Scanning Aviation

[scanner92]

I currently have a radioshack PRO-94 handheld scanner. I can only listen to the aircraft of Miami International, but not ATC. I know it works by line of sight, but what can I do to hear them ? An antenna, or a more powerful scanner...

I appreciate any replies.

Thank You.

 

[jonny290]

vertical height on the antenna is the #1 aid to bringing in ATC transmissions.

Secondary is gain, but 10 dB of gain won't help you much if you're still way past the horizon for that transmitter.

 

[k9rzz]

Yup. I don't know what those guys use for antennas, but I don't think they care much about putting their signal at the horizon for maximal distance reception from the airport. You're gonna have to climb on the roof to pick them up better (or put an antenna up there).

 

[Turbo68]

Hello I use 4 the ICOM-AH7000 Discone for the Airbands and the performance is excellent and the antenna is 8 metres high and i live in a flat area and got massive power lines and can hear ground controllers giving clearances and pushbacks from 80 kilometres away.

Regards Lino ((Melbourne Australia)
ALINCO-DJX2000/AOR-3000A/AOR-8200MK3/AOR-8600MK2/ICOM-R3/ICOM-R5/ICOM-R20
ICOM-PCR1000/ICOM-PCR1500/ICOM-R2500/ICOM-R9000/ICOM-R9500/UNIDEN-245
UNIDEN-396/UNIDEN-780/UNIDEN-996/RADIO SHACK-PRO96/REALISTIC-PRO2035/YAESU-
VX7R/YAESU-VR500/YAESU-VR5000.

 

[kb2vxa]

Hi Scanner and all,

You won't hear the tower unless you're fairly close in because 10W into a ground plane or discone won't hug the ground very far. Neither they nor you need much of an antenna to hear aircraft within their short operational range (<10 miles) because of their altitude. Ground control doesn't need much power to cover the airport grounds but they usually employ a vertical dipole or similar antenna so the signal is closer to the ground and you'll hear it at somewhat greater range.

To put it simply an outdoor antenna high up MAY allow you to hear them depending on distance from the airport but there's no guarantee because their radio system isn't designed for ground coverage.

Oh Lino, if you can get over to NZ check out this action at Napier.

 

[NAVCAN]

10W you say? Is that the FAA standard for VHF?

In Canada, we Tx at 20W on VHF, and 10W UHF

 

[blinddog50]

OOHHHH!!!!
I love DC-3's.
AAHHHH!!!!

 

[pappy1]

OOHHHH!!!!
I love DC-3's.
AAHHHH!!!!

I love DC 3's also but I don't want any trains crossing my runway anytime.