PilotAware

British Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Wadoadi on July 21, 2018, 07:46:43 pm

Title: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Wadoadi on July 21, 2018, 07:46:43 pm
Hi All,
     so a couple of  questions for you:

1. Re the P3I dipole antenna sold by Pilotaware team and it's mounting polarisation, should it be mounted horizontal or vertical, I assume even though the signal is normally vertically polarised the antenna should be horizontally mounted as it appears to be helically wound?

2.  ADS-B aerial, I would like a small dipole aerial for ADS-B in also, can anyone recommend one? ideally with an MCX connector?

Many thanks

Adrian
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Ian Melville on July 21, 2018, 09:12:09 pm
Hi Adrian,
1. The dipole should be vertical.
2. It's easy to make your own, I posted somewhere on how to modify a mag mount antenna to a diploe for 1090. If you want to buy just use another P3i anntena. Yes it is off tune, but ADSB signals are strong enough for that to be less critical. You can get SMA to MCX adaptors(see below). FLARM used to do one for the PowerFalrm unit, but that has vanished now. It was a custom product and IIRC was darn expensive.
I would be tempeted to try this one. https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/Linx-Technologies/ANT-916-MHW-SMA-S?qs=%2fha2pyFadugK6kH9v1WEl9hvgyhjJngOUPiWkQkXjAFEJreoGQ%252bgTg%3d%3d. It's cheap enough to have punt.

Adaptor. Double check it is the right gender on both ends. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMA-female-jack-to-MCX-male-plug-RF-coaxial-adapter-connector-F957663K/262496365620?epid=897995381&hash=item3d1e00ac34:g:RqUAAOSwkNZUpHq-
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Wadoadi on July 21, 2018, 10:28:55 pm
Thanks Ian, may well take that punt, if I do I will report back.

Do you have the full spec for the p3i one out of interest?

Cheers Adi
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Ian Melville on July 21, 2018, 11:04:26 pm
Sorry, no. Keith may be able to help there.
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Paul_Sengupta on July 22, 2018, 12:25:01 am
What spec do you want for the P3i antenna?

Personally I wouldn't go for one of those SMA-MCX adaptors, I bought a couple and they're not a great fit and don't make a great connection. I'd go for one of the cables, maybe feeding it through to the same end of the Classic as the P3i antenna, drilling a hole for it in that end, and a small hole in the case at the other end between the seams to feed it though into the case.

This sort of thing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MCX-Male-to-SMA-Female-RG316-Low-Loss-Pigtail-Adapter-Cable-XXXX-Y1G7/322931582349 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MCX-Male-to-SMA-Female-RG316-Low-Loss-Pigtail-Adapter-Cable-XXXX-Y1G7/322931582349)
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Seanhump on July 23, 2018, 09:45:30 am
On the ADSB side, the standard 'Bit of straight wire' antenna on the mag mount works very well - see attached for the range of some of the aircraft detected!!

Loads of Gliders (courtesy of the ground stations around the Coventry Area) displayed on SD too, which given the gliding competition over the weekend, was incredibly handy!!

Mines cut down to around 80mm and still gets way more information than needed .. short enough now to hide out of the way if needed, and as the signals are so strong, you could probably make it even shorter
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Admin on July 23, 2018, 11:54:55 am
Sean, that has to be a record.
one aircraft G-EUUP caught at 335km away  :o
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: exfirepro on August 14, 2018, 10:13:06 am
On the ADSB side, the standard 'Bit of straight wire' antenna on the mag mount works very well - see attached for the range of some of the aircraft detected!!

Loads of Gliders (courtesy of the ground stations around the Coventry Area) displayed on SD too, which given the gliding competition over the weekend, was incredibly handy!!

Mines cut down to around 80mm and still gets way more information than needed .. short enough now to hide out of the way if needed, and as the signals are so strong, you could probably make it even shorter [My Bold - exfirepro]

Brilliant results, Sean, very impressive coverage, but just a word of warning to all - 80mm overall length is fine, but don't be tempted to cut the 1090MHz antenna down too short as this might have a detrimental effect on the Mode C / S Alerts, which are triggered by received signal strength levels, which in turn depend on good reception! Not a major issue, but worth knowing and remembering....

Best Regards

Peter
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Giver on August 15, 2018, 10:20:54 am
following on from this topic yesterday i noticed a definite blanking of my aerial in my fibreglass aircraft
so would like to fit an external aerial in the winter layup,
any suggestions for good quality preferably blade type aerial to fit underneath and to the rear that gives good value and performance,


giver
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Ian Melville on August 15, 2018, 12:15:14 pm
ADSB or P3i antenna?

Don't think there is a blade antenna for P3i yet, but I did suggest one to Keith. IIRC he was working on an external P3i antenna

For ADSB, you can use any transponder antenna, though in my opinion they are over priced for our needs. It would be nice if we could offer one of those as well.
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Richard on August 15, 2018, 12:16:48 pm
Hi
   PilotAware have tuned external antennas available on the products page of the website. They can be fitted to your europa but a  groungplane will be needed.  I’m currently doing the very thing you are thinking about. I’m just going to use the Pi3 antenna that Keith has produced. The ADSB antenna is the dipole low profile (also sold by Pilotaware) and is nicely mounted on the side of my Europa panel.

I have yet to test the Pi3 antenna as the aircraft is down for its annual I will try to get some pictures of the antenna mounted to the inspection panel for the tunnel in my Europa.
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Giver on August 15, 2018, 06:04:45 pm
Thanks Ian and Ritchard for your input it’s much appreciated, having looked at the Blade type transponder antennas they must be having a laugh with prices north of a complete rosetta,

being aware of the blanking effect of the engine and crew to radio transmissions i was trying to find a suitable place that had the least blanking, Unfortunately Ritchard my underbelly panel is very busy electrically so not suitable, so was looking at the lower fuselage towards the tail, I have a VHF antenna
on the stern post so that probably rules out the fin due to its proximity ?
will have to revaluate my choices with a possible internal antenna instead,
Title: Re: Aerials both ADS-B and P3I
Post by: Richard on August 15, 2018, 06:34:39 pm
Giver
   Just another suggestion is, you can always make a fin for the antenna Keith has on offer. If you built your Europa you will easily be-able to make one from the scraps you have left over. If not let me know and I will try to knock one together to fit the Pilotaware antenna.

I may make one anyway to stop me stabbing my self in the head with the one I have fitted.