advise please aerial in loft

[Keith D]

Hi All
SBS-1 delivered half hour ago
did the WOW like everyone else i guess

my question is this i have the mobile antenna against
playroom window
by drilling small hole i can move antenna into loft
we have a tiled roof with normal plastic sheet under them

can someone advise me will i increase decodes if i do this
or will it be about the same thing or worse???

Also are tall trees a handicap ???

Many Thanks

Keith D.

[stevenf]

Hi Keith,

It just all depends. Some people have had better results and some have had worst results. I guess you just have to try.

I think the most important thing is, is to make sure the mobile aerial is on something metal. A tin will help but beter something bigger. This is because the aerial is a groundplane design.

Yes tall trees are bad for the reception. I even notice this in my car driving to work I have the radio on. At some point along the way there are high trees and very dens, the reception is then very bad, when passed the trees the reception is back to normal again.

Good luck!

Steven.

[Graham S]

Keith

Definitely worth a try putting the aerial in the loft. Everyone's results will differ slightly, but I got a huge increase, both in maximum range (up from 80nm to 160nm) and number of aircraft when I moved the aerial to the loft. I now have an external aerial on the roof. Although reception has improved again compared with the loft aerial, it wasn't as big an increase as I'd hoped for. This has been discussed in other threads (most likely explanation is due to loss of signal due to length of cable).

Regards
Graham

[phil2004]

If something obscures the Antennas 'vision' of the transmitting aircraft then yes the signal will be attenuated -- depends also on the density of the object. The golden rule for most frequencies is -the higher the better --except in this case because of the frequency there is a trade off between height and cable length - I use a preamp -- it works very well, the antenna is at 26 or so feet high -next week I want to double that and see the results.

[rongo]

Hi Keith,
You appear to have what I'd describe as an 'older type' inner lining to the tiles on your roof (without the metal foil which is often found on more recent constructions and which the SBS1 aerial does not like) so, put the magmount in the roofspace as high as you can get it - even if the tip of the antenna contacts the roofing felt or plastic.
Mount the MagMount (let it stick) to a metal tray - the bigger the better (it does not matter if it's painted) and it's not overly critical that the aerial be placed in the centre of the tray - just put it wherever you can achieve the maximum height whenever the tray is fixed in position.
Fix the tray (screws, nails or simply wedge it tightly) and strive to keep the aerial as straight/vetical as possible.
Good watching.
Ron

[Rob]

Hi Keith,

I started using the SBS-1 with the standard indoor aerial (positioned on my window cill) and was getting a range of 85nm, and recording about 230 aircraft a day.
I invested in an external aerial but have it located high up in the loft space close to the sarking felt under the tiles.
I now have a 225nm range to S/W and 175nm range to N/W, N/E & S/W, and am recording betwen 850 - 900 aircraft between 07.30 - 22.30 daily.
I am also now recording aircraft on the ground at Guernsey, Jersey & Dinard.
Well worth the investment.
I hope this helps.

Rob

[Rob]

Hi Keith,

Just noted a typo.
Should read 225nm to S/E.

Rob