External Setup

[Anmer]

Since moving house in March 2014, I haven't been able to install my external antennae until now.

Having just moved into our own property, I've managed to get them installed.  But access to the chimney stack was beyond my ladder's reach so I employed a professional installer.

Here are some photos of the installation on Friday.  I've yet to connect the various receivers but will post updates to this thread as soon as I get around to it.

The pole has three aerials.

1. 10 year old GP-1090 and AS-1090 pre-amp from Wimo.  30 metres Ecoflex 10 low loss coax cable.  On the left.
2. A TMRF VHF/UHF antenna called the TMRF-BS Scan which I used for ACARS messages.  30 meters low loss coax.  Middle.
3. A new FlightAware 1090 antenna for testing.  Came with 30 feet low loss coax. On the right.

I'm not sure if the FlightAware antenna is available in the UK yet?  http://www.amazon.com/1090MHz-ADS-B-Antenna-66cm-26in/dp/B00WZL6WPO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442147694&sr=8-1&keywords=1090+antenna

The installer and his assistant took over 2 hours to rig the pole and fix it to the chimney stack.  The property is 400 feet ASL overllooking the sea and needs a strong pole and fixing brackets.

The total cost was GBP £90, including some brackets, the main pole and a cranked one for the FlightAware antenna.  I thought this was excellent value for the money.

Hopefully the setup will survive the high winds we get here in winter?

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[Bethsalem]

Very professional looking setup.

I haven't seen the TMRF antenna either as ACARS decoding is my next project, and that was the very antenna I was looking to acquire.

The FlightAware 1090 antenna is only available from the States at present, they will send worldwide, which is great as I haven't yet bought the antenna from them, but I have bought the bandpass filter.

I wish installation was as cheap as that in Spain. I nearly needed a second mortgage to get a three antenna rig installed. 

[Anmer]

I haven't seen the TMRF antenna either as ACARS decoding is my next project, and that was the very antenna I was looking to acquire.

Just spoke to Chris Taylor at Taylor Made RF and the VHF/UHF antenna is a TMRF-BS Scan at GBP £39.95.

Chris had a stock photo showing just three radials whereas it has four.

[mhm]

Like Mike I paid good money for our TV man to fit both mine on chimney .

Mine all bought from Chris Taylor.

[Anmer]

Like Mike I paid good money for our TV man to fit both mine on chimney .

I thought GBP £90 was well short of "good money". 

[corsa]

I think that's excellent value,  Mike.

[Truetrack]

Hi Mike
a nice setup you have
Is the installation completed yet?
Are you intending to finish with a decent direct grounding of the mast
same dist off the wall, solid wire of sufficient dia respective crosssection into a ground rod ?

The cantilever with the Flightaware antenna could have a second arm just above the second cable clip
but still below the base of the other antennas.
From the looks cantilever of some 20mm & antenna ~ 25mm is total 1.5 mtr long
one single arm is prone to bending/torsion stress in your gusty breezes.

regards

[Anmer]

Is the installation completed yet?

The antenna is finished but no receivers yet.

No plans for a grounding wire.  Didn't have one before (10 years in place).

There are two brackets on each cranked pole.  This image shows it closer.



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[Truetrack]

Well sure
and those brackets look pretty sturdy,
what I meant was a 2nd slanted/or may be even horizontal section for support.

[Anmer]

Here are comparative range plots run over a 20 minute period using the Elad 1090 with preamp vs the new FlightAware external, no preamp.

The left-hand plot is from the Elad connected to a DVB-T receiver and RPi running FlightAware's PiAware.  This is a very easy setup and is rewarded with a free FlightAware Enterprise account.

The right-hand plot is using the SBS-3 with the FlightAware antenna.

There's little to choose between the two but the SBS-3 receiver seems to be outperforming the DVB-T for message rate and marginal range.

The terrain to my west rises and is reducing range in that direction, as expected.

I noticed that SBSplotter stops receiving messages from PiAware every minute or two but comparing aircraft plots on BaseStation and Dump1090, they are similar except that PiAware/Dump1090 shows MLAT plots and BaseStation doesn't.  Kinetic has definitely been left behind on MLAT.

I'll swap antennas for the next comparative.

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[Sun Worshipper]

Nice looking set up.

A man up a ladder, crikey, the health and safety nazis not in Wales?

[Anmer]

A man up a ladder, crikey, the health and safety nazis not in Wales?

You should have seen the painter!  The ladders are joined with a bungee and duck tape!

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