Ramsey Kit for Aircraft

[toydriver_det]

Got my new Ramsey kit catalog today and they are selling a "Passive Air Band Monitor".
It has no local oscillator and so no IF frequencies and is claimed to not create any interference.
Covers 118 to 136 MHz.
It is not tunable, just picks up whatever signal is the strongest.

While the ad claims you can use it onboard an aircraft we will have to wait to see what the FAA and the airlines have to say about it.
I just want to report on a NEW receiver and not get the whole can you/should you/did you debate going again. Please.

They are selling the kit (ABM1) for $90 and a factory assembled version (ABM1WT) for $160.
Their website is http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/
They have a lot of kits that are of high quality and not too hard to put together.

 

[DPD1]

While the ad claims you can use it onboard an aircraft we will have to wait to see what the FAA and the airlines have to say about it.

Yeah, not sure a Stewardess would buy that... I would rather they finally do a lowfer transmitter with built-in programmable coder. Guess I'll have to make my own.

Dave
http://www.DPDProductions.com
- Featuring the TrainTenna RR Scanner Antennas -

 

[alfall]

Ramsey ABM1 Review

I have really enjoyed my Ramsey ABM1. It was easy to build. Ramsey also offers a pre-built version also. You just turn it on and plug in headphones; there is no tuning. It picks up the entire air band. Since aircraft use AM, you hear multiple signals at the same time. On the ground, you can hear the tower and other pilots. Once you are airborne, you can only hear the pilots on your plane. It is interesting to hear their communication with ATC. I was discrete about using it (I had it in my pocket), so the flight attendants did not notice it. The radio does does not have a superhet oscillator, so it does not cause any interference to air communication.

I also don't want to debate whether a person should use it on a plane. I am just saying that I did it descretely, and it works.

 

[TeRayCodA]

Those look pretty cool;alfall;

But for that price,you could almost get a good used Pro-43.(that gets everything)
I'm not knockin' it.Let us know how you like it.
Would be cool if they made a Mil-air monitor in one of those!

Also,about the debate,after watching CNN,the things going on today(Fed Air Safety)I'm sure it would raise some eyebrows at the check-point.

 

[pa0trx]

When monitoring ATC traffic near an airport I feel it may be difficult to monitor the correct conversation. RWR, GND, APP etc. more than 30 frequencies in use in 118-136 Mhz band, in my case. A receiver tuning in on the correct frequency may provide more comfort.

 

[AZScanner]

I could pretty much bet dollars to donuts that the TSA would not let you on board an aircraft with it, especially not right now with kookie people trying to blow up airplanes using MP3 players and gatorade bottles.... I'd be a bit nervous even trying to go on board an aircraft with one.

However, a much better use could be your local airshow. Think of how cool that would be to listen to all the ATC comms there without having to tune or touch a thing, including all the unpublished discrete frequencies used by stunt teams and such! That might be worth the $90 right there. Of course a BC396 with close call can do that too, but it costs a wee bit more.