{"id":57764,"date":"2023-09-17T06:13:08","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T10:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=57764"},"modified":"2023-09-17T06:13:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-17T10:13:08","slug":"a-review-of-the-outdoor-planespotter-antenna-prototype","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/09\/a-review-of-the-outdoor-planespotter-antenna-prototype\/","title":{"rendered":"A review of the outdoor Planespotter antenna prototype"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Zach R.<\/a>, who shares the following guest post:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

A review of the outdoor Planespotter antenna prototype<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a>When it comes to airband monitoring, the stock whip antennas that ship with desktop and portable scanners are not the greatest. They\u2019re fine if you\u2019re at an airport and only interested in communications specific to your immediate area, but if you are someone like me who lives well out from any major airport, quality listening in can be impossible without some help in the antenna department.<\/p>\n

Ideally, you want something like a discone or similar for omnidirectional listening, mounted as high as possible. This is not always possible or practical, however. SWLing Post contributor Ron recently reviewed the indoor Planespotter antenna<\/a>, and I have one as well that works better than any rubber ducky, and can be easily hidden away when company comes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Recently, the creator has come out with a prototype outdoor model. It\u2019s the same design as the indoor unit, but with a longer run (25 feet) of coax, terminating in a BNC connector.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Besides the longer cable, the only other obvious change is the antenna is house in a skinnier PVC tube from the indoor model. It\u2019s also sealed at the bottom so moisture won\u2019t get in.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>It has the same small metal hook on top, suitable from hanging from various mounts. I\u2019d like more mounting options, but the hook does make for quick installation and removal. The half-wave length isn\u2019t ungainly to handle and if painted it could easily be mounted on the side of a home without many people noticing.<\/p>\n

The indoor version definitely works best on the VHF air band and seems to roll off aggressively above and below that band. The outdoor version, in side-by-side tests, seemed to perform the same on the air band but notably better on the VHF public safety band. It also pulled in more UHF air band traffic than the indoor model, despite being basically the same design.<\/p>\n

The new outdoor version is a good choice for someone looking for a simple, already assembled antenna that\u2019s suitable for temporary use or stealth mounting.<\/p>\n

Disclosure: The outdoor prototype was supplied to me for free in exchange for a review. While taking more photos of the antenna I noticed the weatherproofing had come undone from the bottom. Hopefully this issue can be addressed before the antenna goes into production.<\/p>\n

[Zach R. is the owner and editor of the Alabama Broadcast Media Page<\/a>.]<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Zach R., who shares the following guest post: A review of the outdoor Planespotter antenna prototype When it comes to airband monitoring, the stock whip antennas that ship with desktop and portable scanners are not the greatest. They\u2019re fine if you\u2019re at an airport and only interested in communications […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3607,5984,3,129],"tags":[4936,10277,10321,4085,10320],"class_list":["post-57764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-antennas","category-aviation","category-news","category-reviews","tag-aviation-monitoring","tag-planespotter-antenna","tag-planespotter-outdoor-antenna","tag-reviews","tag-zach-r"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-f1G","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":57369,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/08\/ron-recommends-the-planespotter-indoor-vhf-airband-antenna\/","url_meta":{"origin":57764,"position":0},"title":"Ron recommends the Planespotter Indoor VHF Airband Antenna","author":"Thomas","date":"August 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ron, who writes: If you like monitoring the VHF airband then this antenna might interest you.It is a half-wave dipole cut for the middle of the band. (Recall that half wave vertical dipoles do not need ground radials.) It is very well built and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antennas"","block_context":{"text":"Antennas","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/antennas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Planespotter-Antenna.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Planespotter-Antenna.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Planespotter-Antenna.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Planespotter-Antenna.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59365,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/03\/dica-2-the-revenge-giuseppe-tests-his-updated-homebrew-antenna\/","url_meta":{"origin":57764,"position":1},"title":"DICA 2: “The Revenge” – Giuseppe tests his updated homebrew antenna!","author":"Thomas","date":"March 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Giuseppe Morl\u00e8, who shares the following antenna project: Dear Thomas and Friends of the SWLing Post, I'm Giuseppe Morl\u00e8 from Formia, central Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. After the DICA prototype I created another one called DICA 2 The Revenge! This other minimal antenna works differently from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antennas"","block_context":{"text":"Antennas","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/antennas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/DICA-2-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/DICA-2-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/DICA-2-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/DICA-2-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/DICA-2-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30383,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/a-follow-up-review-of-the-pk-loop-c-loop-hdsw6-18-antenna\/","url_meta":{"origin":57764,"position":2},"title":"A follow-up review of the PK Loop C-LOOP-HDSW6-18 antenna","author":"Thomas","date":"January 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2016, I purchased portable shortwave magnetic loop antenna designed and built by\u00a0Paul Karlstrand in Australia. I posted a \"preliminary\" review of this antenna in 2016 and since then have taken this loop on many travels. SWling Post contributor, Ron, recently noted that Jay Allen reviewed one of Paul's inductively-coupled\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Accessories"","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Elecraft-KX2-PK-Loop-balcony.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15055,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/10\/guest-post-london-shortwaves-guide-to-mitigating-urban-radio-interference\/","url_meta":{"origin":57764,"position":3},"title":"Guest Post: London Shortwave’s guide to mitigating urban radio interference","author":"Thomas","date":"October 9, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post\u00a0contributor, London Shortwave, who is kindly sharing this guest post--a brilliant article he recently posted on his own website. I'm very grateful: one of the most common questions I'm asked by readers is how to cope with the radio interference so many listeners and amateur radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"London-Urban-City","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/London-Urban-City.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/London-Urban-City.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/London-Urban-City.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":29665,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/off-the-shelf-affordable-swl-antennas\/","url_meta":{"origin":57764,"position":4},"title":"Off-the-shelf affordable SWL antennas","author":"Thomas","date":"December 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"One of our SWLing Post contributors recently sent the following message with a request: I have a suggestion\/challenge for a post: what's out there for low cost, off-the-shelf HF antennas? I simply can't drop $500 on a Wellbrook. The AirSpy HF+ and the new $100 RSP1A SDR are super enticing,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Accessories"","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Par-EF-SWL.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Par-EF-SWL.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Par-EF-SWL.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51178,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/12\/airspy-hf-discovery-shortwave-portables-having-fun-with-the-airspy-youloop\/","url_meta":{"origin":57764,"position":5},"title":"Airspy HF+ Discovery & Shortwave Portables: Having Fun with the Airspy YouLoop!","author":"Thomas","date":"December 14, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill, who shares the following guest post: YouLoop Antenna Fun by Billy Hemphill WD9EQD Like many listeners, I live in an antenna restricted community.\u00a0 While I have strung up some hidden outdoor wire antennas, I have found that they didn\u2019t really perform that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antennas"","block_context":{"text":"Antennas","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/antennas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Screen-Shot-2021-12-14-at-06.15.01.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Screen-Shot-2021-12-14-at-06.15.01.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Screen-Shot-2021-12-14-at-06.15.01.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57764"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57769,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57764\/revisions\/57769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}