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  • Originally posted by fungus View Post
    [ snip ] Neither end is waterproof so if using this type outdoors, the outdoor end would require waterproofing. Not an issue though, it would be the same as any other outdoor connection on standard coax that we use to do the job- that rubber weatherproofing tape (the name of which I forget) does a great job as you cant readily 'undo' it without destroying the tape altogether.
    ... That's the self amalgamating tape ...

    Originally posted by fungus View Post
    Love the idea that seems to be the go here of wacking those receivers right up close and personal with the antenna though, great idea for reducing losses to a bear minimum. The only thing I'm unsure about is how the USB extender cable would stand up to outside sun/weather over time as coax has UV protection etc. Obviously if inside a conduit or other it would likely be fine.

    Regards,
    Gregg
    I'm a great believer in duct tape as a cover or the use of 3/4" plastic overflow pipe as conduit - as long as the USB plug will go down it and around corners in the joints. Woul it look strange at a plumbers merchants to test out the 'conduit' capacity with a USB plug?

    Comment


    • No worse than my bunnings trip to gather downpipe for a bike light to fit inside
      Posts not to be taken as official support representation - Just a helpful uploader who tinkers

      Comment


      • Originally posted by peterhr View Post
        ... That's the self amalgamating tape ...

        Pete,

        I'm a great believer in duct tape as a cover or the use of 3/4" plastic overflow pipe as conduit - as long as the USB plug will go down it and around corners in the joints. Woul it look strange at a plumbers merchants to test out the 'conduit' capacity with a USB plug?
        Pete,

        Thanks for jogging my memory re the tape. As for the conduit size, as Oblivian has stated we all have stories we could relate re our shopping trips. Now my missus at the shops....... (perhaps I need/should say no more).

        Gregg
        Last edited by fungus; 2013-07-10, 08:52.
        YSSY2/T-YSSY4 [SBS-1 Basestation w/- SSE-1090 SJ Mk2 Antenna (Thanks Delcomp) ] [Uniden UBCD996T w/- 16 element Wideband Discone VHF/UHF Antenna, and tuned 108MHz-137MHz Airband Antenna] [Trialing a home-brew 1090MHz collinear antenna]

        Comment


        • Tahii, I was following a flight into Invercargill today (NZM65, I think) and it disappeared from NZDN2's (on the FR24 website) reach over about Gore. Has your station generated a sharing key yet?

          Comment


          • Some good tips about ways to improve antenna setups.

            I tried a 5 metre active USB extension cable I had and I couldn't get the DVB-T stick to provide data... I think it just wasn't getting enough juice at the end of the 5m.
            I believe it was one of these - https://www.ascent.co.nz/productspec...?ItemID=381052
            What USB cables are others using? I wondering if the one I have just isn't up to the task?

            Comment


            • I've ordered a 10m one from Amazon - have to see how well it works. One thing I remember reading is that the repeater in the cable uses about 100mA of the available USB power - the maximum power a USB port can reasonably provide from a PC is 50omA - but I suspect something like a Raspberry Pi might be more limited both by itself and by what is used to power the PI.

              What it may pay to do is get a decent USB hub [with a power in socket] and a decent 5V regulated adaptor to power it.
              The USB hub is then used to power the PI and also used between the PI USB sockets and any devices - to the power comes from the Hub not the PI

              Comment


              • Originally posted by NZDN3 View Post
                Tahii, I was following a flight into Invercargill today (NZM65, I think) and it disappeared from NZDN2's (on the FR24 website) reach over about Gore. Has your station generated a sharing key yet?
                Yes it has generated a sharing key, but would depend what time 8065 came over - if it was after midday I had gone home, and as such my laptop and dongle had come with me. As I said above until I get a Pi and get it running on that it'll be a temporary setup, for when I'm working only (I'm next on on Monday so no coverage till then folks).

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                • I should say too, NZDN4 has been getting coverage as far south as Dacre, so not sure why he didn't cover that section of the flight.

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by NZDN3 View Post
                    Some good tips about ways to improve antenna setups.

                    I tried a 5 metre active USB extension cable I had and I couldn't get the DVB-T stick to provide data... I think it just wasn't getting enough juice at the end of the 5m.
                    I believe it was one of these - https://www.ascent.co.nz/productspec...?ItemID=381052
                    What USB cables are others using? I wondering if the one I have just isn't up to the task?
                    This information about USB cables might be useful.

