scanners

[brs planespotter]

i would like too purchase a air scanner so i can listen too lhw and lgw towers,the problem is i live in bristol under the shadow of dundry hills.can anyone give me any advice or is it a total non starter,thank u in advance

[BOAC]

1) No chance due to distance

2) Stand by for a blow on the back of the head from a piece of 2x2 wielded by PPruneRadar:hmm:

[HXdave]

brs_planespotter,

i got the same treatment when i asked which set of binoculars would be best for viewing the heathrow runways from halifax.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Amazing....... quite amazing!

[Evanelpus]

This post has given me my afternoon chuckle.

This has to be a troll, surely!

[BOAC]

viewing the heathrow runways from halifax. - is there one still flying?

This has to be a troll, surely! - I believe opinion is divided

[flyingtincan]

Scanners work, roughly speaking, on a line of sight signals.
So if you can or could see it you can hear it
What can you see if you look up? Or towards the horizon?
Some are so high or so far that you won't see them but you can still hear them.
And there's lots of them.

[411A]

No chance due to distance


Normally true, but not always, due to VHF ducting, at certain times of the year.:}

[Mr_Grubby]

When I was a nipper back in late '68 living in Lincoln, with my first scanner, under certain weather conditions I could listen to Amsterdam Approach quite clearly. I think it had something to do with the Kennelly– Appleton Heaviside layer ?

Clint.

[BOAC]

There you are, brs - 2 posters say it might be worth buying one. You just need to buy the ducting as well.

[forget]

You just need to buy the ducting as well.

Cracker :ok: Will he ask - or won't he?

[Avman]

Cruel, cruel, you are all soo cruel. :E

[Huyin]

This is dragging me away from lurking on the BA vs Bassa thread!

One question,
Given that H**eb**e have a **% discount for today & tomorrow (no advertising, Mods!) can you obtain the Heaviside layer there as well, or does one use the Met Office On Line shop??

[SpringHeeledJack]

Funny thread :)

I've fancied getting an old air receiver, perhaps 1970s vintage, but never seem to have seen one for sale on fleabay etc. Anyone point me in the direction of where one might ?



SHJ

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I suspect that the various spotters forums, of which there are many, might be the places to look but I'm not sure exactly what you mean by an "old air receiver". Do you mean something out of an aircraft or a "scanning" receiver? In the 1970s the receivers available to enthusiasts were largely junk compared to today's models so it would hardly be worth the purchase unless you wanted it for a particular reason.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I mean the hand held type of scanning receiver, i seem to remember Sanyo or some far-eastern manufacturer were very popular in the day. I don't go spotting, apart from the odd pleasant few hours here and there to see flying machines, so to get a modern scanner doesn't really make sense. I suppose it's motivated by nostalgia, although it's not what it used to be :} Does this mean that i'll have to sign up to these fora, or can one just dive in and out ?



SHJ

[PaperTiger]

Well, I must congratulate the finger-waggers on a fine display of restraint. Only 1 'bite' so far, perhaps the rest haven't logged in yet ?

:}

[BOAC]

I suspect that the various spotters forums, of which there are many - ah there there! Someone tell him which forum this is.:)

Huyin - have you tried 'Troposhop (http://www.weirdity.com/internet/eoti.html)'?

[Gulf4uk]

There was in the early 70s a Shop in aldershot that sold loads of
GOV Surplus Radio gear . many of you with HAM experiance will
know of the types and practical wireless had articles of how to
Modify for the AMATEUR USE. VHF scanners dont know if they
even existed then but you could get multi band sets with
AIRBAND , VHF MW LW WEATHER BAND . Did there job but
were prone to overload and band width was very poor so
tuning was hit and miss. VHF AIR SUPPLIES near Heathrow
was about the only place then you could get them.
As for now EBAY might be a good start. or a RADIO
FAIR somewhere. you can get those multiband sets now
for a tenner but dont bother there not very good .

Tony
Farnborough (NOT RAINING)

[gigi116]

try to build an external directive antenna (yagi) to have more db gain.

See the following link :
YAGI-UDA (http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/LINK/yagi.html)

[forget]

try to build an external directive antenna (yagi) to have more db gain.

