DPD Aerial experiment

[GrimReaperuk]

Not fully set up yet but very pleased with my coverage.  no preamp and antenna (Radar Rama) mounted in the garden on a 6ft fence post plus 6m of westflex.  Typical range over the last 2 days is 230-240nm and I have had beyond.  My easterly views are over the sea.  My westerly coverage is blocked by the garage and house plus sloping ground. This definately line of site stuff!  so need to get the aerial up on the side of the house to get better southerly coverage.

Regards

G

[Mark07]

Hi Guys finally the DPD aerial sits proudly on top of my roof. i think I'll let the attached polar diagram speak for itself!! It went up about 9.00pm and has been running for a little over three  hours when this was taken.

John

More like it John well done!!

[Runway 31]

Following on with the discussions on this thread I decided to get an antenna from DPD.  I was a wee bit sceptical that it would make much of a difference as the supplied antenna does a superb job.  I have it mounted in the attic and can now cover from Inverness / Isle of Skye to Barrow in Furnace and over to Londonderry and Teeside from my home in Motherwell.  Well worth the cost of the antenna and the westflex cable etc.

[Canonjohns40D]

HI runway 31 enjoy it. The aerial  really does make a difference. Why not attach a polar diagram for us all to see tthe coverage.

John

[Runway 31]

Here you are worked out how you do it, screenshot attached

[Canonjohns40D]

Excellent coverage indeed just think if was moved outside!! Continue to enjoy.

John

[atcukmatty]

hi john, thanks for your DPD updates. i found them very helpful. I am currently waiting on my radarbox to arrive. I also live in bangor co.down. I was hoping with the standard antenna you would be able to see them land but at egac you say you can see them up untill 1500ft and egaa you can get them 1200ft.

do you live on a dip or relatively high up in bangor?. do you think i could see them land if i was in a slightly different location to you or would it not make a difference?
Also john, do you have an airband scanner to listen in on them aswell? i have an IC-R20.

thanks

[Canonjohns40D]

Hi Matty

I am in the Cloverhill Area so not in a dip. Not sure of your location but in my case here the City Airport has the Craigantlet Hills between me and it. Aldergrove has the Cavehill between me and it. I can see them until they dip behind these hills. The external aerial has allowed me some improvement but not to ground level. However with the network traffic most days the lower levels are covered from the other side of the hills by other user(s).

On Airband radios, I have the Icom IC-R5 which is handy when out and about and pretty good using an external aerial here in the house. For HF traffic, my Realistic DX-394 is not running presently as I need a new longwire.

Happy to chat if you need anything else. You will enjoy the radarbox it is facinating if very addictive. In this area with the box on 24/7 I get 900 to 1000 aircraft a day. A lot of interesting stuff which sadly we dont see at our local airports. The external aerial has a good coverage into Scotland, England and Wales as well as the Republic see recent polar diagram attached. Enjoy it when it arrives and stay in touch.

John

[atcukmatty]

thanks for your reply john. i am totally amazed by your coverage. I defiently have to invest in a DPD.
Would i be able to see your network of traffic on the radarbox. i know its a 5 minute delay which is slightly annoying.
I cannot believe that i just came across someone in bangor, of all places, that has a radarbox. Its also good to know that you are getting awesome coverage compared to the supplied aerial.  I live on the donagadee road.

What type of cable are you using for the DPD, i ordered some RG58 cable for an external aerial for icom ic r20 but it has a high loss i think.
What type of connectors do i need to that go into the DPD and also is it a BNC type connector into the radar box?

[Canonjohns40D]

HI Matty You would see my Network traffic as I am sharing it with the network but remember as we are fairly near one and other some of it you will be seeing live anyhow. My coverage with the supplied antenna was getting me about 300 to  400 aircraft a day. The external aerial raises that figure to around 900 to 1000. My coverage with the supplied aerial was Islay to the North, round  to about Edinburgh. I could just pick aircraft into here and transatlantic as they approached the I.O.M. to the South, not quite down to Dublin and just about Eglinton westerly.

I still found it facinating and a good chance to learn what the box could do. The forum is also a great source of advice and friendly assistance.

I got the cable fitted ready to attach to the aerial from this source:

Cable is low loss Westflex 103 from http://whwestlake.110mb.com/   Tel: +44 (0)1409-253758 Mobile: 07774 635077.

I gave him a call on the Saturday and it was in the post Monday arrived Tuesday. I also asked him if he could make up the SMA to N plug adapter cable for the Radarbox and he said he had them already made up in preset lengths. He was a really nice guy to speak with and I bet if you say what you want he will know exactly what to make for you as a number of folk on the forum have used him. When it arrived it was all ready to go and it was very good quality.

Hope this helps.

John

[atcukmatty]

Hi john,

thanks for the info. Ive just put an airband aerial on the chimney. What kind of reception are you getting with yours to compare with mine. I get alot more traffic with this aerial.

Are you getting scottish 123.775 center?
what about 130.85 ATC city radar, how clear?
do you get aldergrove radar 128.5?

thanks