Aircraft band base antenna

[ScottE22]

Any recommendations for a reasonable, simple design aircrft band antenna? Mainly will be used for civilian band ,nearby airport, about 3 miles away, but some terrain masking signals, tower good, local traffic good, ground and more distant needs improvement...

 

[prcguy]

You can often fine actual surplus airport base antennas on Ebay and other places cheap.

 

[Ubbe]

but some terrain masking signals... ground and more distant needs improvement...

What are you using as a reference, a telescope antenna on back of the scanner or is it a handheld scanner?

Whenever the signal are blocked by obstacles you'll receive most of the signal from reflections and then placement of the antenna becomes even more important. If I move my outside VHF GP antenna 1 meter I stop receiving the local tower. It starts to receive it again at a location 4-5 meters to the side.

Can you install an antenna on the roof of the house or somewhere else outside or just in a window indoors?

You would try to use an antenna that focus on reception from the horizon as much as possible and not up in the air. Airplanes at line of sight can be received with a wet noodle. If you got the space then a $50 discone will work fine and have the frequency range to receive a lot more than VHF air. To boost the signal you could use a 5/8 GP antenna tuned to 125MHz. You can put together your own 1/2 wave dipole at almost no cost using electrical wire, a spliced coax or thicker tubing for extended bandwidth that you can test at different locations and only requires some working hours. It mostly depends of where you can place the antenna.

Don't rule out pre-amplifiers that works for most people but will be dependent of the interference level at your location and if the scanner are good enough to handle the extra boost in signal. If you ONLY want VHF air from an antenna you can use a bandpass filter 120-140MHz together with an amplifier but you would still need a way to attenuate the signal to a level where the scanner can handle it without loosing performance.

/Ubbe

 

[iMONITOR]

Sirio WY 108-3N 108-137 MHz Air Band 3 Element Yagi Antenna $159.00

Sirio WY 108-3N 108-137 MHz Air Band 3 Element Yagi Antenna [wy108] - $159.00 : Sirio Antenna, High Performance Antenna Made in Italy

Sirio Antenna Sirio WY 108-3N 108-137 MHz Air Band 3 Element Yagi Antenna [wy108] - Base station antenna conceived by using an innovative feed system studied and applied to have highly symmetrical radiation pattern in both planes (E and H). It’s completely computer designed to get high...

www.sirio.store

• Base station antenna, Directional
• Wide band, High-gain
• Highly symmetrical radiation pattern in both planes (E and H)
• Protection from static discharges DC-ground
• Made of anodized aluminium alloy
• Stacked and bayed array for more gain
• Optional: tilting bracket for +-20°
  Electrical Data
  
  
• Type: 3 elements yagi antenna
• Frequency range 108-137 MHz No tuning required
  108-118 Mhz @ SWR <= 1.5
  118-137 Mhz @ SWR <= 2.0 (air - ground communication)
• Impedance: 50Ω
• Radiation (H-plane): beamwidth @ -3 dB = WY 140-3N: 140°
• Radiation (E-plane): beamwidth @ -3 dB = 70°
• Front to back ratio: ≥ 12 dB
• Polarization: linear vertical or horizontal
• Gain: 4.85 dBd - 7 dBi
• Max. Power (CW) @ 30°C: 200 Watts
• Grounding protection: All metal parts are DC-grounded, the inner conductor shows a DC short
• Connector: N-female with rubber protection cap
  Mechanical Data
  
  
• Materials: Anodized 6063-T5 Aluminium, EPDM rubber, thermoplastic UV stabilized, Chromed brass
• Wind load / resistance: 114 N @ 150 Km/h / 160 Km/h
• Wind surface: 0.071 m²
• Dimensions (L x W approx.): Dimensions (L x W approx.): 1400 x 910 mm / 4.59 x 2.99 ft
• Weight (approx.): 1860 gr / 4.1 lb
• Tourning radius: WY 140-3N: 970 mm
• Operating temperature: -40° C to +60° C
• Mounting mast: Ø 35-52 mm

 

[kc2klc]

I don't think ScottE22 is looking for a directional antenna, unless he is interested exclusively in signals coming from his local airport. I second Ubbe's vote for an inexpensive discone antenna on the roof - not only do these perform fabulously well, but they are wideband, meaning that they can be used for other monitoring activities as well (if one were to become interested in any of the other hundreds of types of signals out there in the VHF/UHF range).

 

[iMONITOR]

I don't think ScottE22 is looking for a directional antenna, unless he is interested exclusively in signals coming from his local airport. I second Ubbe's vote for an inexpensive discone antenna on the roof - not only do these perform fabulously well, but they are wideband, meaning that they can be used for other monitoring activities as well (if one were to become interested in any of the other hundreds of types of signals out there in the VHF/UHF range).

The only downside to a discone is it's wide band response, meaning that it brings in all the frequencies you don't want for aircraft monitoring, both VHF and UHF, meaning needless interference especially local strong FM broadcast signals, an VHF airband monitor's worse enemy. Plus the discone had zero gain.

 

[mass-man]

Short range air antenna is prime for this...

BUILD A GROUND PLANE ANTENNA FOR 2 METERS AND MORE - SIMPLE AND EASY!

Just build it for 128mhz, attach it to quality coax and you’re good to go!!!

