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Author Topic: ADS/B antennas  (Read 4138 times)

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Offline Sneaky_Nikon

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ADS/B antennas
« on: June 21, 2018, 01:00:49 PM »
What do you lot use? 

Got gifted a RSP1A which when not being a "scanner" disguised as external hard-drive will be serving Virtual Radar duty. Is it worth spending a few quid on one of the commercial designs or will a biro & coathanger dipole serve?

Actually tempted toward the commercial option as I'm getting lazier in my old age. 
« Last Edit: June 21, 2018, 01:02:24 PM by Sneaky_Nikon »
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Offline viking9

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2018, 03:35:31 PM »
When I was involved in ADS-B tracking the SSE 1090SJ was the best bang for the buck. SSE stopped making them but I believe the FlightAware 1090MHz ADS-B N-Type Antenna 26" - 5.5dBi is the same beast.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FlightAware-1090MHz-ADS-B-N-Type-Antenna/dp/B06VWPTLY2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1529590279&sr=8-4&keywords=adsb+antenna


Tom
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Offline Furryforest

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2018, 05:41:12 PM »
I follow a podcast and this product has been mentioned which cost wise is a good bit lower than anything I have seen advertised.

https://crewdogelectronics.com/

Perhaps those of you who know more could comment?
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Offline viking9

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2018, 07:34:41 PM »
That's a receiver with a small antenna.
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Offline viking9

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2018, 07:44:05 PM »
You've got this 80 year old brain on overdrive now. I remember my old friend Chris Taylor produced a 1090 base antenna a few years ago. Ah! here's a test of same:

https://radarspotting.com/forum/index.php?topic=5035.0

Tom
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Offline Sneaky_Nikon

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2018, 08:47:34 PM »
I'll have a look at the weekend and decide what I want. Certainly no shortage of options.
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Offline wavecrest1

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2018, 06:45:15 PM »

No matter what you have, if you stick it outside and high up, it will make such a difference.
The new generation of Pis support PoE module which makes it a lot easier to encase everything on the end of a high pole.
When my pole went, I played around with 1090 antennas in roofspace:

http://www.niaviation.co.uk/index.php?topic=22291.msg124465#msg124465


If you're running it in a roofspace, then much of a muchness.
I compared a £50 ish jetvision with a selection of homebrews:
Precisely made 8 and 12 element cocos encased in white pvc drain pipe - like  https://www.balarad.net/
A Cantenna built on a Lavassa coffee tin from tesco (easy cut; almost perfect diameter.)
A few spider variants.
One of the FC's from https://forum.planefinder.net/threads/ads-b-diy-antenna.23/

I have VRS plots somewhere on a machine... will go hunting for them.
The homebrews performed very well.....
So basically boils down to how much free time you have...

Also consider a 1090Mhz BP filter - only ~ £15 from modmypi
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Offline Sneaky_Nikon

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2018, 11:31:39 AM »
The overwhelming impression I get from the advice here and reading generally is that there's not a massive amount to choose between any of the commercial offerings when similarly mounted.   Pay day next week, I shall go for something mid-range and get it mounted on the chimney, need a new freeview antenna too so two birds...
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Offline gadwall58

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2018, 11:41:14 AM »
You should try Phil Lee owner of 360RADAR.  The last time I purchased from him an antenna and 20m's of cable was £35.  They are first class and I can get a range 0f about 250miles in good conditions.
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Offline wavecrest1

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Re: ADS/B antennas
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2018, 08:29:14 PM »
I'd be interested in your VRS range circles when you've mounted the suspicious looking white pipe...
I can't produce plots and range circles at the moment - Google have changed the licence on the Maps API.
See : http://www.virtualradarserver.co.uk/Documentation/WebServer/GoogleMapsAPIKey.aspx

VRS put a fix out on 11-Jun-2018 but range circles didn't work.
There's a "fix of the fix", dated 16th June, 2018 but I haven't had time to update or to check.
http://www.virtualradarserver.co.uk/Download.aspx
VRS now uses Leaflet rather than google maps. 

I'm surprised the VRS & google issues didn't prompt some discussion here.....

The roof space Lavassa Cantenna (no D903 & no BP filter) peaked southerly at Kinsale, easterly in the North Sea, northerly in a line between St Andrews and Fanad. Westerly performance was poor as I'm in the shadow of Knockagh. I'm also surrounded by houses and trees.
It was less than a pound, not counting the coffee ;-)

One last thing - if your freeview signal is normally marginal but has got worse over the last 2 weeks, read :
https://www.a516digital.com/2018/06/the-wrong-type-of-weather-tv-and-radio.html
before you start climbing roofs...


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