[Ebay] Airband Antenna for Radio?

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Your_account

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Hi
I use my SDR oboard an Aircraft for monitoring some Frqs. Now I want an small rubber Antenna for the Airband.
I found on ebay just VHF / UHF Antenna like: 136-174/400-480

Does anyone know some Antenna who is made for the Airband 108 - 136 Mhz?
Thanks!
 

cmdrwill

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Most 'rubber duck' antennas do not work below the VHF Ham, 144. frequencies. You might look for the antenna used on the Icom airband hand held radio, it will be 118 to 125 range.
 

mmckenna

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For receiving, the exact resonate frequency of the antenna isn't as critical as some might suggest.

An antenna will pick up a signal if it's strong, doesn't matter the length. A pin, paper clip, coat hanger, will all work.

Find an antenna that is relatively close to the frequency you want and go with it. For VHF Air band, the VHF antenna you listed will be fine. Any VHF antenna will work for what you are doing.

If range is a concern, then a rubber antenna isn't the right tool for the job. Convenience of the rubber antenna takes precedence over performance, so just go with it.
 

ka3jjz

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Actually the antenna that you mentioned is a bit too short to be very efficient on the air band (118-136 Mhz). This is especially true if there are any traps (coils) on the elements. Why not build a very simple ground plane? Very easy antenna to build, decent performance across the band

Yes it's not a rubber duckie, but as noted earlier, tuned duckies for that band tend to be pretty expensive. Or perhaps an Austin Condor? Even with shipping and VAT, it's likely to set you back only about EU40 or so. Or even a collapsible whip will do very nicely - even better if you can put a couple of radials on it...something like this, for example

http://www.scannermaster.com/All_Band_Telescoping_Whip_Replacement_Antenna_p/25-541698.htm

At 120 Mhz, a quarter wave antenna is just shy of 2 foot long - should be very doable

Mike
 

Your_account

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A pin, paper clip, coat hanger, will all work.
Ok the are a little rare onboard an Aircraft.
the VHF antenna you listed will be fine. Any VHF antenna will work for what you are doing.
I try it out without an LNA and I received nothing. My "big" Antenna on the floor (w/o Filter, LNA) received the Signal very strong.
If range is a concern, then a rubber antenna isn't the right tool for the job.
I am very limited in space so what did you recommend? The have to be stealth so I dont want to much attention.
Why not build a very simple ground plane?
1) I live in a smal apartment where I cand build anything and 2) it must be a commercial grade to not look perilously.
Or perhaps an Austin Condor?
*gg* The are on ebay to. 7,40€ at the Moment:
1.1m Teleskopantenne Stabantenne BNC Edelstahl 3.5dBi 118-136MHz für TV FM radio | eBay
Main problem the have the wrong Plug that mean I have also ned to use an adapter.
is just shy of 2 foot long
?
 

ka3jjz

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So you live in an apartment - so what's the problem? A ground plane is small enough to hide in a closet, or you can hang it from the ceiling (higher is generally better); and even more important - you can move it around to see where your best reception is (indoor antennas are always a bit tricky because you're constantly dealing with sigs that bounce off objects or are reflected).

Construction is so easy even a caveman could do it...here's an example of how to build a 144 Mhz ground plane; you can use the supplied formulae to recalculate your lengths for the VHF air band

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

I'd choose the midpoint of the band - the response will be good enough across the entire band for receiving. In fact many airports use this antenna on their towers. And it will be better than most any duckie you get on a scanner, for sure.

Mike
 

mmckenna

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I'm confused now.

I thought you wanted to use an SDR aboard an aircraft? For that, a VHF flexible antenna might be your best choice. You don't need one exactly tuned to the VHF Air frequencies. Just something close will work fine. My comment about the paper clip was to indicate that nearly anything will work for receiving.

If it's in your apartment, then do the home built ground plane antenna. Easy to do and will work well.

Maybe if you clarify exactly what you are looking for.
 

KR3LC

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He said: "I use my SDR oboard an Aircraft for monitoring some Frqs"

He should clarify if this is the actual use because if it is then all the big antennas everyone is suggesting is not what he wants. Even the rubber duckies are too big for his discreet listening needs.
 

cmdrwill

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If you have a SDR, it probably has a SMA connector. Get a 27 inch length of the small coax WITH the mating SMA connector. Remove the outer jacket, and shield, the center conductor now becomes a 1/4 wave antenna at 68 mm, 24.7 inches.
 

Your_account

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DPD Productions - Aviation Base & Mobile Antennas: Air Band, VHF, UHF, ADS-B, 1090 MHz, ATC, FBO Base, PCL, AWOS, ACARS
sorry the smal antenna is rubbish for an aircraft use: fixe cable, magnet (!), and big...
Even the rubber duckies are too big for his discreet listening needs.
the size is ok.
 

jonwienke

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Which onboard an aircraft, are smaller than the wavelengths you're trying to receive.

You'll be able to pick up transmissions from the plane you're in, but forget about anything else.
 

slicerwizard

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Make up your mind. Do you want a VHF antenna for VHF comms, or a 1090 MHz antenna for ADS-B? Do you not understand the relationship between frequency and wavelength?
 

jeepsandradios

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to expensive.

A new in the package Aviation band VHF antenna from ICOM is only $35.00. I find them on ebay (A4, A5) for around that also. If that's too expensive your in the wrong hobby. That antenna is designed specifically for the aviation radio and is what you need.

Icom FAB02AR OEM Standard Antenna Aviation Handheld Radios A4 A5 A6 A23 A14 A24
 

jonwienke

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why? for 1090 works very very good.

Because RF will not go through holes in metal that are smaller than 1/2-wavelength or so. A standard aircraft window will let in 1090MHz signals, but will not pass anything in the VHF band.

It's the same reason the screen in a microwave oven door will pass visible light (which has a microscopic wavelength), but blocks the 2.4GHz RF produced by the oven.
 
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