n2dpsky
Member
This is somewhat longwinded so please bear with me. This is kind of an aircraft monitoring/equipment question.
I'm about 8 miles north of KSNA and monitor flights on approach with my Tecsun PL-660 with the built in telescoping antenna. Aircraft on approach sound great, as they normally call in about 2 miles east/west of me, but tower transmissions are difficult. So Cal Approach and Departure are better, but not great. The radio doesn't scan and doesn't have squelch, so the noise monitoring is distracting. External antennas for the air band don't work with the PL-660 so there isn't a lot more I can do with it. I still like it for SWLing with a long wire. It's a great little radio, but has some limitations.
My plan is to buy a Uniden BC125AT and add a Diamond RH77CA antenna for listing outside or at airshows. Although I live in a condo where outside antennas are prohibited, I'm not opposed to placing an antenna in my attic for when I'm home and adding a second mobile antenna on my car, both with FM filter traps. I understand the FM filter really cleans up air band, especially in areas of strong FM interference like Southern California.
The real questions is whether or not that effort is really worth it. Even with the Diamond antenna, can I expect the BC125AT to outperform my Tecsun with regard to reception? Also, is a attic located base antenna likely to improve reception/overload the BC125AT scanner?
Thanks.
Chris M. (n2dpsky)
I'm about 8 miles north of KSNA and monitor flights on approach with my Tecsun PL-660 with the built in telescoping antenna. Aircraft on approach sound great, as they normally call in about 2 miles east/west of me, but tower transmissions are difficult. So Cal Approach and Departure are better, but not great. The radio doesn't scan and doesn't have squelch, so the noise monitoring is distracting. External antennas for the air band don't work with the PL-660 so there isn't a lot more I can do with it. I still like it for SWLing with a long wire. It's a great little radio, but has some limitations.
My plan is to buy a Uniden BC125AT and add a Diamond RH77CA antenna for listing outside or at airshows. Although I live in a condo where outside antennas are prohibited, I'm not opposed to placing an antenna in my attic for when I'm home and adding a second mobile antenna on my car, both with FM filter traps. I understand the FM filter really cleans up air band, especially in areas of strong FM interference like Southern California.
The real questions is whether or not that effort is really worth it. Even with the Diamond antenna, can I expect the BC125AT to outperform my Tecsun with regard to reception? Also, is a attic located base antenna likely to improve reception/overload the BC125AT scanner?
Thanks.
Chris M. (n2dpsky)