I just finished building the collinear out of LDF1-50. It's an 8 and a half element antenna with a shorted top whip. I like the idea of the DC short in the design as it will prevent static buildup on the center conductor however it's still resonant at 1090 MHz... the magic of antennas!
The first collinear I built was out of RG59 and it didn't work very well... its first test was in my basement which is below ground. It picked-up nothing down there which I now know as a sign it wasn't going to work very well at all.
Now the new LDF1-50 collinear was carefully constructed and even a sleeve balun in the base added & cut to a 1/4 wave. I just tested the new LDF1-50 collinear antenna in my basement, it's 3AM Monday morning and the quietest time of the week for air traffic... guess what? It was picking up aircraft ... quite a few of them down in the basement... the antenna seems to be very sensitive! If it doesn't rain tomorrow I will be up the tower and installing it. I now have N connectors for the LDF1-50. Here are some photos... I'll take some tomorrow of the new antenna installation and cabling...
http://ads-b.ca/LDF1-50/super-antenna/
The first collinear I built was out of RG59 and it didn't work very well... its first test was in my basement which is below ground. It picked-up nothing down there which I now know as a sign it wasn't going to work very well at all.
Now the new LDF1-50 collinear was carefully constructed and even a sleeve balun in the base added & cut to a 1/4 wave. I just tested the new LDF1-50 collinear antenna in my basement, it's 3AM Monday morning and the quietest time of the week for air traffic... guess what? It was picking up aircraft ... quite a few of them down in the basement... the antenna seems to be very sensitive! If it doesn't rain tomorrow I will be up the tower and installing it. I now have N connectors for the LDF1-50. Here are some photos... I'll take some tomorrow of the new antenna installation and cabling...
http://ads-b.ca/LDF1-50/super-antenna/
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