 

[iMONITOR]

Sirio GP 108-136 LB/U VHF Aircraft Band 108-136mhz Base Antenna (U Connector)

Amazon.com

Sirio GP 108-136 LB/N VHF Aircraft Band 108-136mhz Base Antenna (N Connector)

Amazon.com: Sirio GP 108-136 LB/N VHF Aircraft Band 108-136mhz Base Antenna (N Connector) : Electronics

Buy Sirio GP 108-136 LB/N VHF Aircraft Band 108-136mhz Base Antenna (N Connector): Antennas - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

This is my favorite for VHF Aircraft (Not UHF Mil-Air). It's built to last a lifetime, build quality is unsurpassed. The unusually large diameter gives it greater bandwidth than anything I've seen elsewhere and the price is reasonable.

 

[WB9YBM]

Any recommendations for a reasonable, simple design aircrft band antenna?

The simplest design I can think of is a straightened out coat hanger soldered to an antenna connector with four radials (also made from coat hangers) coming off the bottom of the connector.

 

[prcguy]

A simple ground plane will not cover the entire 118 to 136MHz voice portion of the VHF air band. The Sirio fat ground plane mentioned above will. A Discone is used at many airports and the typical scanner size versions like the Diamond D130 and older Radio Shack work very well for both VHF and UHF air bands.

 

[iMONITOR]

You might need to add a FM-Notch Filter if you encounter interference from strong FM broadcast stations in your area.

 

[WB9YBM]

You might need to add a FM-Notch Filter if you encounter interference from strong FM broadcast stations in your area.

Considering how relatively close the frequencies are, it's have to be a pretty tight filter--or at least tuned towards the bottom end of the BC band...

 

[prcguy]

This is a good filter, the best I've tested so far. https://www.minicircuits.com/pdfs/ZBSF-95+.pdf

Considering how relatively close the frequencies are, it's have to be a pretty tight filter--or at least tuned towards the bottom end of the BC band...

 

[iMONITOR]

Considering how relatively close the frequencies are, it's have to be a pretty tight filter--or at least tuned towards the bottom end of the BC band...

Filter Specs:



PAR ELECTRONICS

VHF-FM Broadcast Filters | PAR Electronics | Filters for the commercial 2 way market, MATV, FM broadcast, laboratory, marine industry, amateur radio, scanner and short wave listening enthusiasts

PAR Electronics Inc. Filters for the commercial 2 way market, MATV, FM broadcast, laboratory, marine industry, amateur radio, scanner and short wave

www.parelectronics.com

STRIDSBERG

Receive Filters

 

[N1XDS]

For the antenna I use for Military VHF and UHF I use the DPD Productions Omni antenna and it works really well when picking up near and distant aircraft of all kinds. I also use my AVANT SATCOM UHF Portable Antenna that also works really well!

 

[Ubbe]

We have done some actual measurments of FM BC filters and the results are here: FM bandstop filter comparison

The Stridsberg FL201 filter I have are not suitable for VHF Air.

That ZBSF-95-N+ filter seems perfect if you can sacrifice frequencies down to 65MHz, but it is $100.

//Ubbe

 

[iMONITOR]

For the antenna I use for Military VHF and UHF I use the DPD Productions Omni antenna and it works really well when picking up near and distant aircraft of all kinds. I also use my AVANT SATCOM UHF Portable Antenna that also works really well!

+1
MilTenna Omni UHF/VHF Base Antenna

MilTenna Omni UHF/VHF Base Antenna

Specs Gain: 3 VHF 4 UHF dBi Pattern: Omni-directional Wavelength: 1/2 Elements: 3 Tuned: 225-400, 118-137 & 138-140 MHz Band: UHF & VHF Air Connector: N Female Cable: RG8X Cable Length: 24 Inches Height: 45" Width: 30" Weight: 2 lb Features Tuned to UHF & VHF Air Bands: The uniquely...

dpdproductions.com

I'm not familiar with the AVANT SATCOM antenna. What is the cost on that one?

 

[N1XDS]

+1
MilTenna Omni UHF/VHF Base Antenna

MilTenna Omni UHF/VHF Base Antenna

Specs Gain: 3 VHF 4 UHF dBi Pattern: Omni-directional Wavelength: 1/2 Elements: 3 Tuned: 225-400, 118-137 & 138-140 MHz Band: UHF & VHF Air Connector: N Female Cable: RG8X Cable Length: 24 Inches Height: 45" Width: 30" Weight: 2 lb Features Tuned to UHF & VHF Air Bands: The uniquely...

dpdproductions.com

I'm not familiar with the AVANT SATCOM antenna. What is the cost on that one?

These are one of the best satcom land based portable antennas out there on the market today with high gain when picking up communications from pilots, satcom frequencies and etc. I have owned mine for a year now and it never let me down. These antennas are pricey around the
$400 to $900 sometimes more all depends on the seller and what the antenna comes complete or not complete. I paid $600 for mine in excellent condition.

Here's the link to them:

Trivec Advant satcom antennas

 

[iMONITOR]

We have done some actual measurments of FM BC filters and the results are here: FM bandstop filter comparison

The Stridsberg FL201 filter I have are not suitable for VHF Air.

//Ubbe

Where does it fail? It's been working great for me.

 

[Ubbe]

Where does it fail? It's been working great for me.

Maybe they've fixed it then? Look at the test. Half the signal are gone even up in the 135MHz range and 100 times down (20dB) at 120MHz.

/Ubbe