Antenna suggestions for AFRRCS

[jordoncloutier]

I finally got my SDR setup working with DSD+Fastlane monitoring AFRRCS . I'm located outside Edmonton near Gibbons . I am currently using a big Channel Master VHF/UHF TV antenna located on my roof of my home as my SDR antenn .

Monitoring AFRRCS works, but I get a lot of garbled voice calls . I know my antenna is lacking. I come asking for suggestions towards an antenna to purchase that's tuned for 700 MHz range that will pick up AFRRCS well. Thanks everyone .

 

[kayn1n32008]

You will want something tuned to the 700MHz band. It also needs to be vertically polarized.

 

[BC_Scan]

Personally I would just get a wideband discone, a 700 MHz is generally directiona, so you would only be pointing it one direction to improve reception of the one location, garbled voice is because it is encrypted nothing to do with antenna, discone for general purposes is the ticket.

 

[Jay911]

Gibbons is close enough to Edmonton that he may be monitoring the 'simulcast cluster' (which is an apt description if I ever heard one). That would be the source of the garbled audio, not encryption - P25 encryption has no discernible voice component at all, it sounds like R2D2 on an acid trip.

If monitoring the simulcast cluster, I might suggest trying to tune Gibbons itself, or Fort Saskatchewan or St Albert, which are all not part of the cluster, and see if the traffic you want is on any of those (and if your voice decode improves).

 

[jordoncloutier]

Personally I would just get a wideband discone, a 700 MHz is generally directional so you would only be pointing it one direction to improve reception of the one location, garbled voice is because it is encrypted nothing to do with antenna, discone for general purposes is the ticket.

I know what encryption sounds like. Its not that. For example, I get garbled voice calls even with EFD Dispatch calls and ETS OPS. I'm sure it's just due to me using a TV antenna and my location being outside city limits .

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm open to more. I am having a hard time finding a 700 MHz wide band discone online. If anyone can provide a link to one that would be much appreciated .

Also what about a DIY antenna ?, Like a half wave dipole with a choc box ?

One last thing , I know this is directional but thoughts on this antenna ?
https://www.amazon.ca/7-9dBi-Extern...2S3HNY87NDS&psc=1&refRID=38JTSN7DE2S3HNY87NDS

 

[mciupa]

It's not a 700 MHz wide band discone.

Just a wide band discone like this: Diamond Antenna | D3000N Super Discone Antenna - GPSCentral.ca covering the whole scanning spectrum.

 

[cmdrwill]

You would need to have the "TV antenna" vertical for two way stuff. TV is horizontally polarized.

 

[jordoncloutier]

Found a tram discone model # 1410 on Amazon for 75 bucks . It's wide band . Anyone have experience with this antenna ?

 

[mmckenna]

Found a tram discone model # 1410 on Amazon for 75 bucks . It's wide band . Anyone have experience with this antenna ?

I know getting stuff across the border can be hard, but:

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_193_256&products_id=5188

Personally, I wouldn't pay that much for anything from Tram. If all you need is 700MHz coverage, you'd do better with either a band specific antenna, maybe a Yagi directional antenna pointed at one of the tower sites, or a 700MHz vertical.

Tram is low tier stuff. Yeah, it'll work, sort of like an old Yugo being able to get you too and from work.

 

[jordoncloutier]

I know getting stuff across the border can be hard, but:

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_193_256&products_id=5188

Personally, I wouldn't pay that much for anything from Tram. If all you need is 700MHz coverage, you'd do better with either a band specific antenna, maybe a Yagi directional antenna pointed at one of the tower sites, or a 700MHz vertical.

Tram is low tier stuff. Yeah, it'll work, sort of like an old Yugo being able to get you too and from work.

Ordering from the states @ the antenna farm by the time you factor in the USD to CAN conversion and shipping I'll be almost at the $75 bucks anyway . . I'm being frugal everywhere I can with this hobby . I've read a few good reviews on the tram 1410 discone . Might be worth a shot . If performance sucks I can always send it back . Amazon's good for that 👍

 

[mmckenna]

Ordering from the states @ the antenna farm by the time you factor in the USD to CAN conversion and shipping I'll be almost at the $75 bucks anyway . . I'm being frugal everywhere I can with this hobby . I've read a few good reviews on the tram 1410 discone . Might be worth a shot . If performance sucks I can always send it back . Amazon's good for that 👍

Yeah, probably best to go Amazon. However, in my experience, Antenna Farm is a reputable company.

You'd still do better with a dedicated 700MHz antenna. A discone has 0dB of gain, so if you have a weak signal already, a discone isn't going to do you a lot of good. A 700MHz antenna with some gain will pull the signal up quite a bit and give you better decode.

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Outdoor-Directional-Connector-301111/dp/B0006H4FVM/ref=sr_1_4?crid=11QIJ34UF94GY&dchild=1&keywords=700mhz+antenna&qid=1610853824&sprefix=700MHz%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-4

Benefits of the discone is that they are very broad banded, so they'll give you some performance on VHF and UHF, which can be beneficial if you have other stuff you want to listen to.

Just pay close attention to your coaxial cable. You'll want something low loss.

 

[jordoncloutier]

Yeah, probably best to go Amazon. However, in my experience, Antenna Farm is a reputable company.

You'd still do better with a dedicated 700MHz antenna. A discone has 0dB of gain, so if you have a weak signal already, a discone isn't going to do you a lot of good. A 700MHz antenna with some gain will pull the signal up quite a bit and give you better decode.

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Outdoor-Directional-Connector-301111/dp/B0006H4FVM/ref=sr_1_4?crid=11QIJ34UF94GY&dchild=1&keywords=700mhz+antenna&qid=1610853824&sprefix=700MHz%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-4

Benefits of the discone is that they are very broad banded, so they'll give you some performance on VHF and UHF, which can be beneficial if you have other stuff you want to listen to.

Just pay close attention to your coaxial cable. You'll want something low loss.

Very good . Thanks so much that the insight .

Now how and where do I find out the locations of the afrrcs broadcasting towers?

 

[Jay911]

On the RR database page for AFRRCS (here), in the System Frequencies section, you can either click on the individual site's name, or click on 'RR Locations' near the top to see all sites on one map.

 

[Microscan]

The big advantage of the discone is that it is resonant over a very large swath of frequencies, the big disadvantage is that it is resonant over a large swath of frequencies. They can collect such a large amount of rf energy that they can swamp the front end of a receiver reducing its effective sensitivity (desense). The one mentioned above covers 130 - 1300 Mhz (the vertical element is actually a second antenna).

See:

Wilson Electronics Single Band - 800 MHz Yagi Antenna Model Y8009EL with N Female Connector : Amazon.ca: Electronics

Wilson Electronics Single Band - 800 MHz Yagi Antenna Model Y8009EL with N Female Connector : Amazon.ca: Electronics

www.amazon.ca

A better view of what it would cost to get the yagi to a Canadian address.

I have had good results using this :

750 (720 to 790) MHz bandpass filter, ultra-small size, SMA interface | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 750 (720 to 790) MHz bandpass filter, ultra-small size, SMA interface at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.ca

That yagi would tend to collect a lot of rf from cell towers in the area which could reduce the effective sensitivity of your receiver.

Take note of mmkennas comment about using high quality co-ax. It's good advice.