Best antenna for mil/civil air traffic?

[Henkster]

Hi guys,

I am lookin around to find a good antenna for mil-Aviation or aviation in general.

Is there a DIY antenna that is easy and cheap to build that would work??
or just a regular antenna that would work.

Anyway right now I have a ICom VHF flexible antenna FA-140BF on my Pro-97.

I can pick some up but I think I am missing out on a lot.

thanks in advance

Henk

 

[trainman111]

I haven't done it myself, but I've heard good things about the Off Center Fed Dipole antenna. It can be found in the antenna's section of the Wiki. It seems like it would be a pretty easy project.

 

[Henkster]

thanx trainman,

i'll look in to it maybe a nice summer project riggin these things.

henk

 

[VernM]

I monitor civil and military air on a Larsen NMO quarter wave whip left at the length it came because there was no real good reason to cut it. They're over your head. Anything will work that is in the clear and makes good connection with the receiver.

Now, from the air looking down, I've talked for over 100 miles to a ham on a hand held using its rubber ducky at the window. Three watts out. Altitude 30-some thousand feet, Anatenna "mount" was LJ-35.

 

[eorange]

Now, from the air looking down, I've talked for over 100 miles to a ham on a hand held using its rubber ducky at the window. Three watts out. Altitude 30-some thousand feet

I got that beat - 800 miles up to the AO-51 satellite, using 5 watts with a handheld beam. :wink: Just teasing...those kinds of distances with low power still amaze me, theory aside.

Anyway, as far as a mil air antenna for UHF/VHF...I use a Diamond D-130J discone on the roof, and for whips: Diamond RH77-CA and the Maldol AL-500H. Both are fine whips and will pull in the mil air traffic.

 

[Yokoshibu]

I just got done listening to a guy in maine and a guy in texas.. oh wait that was 160m

Yeah I enjoy the discone... big supporter of them; not only can you recieve but usually get away with a few hundered watts across thier bandwidth, I normally see a few areas with an swr of 5:1 but most the time it's under 2:1 for the areas of interest of mine

 

[dro4dee]

I am currenty going for an aviation degree and have gotten real into scanners and the like. I have the pro 96 and am usually in my basement room. As far as rubber antenna the best one is actually the Deluxe Antenna for Handheld Scanner from radio shack. But I figured out the cheapest and most spectacular way to go... Get the Outdoor VHF-Hi/UHF Scanner Antenna
at radio shack code number 20-176 from radio shack, get some coax and some simple connectors and run up your roof. I am picking up artcc transmissions over 100 miles away and at flight level 330 (30,000ft) all for under 50 bucks