factor in my decision to provide the feed to LiveATC.

[ZOTAN]

I looked at the Scantenna and Im pretty sure the CC&R's of my neighborhood wont allow it. If there is another more discreet antenna I could put outdoors that would be great, but something 7 feet high wont really work....

Matt

[dave]

I looked at the Scantenna and Im pretty sure the CC&R's of my neighborhood wont allow it. If there is another more discreet antenna I could put outdoors that would be great, but something 7 feet high wont really work....

Matt

Are you handy with wire cutters and a soldering iron?

Dave

[ZOTAN]

I guess you could say Im handy with them. My neighbor is an electrician also.

[dave]

Excellent.  An antenna I have used with great success is the J-pole made of TV twin-lead cable.

See:
http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=9286
(scroll down to see the roll-up antenna)

Use these approximate dimensions for airband:
Total length: 70.1"
To Notch: 20"
Stub: 1.8"

You can mount this on an outside wall with a thumbtack or nail.  Or you can mount it on an inside wall if you're within about 10 miles of the airport.  If you mount it inside, though, keep it far away from any computers or other sources of man-made noise.

I use one of these on the KMHT feed and it works quite well.

Dave