Good Antenna

K4IHS · #1 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 01:33 PM

Just wondering if anybody has any suggestions on what I might do to improve reception of tower/ground comms. I'm currently trying to monitor Fort Myers RSW airport. I live 20 miles from RSW and the height of my antenna is deed restricted to 20'. I'm currently using a home brew 3 element yagi cut for the aircraft band. It does a pretty good job... but the comms can get scratchy during certain times of the day. Of course... airborne aircraft can be heard fine. I'm using a Bearcat 235XLT scanner with about 30' of good quality feedline without amplification. I did try using an RF amp... but it only increased noise and didn't improve signal quality much. My live stream is here...

Lee County, Florida (FL) Live Police, Fire, and EMS Scanners on RadioReference.com

432JDQ · #2 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 01:50 PM

A 2nd 3 element yagi (verticaly polarized) should add a Theroetical 3db or gain, as long as its spaced correctly, and the phasing harness is cut to the proper length. Try googling 'stacked yagis'

I Hope that yagi is verticaly polarized, if not you could be losing 15-20db due to polorazation differences.

K4IHS · #3 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 02:04 PM

Yes... it is vertical polarized. The antenna was built from plans I found on the Internet used by CAP for directional finding of downed aircraft. I contacted the designer for the exact element cuts for ~122 mhz vs. the S&R frequency it was originally designed for. It is supposed to be 3db gain and does work much better then any other air band antenna I've ever used. I need just a bit more performance without changing the height.

432JDQ · #4 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 06:49 PM

Well, your familliar with building it, ide say build another and stack it.. @ 118 mhz ish.. it will probabally be spaced abt 5-6 feet above or to the side depending.

Hornsby · #5 (**permalink**) 08-15-2009, 11:30 AM

I use a D-130 omni directional antenna (30 ft high/ preamp) and have great results here in the Washington DC metro area. RF cable that I use is RG214.

K4IHS · #6 (**permalink**) 08-15-2009, 11:33 AM

Hornsby... How far are you from the airport and what amplifier do you use?

Hornsby · #7 (**permalink**) 08-15-2009, 12:18 PM

I am about 15 miles from Dulles (IAD). Use a LNA-WIDE-O Pre-Amplifer. Also get Manasas and Leesburg regional airport towers