Device Question!

[N1SQB]

Anyone ever purchase one of these?
Ads B 1090MHz Band Pass SMA Filter Plus Car Antenna Pigtail for Flightaware | eBay

Is it any good or worth the money? I'd like to get it but not sure if it works as good as they advertise.
I'm planning on using it with a dedicated base 1090 mhz antenna in my shack, as well as in my car.

Manny

 

[N1SQB]

Thanks for the offer! Actually, it's gonna be my B-Day in a few days and the wifee wants to order this for me as a present. I just want to make sure it works, I don't know much about this product. I like to hear from actual users who have first hand experience.!

Manny

 

[Your_account]

I know some user who use it but without measurement tools its impossible to give an advise.

 

[slicerwizard]

I think you'd do better with a decent 1090 MHz antenna.

 

[N1SQB]

I think you'd do better with a decent 1090 MHz antenna.

I'm actually doing just that! I picked up this one:

1090MHz Ads B Antenna 66cm 26in for Mode s and Ads B Data from Flightaware | eBay


Manny

 

[Your_account]

there is an slovak Person who sell also adsb anenna. i belive shipping cost more than the antenna.

 

[toastycookies]

Unless you have a lot of interference near 1090mhz and actually need it, it will just degrade your signal.

 

[N1SQB]

How so? Doesn't it reject everything below 980 and above 1150 mhz in both directions? I have 800 mhz trunking repeaters and cell phone towers within a mile of my location. I figured an outside antenna will just bring that stuff in closer, thats why I thought of the filter in-line idea.

Manny

 

[toastycookies]

How so? Doesn't it reject everything below 980 and above 1150 mhz in both directions? I have 800 mhz trunking repeaters and cell phone towers within a mile of my location. I figured an outside antenna will just bring that stuff in closer, thats why I thought of the filter in-line idea.

Manny

With that many extra connections (4) plus the filter, you are most likely looking at least 3db or HALF of your signal lost.

 

[slicerwizard]

I have 800 mhz trunking repeaters and cell phone towers within a mile of my location. I figured an outside antenna will just bring that stuff in closer, thats why I thought of the filter in-line idea.

You very well may need the filter, but you will pay the price.

"insertion loss is <2.5dB"

That's close to half of your ADS-B signal gone, right there.

 

[cg]

That Flightaware antenna and the Airspy.US 1090 saw filter /preamp is what I am using. I am very happy with it. Next step is a decent 978MHz antenna.

chris

 

[N1SQB]

With that many extra connections (4) plus the filter, you are most likely looking at least 3db or HALF of your signal lost.

Bear with me here a moment.
The antenna connection at the antenna base, (1)
Antenna feed directly connected to the filter going in (2)
Connection from the out side of filter (3)
Actual connection at the dongle. Is this what you consider the 4th connection?

Manny

 

[N1SQB]

That Flightaware antenna and the Airspy.US 1090 saw filter /preamp is what I am using. I am very happy with it. Next step is a decent 978MHz antenna.

chris

Chris, I thought about the saw.filter preamp thing at first. However, a $25 dongle with a TCXO and 0.5 ppm acuracy was too good to pass up compared to $199 for the afore mentioned preamp / filter combo from FlightAware. I think I will buy the antenna for sure, then see what happens. I should still see an improvement over my little stock antenna set up. I'll be running it with low loss cable and less than 40 feet in length form the pole into the shack. So far, I tried the filter which came today. Right away, with the stock antenna that the package came with ,I saw a difference.
I went from 2 aircraft in the immediate area without the filter, to 7 or 8 with the filter. So I can only suspect that an external antenna with 5 DB gain will only help things!
Manny

 

[Your_account]

can you edit your post you are very rude now.

 

[toastycookies]

Bear with me here a moment.
The antenna connection at the antenna base, (1)
Antenna feed directly connected to the filter going in (2)
Connection from the out side of filter (3)
Actual connection at the dongle. Is this what you consider the 4th connection?

Manny

Male / female of pigtail.
Male / female of filter.

1 2 3 4

instead of antenna to dongle.

I have that 1090 antenna from flightaware and it works very well.

The way I have it setup though I run the dongle off of a 50' active USB cable. The connection from dongle to antenna itself is about a 18" (inch) run of LMR 400 terminated with a SMA on one end and a male N connector for the antenna side.

That was my solution for lowest loss possible between antenna and dongle.

 

[cg]

there are 2 filters at Airspy.us, the one I use is the $50 one.

chris

 

[N1SQB]

Male / female of pigtail.
Male / female of filter.

1 2 3 4

instead of antenna to dongle.

I have that 1090 antenna from flightaware and it works very well.

The way I have it setup though I run the dongle off of a 50' active USB cable. The connection from dongle to antenna itself is about a 18" (inch) run of LMR 400 terminated with a SMA on one end and a male N connector for the antenna side.

That was my solution for lowest loss possible between antenna and dongle.

Very interesting set up you have there! I'm gonna think about that for a minute. I'm still in the planning and testing stages. I haven't made any decisions other than to try this filter. But I'm not ruling out anything here.

there are 2 filters at Airspy.us, the one I use is the $50 one.

chris

You mean THIS one? I wonder if the ceramic version makes a difference over this one? Doesn't look like it at first glance! I'm tempted to try it Chris! You got me thinking really hard now! Between this saw one, something similar like the cable set up that toastycookies has and the Airspy antenna, I should be good to go. Being up high in altitude (almost 475' ASL, and being between BAC and NY airspaces, I should get some real good results! I can't thank you guys enough for all your help on this! Really!



Manny

 

[cg]

The ad says no external power but that is only with the Airspy set up to power it. It does require power for operation with different SDR.
I am working on a setup for mounting everything up on the mast in a weatherproof box. The wire to the computer is Cat5 running Power Over Ethernet (POE). Then a Raspberry PI2 with two SDRs. One for ADS-B at 1090 MHz and the other for UAT 978 MHz. Still a work in progress but getting there.

chris

 

[N1SQB]

The ad says no external power but that is only with the Airspy set up to power it. It does require power for operation with different SDR.
I am working on a setup for mounting everything up on the mast in a weatherproof box. The wire to the computer is Cat5 running Power Over Ethernet (POE). Then a Raspberry PI2 with two SDRs. One for ADS-B at 1090 MHz and the other for UAT 978 MHz. Still a work in progress but getting there.

chris

Unfortunately, I don't understand PI2s enough to acquire one. Either way, I went ahead and ordered the $45 saw filter / amp from Airspy-us. Now, is there enough activity on UAT 978 MHz? I've been led to believe that the most favored or in-use of the two was 1090 MHz. I know it depends on whether you fly above FL-180 and above or below that.I'm also aware of the 2020 deadline for all aircraft to be in compliance with one or the other. I also understand that 978 is only used in the US, as the rest of the world has moved to 1090.

Manny

 

[Your_account]

Hopefully the Filter Signals on 900mhz out!