Antenna compatibility

[freyhaus1]

...good day all!...I have an antenna question I hope someone may assist me with...

I just received an ATS-25 Pro receiver and need assistance with the antenna set up.

The receiver has a BNC antenna connection and comes with an extendable whip for HF, FM, and VHF.

My current shack set up (for HF) uses a 100' inverted V dipole that I switch between 2 separate receivers.

My question is: can I effectively use my dipole antenna for VHF Airband reception?...or would I need to use the included whip antenna for that type of reception?...trying to prep for antenna connections I will need to make.

Thank and 73!
Harry

 

[K6GBW]

You can hook it up and it will work. I routinely tune my Icom 7300 to the CHP low band VHF frequencies using a G5RV Jr. antenna. Is it ideal? No, but it will work. Especially if you have the local airport relatively close. Hearing the planes at altitude shouldn't be hard.

 

[freyhaus1]

You can hook it up and it will work. I routinely tune my Icom 7300 to the CHP low band VHF frequencies using a G5RV Jr. antenna. Is it ideal? No, but it will work. Especially if you have the local airport relatively close. Hearing the planes at altitude shouldn't be hard.

Nice!...thanks for the info, can't wait to try it out, really didn't feel like changing and fiddling with antenna changes

 

[freyhaus1]

Nice!...thanks for the info, can't wait to try it out, really didn't feel like changing and fiddling with antenna changes

...also, quick follow-up question if i may?...was going to try to receive an SSTV signal for decode from the ISS on 145.800...would my inverted V work on that as well?

Thanks!

 

[K6GBW]

It might…but not likely. The G5RV is really pretty far from a VHF antenna and it’s not oriented correctly for satellites. In fact, satellites are tricky even with proper antennas.

 

[freyhaus1]

It might…but not likely. The G5RV is really pretty far from a VHF antenna and it’s not oriented correctly for satellites. In fact, satellites are tricky even with proper antennas.

...roger that, thanks!

 

[alcahuete]

My question is: can I effectively use my dipole antenna for VHF Airband reception?...or would I need to use the included whip antenna for that type of reception?...trying to prep for antenna connections I will need to make.

Can you use it? Yes. Effectively? Ehhhh. I use one of my HF beam antennas to transmit up through 70cm and receive well over 1000 Mhz. Does it work? Yep. Does it work as well as a dedicated antenna for those bands? Absolutely not.

 

[freyhaus1]

...appreciate the rsvp...I'm interested in receiving satellite transmissions, I guess I might as well get the correct antenna and setup and do it right the first time...

 

[vagrant]

My Off Center Fed HF antenna will pick up my local ATIS as well as the tower and aircraft. I am four miles away from the airport. My discone picks up the signal about 10 dB better. Your results may be better/worse/same.

The ISS SSTV events are not that often. See below for an antenna for that. If you can put a discone antenna outdoors above your roofline, you will enjoy the VHF air band and satellite stuff to some degree. The other thing you will want inline on the coax between the antenna and your receiver is an FM broadcast band filter. See the URL in my signature for a thread discussing that. For the coax I recommend LMR-400. If you don't want to spend much at first you could use RG6 coaxial cable instead along with some adapters.

-- Satellite Antenna Option --
An inexpensive option for satellites is an Elk log periodic antenna. You would want the 2M/440L5 dual band antenna. It is what I use for receiving and transmitting to satellites. It is also what I use to receive SSTV transmissions from the ISS. The increased gain from that antenna is helpful, say versus a handheld rubber duck antenna, or a discone. Not that those will not work, but much depends on how much you want to spend and or if you want a fixed antenna, or one you hold in your hand and aim. There are definitely more expensive automated satellite tracking antenna systems.

Anyways, you would use that antenna outdoors and aim it toward the satellite pass. In order to do that you would want to use a website that will provide information on a satellite pass, like the ISS, and tell you when and where to locate it in the sky after you provide your location. There is a button on the right hand side of the page that notes "10-Day predictions for space station". Click that and then on the next page that opens up select the button that says "All Passes", because you would want to receive signals from the ISS during the day. The visible passes are just that, where you can visibly see the ISS from your location. That really helps to track when you can see it, but it is not necessary.

 

[freyhaus1]

My Off Center Fed HF antenna will pick up my local ATIS as well as the tower and aircraft. I am four miles away from the airport. My discone picks up the signal about 10 dB better. Your results may be better/worse/same.

The ISS SSTV events are not that often. See below for an antenna for that. If you can put a discone antenna outdoors above your roofline, you will enjoy the VHF air band and satellite stuff to some degree. The other thing you will want inline on the coax between the antenna and your receiver is an FM broadcast band filter. See the URL in my signature for a thread discussing that. For the coax I recommend LMR-400. If you don't want to spend much at first you could use RG6 coaxial cable instead along with some adapters.

-- Satellite Antenna Option --
An inexpensive option for satellites is an Elk log periodic antenna. You would want the 2M/440L5 dual band antenna. It is what I use for receiving and transmitting to satellites. It is also what I use to receive SSTV transmissions from the ISS. The increased gain from that antenna is helpful, say versus a handheld rubber duck antenna, or a discone. Not that those will not work, but much depends on how much you want to spend and or if you want a fixed antenna, or one you hold in your hand and aim. There are definitely more expensive automated satellite tracking antenna systems.

Anyways, you would use that antenna outdoors and aim it toward the satellite pass. In order to do that you would want to use a website that will provide information on a satellite pass, like the ISS, and tell you when and where to locate it in the sky after you provide your location. There is a button on the right hand side of the page that notes "10-Day predictions for space station". Click that and then on the next page that opens up select the button that says "All Passes", because you would want to receive signals from the ISS during the day. The visible passes are just that, where you can visibly see the ISS from your location. That really helps to track when you can see it, but it is not necessary.

WOW!...thank you for the detail and amount of info to my question, greatly appreciated!...i feel more confident in my direction now