Good idea. :ok: But bear in mind you'll need to sit it on Box Hill or somewhere close and that could mean an excessively long co-ax run.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<Quote:
Originally Posted by HD
I suspect that the various spotters forums, of which there are many

- ah there there! Someone tell him which forum this is.>>

"There, there" to you too me-dearie oh!! You surely appreciate that "Spectators Balcony" on here is not the only forum for spotters in the world? In fact there are many more in the UK favoured by those with far greater expertise than us on here.

[Huyin]

BOAC
I thought I had tried "Troposhop" but discovered to my chagrin at breakfast this morning that my orange juice is actually labelled "Trop****a", (No advertising ,Mods!). Similarly I discovered "yagi-db" is not a German yoghurt!
At this moment I feel the weight of the Heaviside layer bearing down on me !!

[BOAC]

Similarly I discovered "yagi-db" is not a German yoghurt - I believe it is a 'mind and body centre for meditation' in Berlin.

[skyman771]

I've fancied getting an old air receiver, perhaps 1970s vintage, but never seem to have seen one for sale on fleabay etc. Anyone point me in the direction of where one might ?
Hard to come by these days & not a lot of use. Reminded me as try & ascsertain as to whether my old set still worked, tried it yesterday... working perfectly!!! first call heard on Shanwick was"Clipper 73 crossing the POL VOR at FL310 Heading for DCS......who needs long range binoculars ?

[Evanelpus]

Discovered my old Lowe HF-125 set in the loft the other week, blew off the dust and plugged it in and it worked perfectly.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<Clipper 73 crossing the POL VOR at FL310 Heading for DCS......>>

Verrrryy interesting radio you have!

[Evanelpus]

<<Clipper 73 crossing the POL VOR at FL310 Heading for DCS......>>

Verrrryy interesting radio you have!

Where's Doc? It's Back to the Future time!

[BOAC]

Verrrryy interesting radio you have! - if it is one of those valved sets, I understand that R/T transmissions can be stored for several years on the cold cathodes. Did anyone reply?

[TurningFinals]

On a cloudy day you might be able to pick up some of the transmissions from LGW and LHR as the signal will reflect off the clouds. :ok:

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

TurningFinals..... Nice one... ho ho ho!!!!!!:rolleyes:

[Evanelpus]

On a cloudy day you might be able to pick up some of the transmissions from LGW and LHR as the signal will reflect off the clouds.

Way too many Tennants!

[e-jet190]

You may need a hearing aid !

[canard68]

I managed to hear LHR TWR and faint replies from aircraft on the ground on Thursday using a Log Periodic aerial near Buxton 137 miles.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Canard.. out of interest, is your LP antenna horizontal or vertical?

[canard68]

On Thursday I had it set vertical polarization.I was surprised at the results as EGGW was much weaker.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Surprising as airband transmissions are vertically polarised.

[e-jet190]

my car ariel recently broke and i used a coat hanger , great reception !

[Gulf4uk]

The good old wire Coathanger not easy to find these Days as nearly all plastic
not sure if they work as well ?:(




Tony

ps ;

used one for TV somtimes are they any good for Digital TV ?

[grizzled]

Jeeeezzz Gulf4uk...

Of course you can use one for digital TV!
As long as it's one of the newer digital hangers.

Duuhh...

[Gulf4uk]

Thanks will have to get one , cannot get any Freeview channels
at moment .Freesat on Plastic dustbin lid and Lnb is ok

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Ooohh... Myyy...G*d

[e-jet190]

Tuned into Yellowknife approached today ! Ice pilots ! the old coat hangers doing great ! crystal clear ( surrey to Canada ) ! :rolleyes:

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Using X-rays, no doubt, left-handed circular polarisation?

[POWDERFINGER]

You can build an antenna that brings in quite distant signals with the plans on this page:

High Gain Air Band Antennas (http://www.ab9il.net/aviation/airband-antenna1.html)

There's one yagi and one log-periodic, and they both have high gain for those distant aircraft and ATC sites. Can't receive through mountains, though... ya hafta be atop high terrain or at least in a flat area.

[HXdave]

Gulf4uk, has your coat hanger got the digital symbol on it? in not, pop into your local TV shop and ask them for a sticker. once you place this on your coat hanger you should be up & running.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Powderfinger... and you need a rotator too. I can't imagine spinning the antenna back and forth, but some people are mad enough.

[Gulf4uk]

Make sure where you fix this is secure and you have good House
unsurance . But build you own is great fun and if done properly
works well , the one in my loft built from AllyTubing and coathanger
wire works well , Cost couple Quid for cable rest came from
Skips and freecycle

Tony