scanner antenna

[atcmanjdb]

ok bear with me guys im kinda new at this....im an air traffic controller i live about 20-25 miles from my airport i want to know if anyone can help me by telling me what kind of antenna i need and if its possible to pick up just my air traffic control tower from my home....i currently can pick up the tower if im 5 miles from the airport in my truck any help would be greatly appreciated....thanks

 

[ka3jjz]

Not knowing where you are and the type of terrain, I sincerely doubt you're going to hear your tower 25 miles away. Usually the power output and type of antenna would mean that your 5 miles that you're currently hearing it is just about the limit. If the terrain is flat, perhaps a couple of miles more - maybe. 25 is just not likely.

However, if your tower is being picked up by someone and rebroadcast on an online service like liveatc.net or scannerfeeds.us, that's certainly a possibility.
73s Mike

 

[fuzzymoto]

My house is pretty high up and my airport is at least 25 miles away with some significant terrain in-between. I easily pickup the tower from home with a Radio Shack 20-176 or my Scantenna/ST-2 antenna. Again I am fairly high up. While testing my car setup today I picked up the tower comms from inside my garage also.

At work I'm less than 10-miles from the tower with a 20-176 mounted in a concrete building and I barely hear the tower.

I think with the right antenna, coax and terrain it may be possible.

What's your terrain like? How high will you be mounting the antenna?

I would also check into the on-line feed also.

 

[AndrewGS]

I'm ten miles from IAH (Houston Intercontinental) and I clearly receive the tower with my RS 20-176 about 25' off the ground. I'd imagine a properly tuned yagi pointed at your airport as far off the ground as you can get it should work, but you should combine an omnidirectional antenna for receiving the in-flight aircraft.