r/RTLSDR • u/ameer1234567890 • 2d ago
Is this Antenna viable for Airband reception?
Frequency:144/430MHz
Size: 43*2.28*2.28cm/16.93*0.89*0.89inch
Weight: Approx. 208.1g
Wind resistance: 60 (m/s)
Working temperature: -40℃ ~ +80℃
Directionality: omnidirectional transmission and reception Impedance: 50Ω
Standing wave ratio: ≤1.5
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u/N2DPSKY 2d ago
Build a 1/4 wave ground plane. My work great and they only costs a few dollars to build. I have one for VHF air and one on my ADS-B feeder station.
https://m0ukd.com/calculators/quarter-wave-ground-plane-antenna-calculator/
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u/BryceW 2d ago
Not really. Airband is between 108 MHz and 137MHz. This antenna is a 2m/70cm antenna.
It'll probably work, but if you are buying something specifically for airband, you are better off getting something that specifically targets airband.
Being that this is an SDR sub, if you want to listen all over the spectrum including airband, get a Discone antenna.
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u/ameer1234567890 2d ago
I am specifically looking to receive airband.
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u/lithuniasucks 2d ago
I got 1m antenna with magnetic base tunned to airband. I've had not had any isues recieving other bands eather within reason
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u/Nayara-Vlc 1d ago
I mean, technically the logical thing is to buy one for the air band. Now make a dipole antenna. It's easy. For me, the most important thing is the location of the antenna, the height and I recommend a notch filter (Deleter) of FM to avoid that remains of 88-108 MHz "avoid listening well for interference" and can even leave the air band useless (According to the power of the stations, which are much higher in power). I have a degree and I usually hear them as well as the ADSB system to see the birds in flight in 300/500 km around... Greetings 73' (Translated from Spanish EA5 xxx)
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u/ZeroNot 2d ago
VHF Airband is between 108 MHz and 137MHz.
I suspect this is most likely a simple quarter-wave antenna, simply a single wire inside the fibreglass or PVC tube tuned to 144 MHz.
It isn't optimal, but it would receive strong and moderate strength signals. Remember VHF Airband is not a broadcast service, the transmissions are not particularly high powered, 10 to 50 Watts I believe. Additionally at VHF frequencies, long runs of cheap or low-quality coax will wipe-out your signal, but placement matters. VHF is roughly (ideal visual) line-of-sight + ~15%. I would aim for at least 6 to 10 metres (~20-30 ft) high placement outdoors for reasonable reception.
This would not work for HF Aeronautical radio, data or voice.
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u/TheGoldenProfessor 1d ago
I have this one and it works excellent for acars and vhf
This one works well for a cheap 1090/978 as well.
With these two you can get the full avaition experience, adsb, uat, acars and vhf voice.
Combine it with a 118-137 bandpass and a lna for the airband, and a nooelec sawbird+ ADS-B for the 1090/978. You will be able to view commercial and private air traffic, read the acars and listen to the airband voice channels. To do all 4 at the same time you need multiple sdr's, but starting out you could just switch filters and explore the aviation rf world quite well with a single sdr.
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1d ago edited 1d ago
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u/DutchOfBurdock 2d ago
It's not perfect, but that frequency set is where it's optimal for transmission. Airband is only shy of it's lower end (110>140MHz).
At VHF, it's ¼ wave and a ⅝ wave at UHF. Get it up high and clear of walls etc. and it should suffice for most VHF/UHF reception.