                    "USB 2.0 provides for a maximum cable length of 5 meters for devices running at Hi Speed (480 Mbit/s). The primary reason for this limit is the maximum allowed round-trip delay of about 1.5 μs. If USB host commands are unanswered by the USB device within the allowed time, the host considers the command lost. When adding USB device response time, delays from the maximum number of hubs added to the delays from connecting cables, the maximum acceptable delay per cable amounts to 26 ns. The USB 2.0 specification requires that cable delay be less than 5.2 ns per meter (192 000 km/s, which is close to the maximum achievable transmission speed for standard copper wire)."
                    AMS Daily Fight Information: http://schiphol.dutchplanespotters.nl/

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Tahii View Post
                      Yes it has generated a sharing key, but would depend what time 8065 came over - if it was after midday I had gone home, and as such my laptop and dongle had come with me. As I said above until I get a Pi and get it running on that it'll be a temporary setup, for when I'm working only (I'm next on on Monday so no coverage till then folks).
                      Ah, that makes sense. I think it was late afternoon (17:55 arrival).

                      Good point about the Pi. I might actually start using mine for this as well. I'm thinking if I run it off a 2.1 amp charger, and put some sort of USB "in-between" in to bump up the current output of the Pi USB ports, it might work well enough.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by Tahii View Post
                        I should say too, NZDN4 has been getting coverage as far south as Dacre, so not sure why he didn't cover that section of the flight.
                        I had noticed that with NZDN4 as well. NZDN4 seems like it's a little further south than Mosgiel somewhere... perhaps Outram/Milton area; as such it might be too close to the ranges south of Balclutha (or, perhaps Maungatua), therefore LOS getting cut off as soon as any aircraft start their decent into NZNV. Just speculation from what I've observed, so I could be way off with the location.

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by NZDN3 View Post
                          Some good tips about ways to improve antenna setups.

                          I tried a 5 metre active USB extension cable I had and I couldn't get the DVB-T stick to provide data... I think it just wasn't getting enough juice at the end of the 5m.
                          I believe it was one of these - https://www.ascent.co.nz/productspec...?ItemID=381052
                          What USB cables are others using? I wondering if the one I have just isn't up to the task?
                          I'm using this 5m USB 'active' (as against 'passive' I presume) 'repeater' cable in my setup although I'm afraid I cant give you any further tech specs on it other than that shown on the link. It supposedly 'boosts' your signal and seems to do the job however the name 'booster' is something of a misnomer (see below);



                          I'm using it with a Kinetics Basestation SBS-1 between the receiver (indoors) and the laptop. With a previous setup the receiver was some metres from the laptop and so the cable was required. It isnt at present but I think it's folly to think that it will 'boost' any signal coming from the receiver. I think they are designed to prevent signal loss over a long cable run, not so much to 'increase' it under these circumstances.

                          Regards,
                          Gregg
                          Last edited by fungus; 2013-07-11, 04:10. Reason: corrected error re location of USB cable etc
                          YSSY2/T-YSSY4 [SBS-1 Basestation w/- SSE-1090 SJ Mk2 Antenna (Thanks Delcomp) ] [Uniden UBCD996T w/- 16 element Wideband Discone VHF/UHF Antenna, and tuned 108MHz-137MHz Airband Antenna] [Trialing a home-brew 1090MHz collinear antenna]

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by NZDN3 View Post
                            I had noticed that with NZDN4 as well. NZDN4 seems like it's a little further south than Mosgiel somewhere... perhaps Outram/Milton area; as such it might be too close to the ranges south of Balclutha (or, perhaps Maungatua), therefore LOS getting cut off as soon as any aircraft start their decent into NZNV. Just speculation from what I've observed, so I could be way off with the location.
                            My guess it is somewhere around Wakari - Kenmure - Highgate - Upper Mornington at ~~120-150m above sea level. Comparing with my spot (Calton Hill), it has better view over Taieri Plains (as Scroggs Hill is not in line), slightly (~ 20km) further towards Invercargill but not as good towards North and North-East where proximity of mt Cargill and neighbouring heights might became an issue.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by PALTDNNZ View Post
                              My guess it is somewhere around Wakari - Kenmure - Highgate - Upper Mornington at ~~120-150m above sea level. Comparing with my spot (Calton Hill), it has better view over Taieri Plains (as Scroggs Hill is not in line), slightly (~ 20km) further towards Invercargill but not as good towards North and North-East where proximity of mt Cargill and neighbouring heights might became an issue.
                              Pretty sure NZDN4 is a member of the forum, and had said he was around the airport, or just south of... will look for the post.

                              Comment


                              • Just ordered the DPD antenna, a tad on the expensive side with shipping at usd$54 but thanks to good old Trade Me the cost has been somewhat offset.

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