aviation scanner

I'm 14, and my parents won't pay for flying lessons, and I can't afford them. I have ALWAYS wanted to fly. So what can I do to get into aviation. Something I can get that will teach me about flying and see how it works. Something that will prepare me for when I can take lessons. I have heard that getting an Aviation Scanner is a good thing. Any other ideas that will help? Thanks.

Visit you local FBO and try to get a job as a "Hanger Rat" you do all the menial tasks around the hanger such as cleaning aircraft, mopping up oil spills, painting anything that doesn't move, making the coffee, and topping up the drinking water supply. You get paid in flying lessons rather than cash.

Most of the pilots are happy to talk flying over a coffee and you will learn as much this way as you will in the classroom.

You should be able to get to PPL level by this route over about a 2 year period. At that point you will be in a much better position to decide which way to take your career.

Ian M

2009-05-10 18:22:45 by Warren

Nevada Test and Training Range Part 1. Mixed Bag. By far mostly Weapons School Red Air defending targets in the northern ranges and Transports ...

A good range would also be nice

use a small outside tv antenna UHF and VHF. I've done it for years

2007-03-05 17:23:48 by eric

Price: $129.95 $89.99

Key Lock
Scans Air Band and NOAA Weather channels
99 Memory CHannels

I just bought a decent scanner to try to hear aviation traffic in my area. I am 11 miles from Honolulu airport and 4 miles from Kaneohe Bay MCB airfield. Using the antenna that came with, I get almost nothing from HNL (just a little airline internal traffic in the 450MHz range). There are some hills between me and HNL. The "came with" is a telescoping antenna. The system calls for 50 Ohms. I read about 1/2 wave dipole, 1/4 wave ground plane, J bars, Yagi etc. I want to pick up the best sound I can from HNL, which is directional, while still getting non-directional aircraft, though most of them will also be in a similar direction, and still keep a little broad band. In short, I want it all. What are my best choices and compromizes. I am reasonably handy and can build my own or buy, and could even put in a couple phased antennas together if that would work. Any help appreciated, or direction to the best web references. Thank you for your time

Since you seem to want the "internal" stuff in addition to the normal AM stuff down in the 125MHz region, you're talking something fairly wide band.

Those hills may hurt you at the frequencies you hope to receive. VHF tends to be a line of sight proposition.

For general coverage of VHF in an "omni" fashion, you will either need an assortment of directional and tuned antennas with a switch, or you might want to consider a "discone" style antenna. The latter doesn't have a ton of gain, but it's a reasonable compromise most of the time. Get it up just as high as local rules and neighbors will tolerate. If the coax length starts getting upwards of 50 feet, you may want to consider some better quality coax (9913 or better instead of any of the lesser RG series coax) to avoid line loss. The stuff is stiff as a board, but you'll be able to hang onto whatever signal it is you can get off your antenna.

4 miles and 11 miles aren't that tough at VHF frequencies if you've got reasonable terrain. Wish I knew just how ugly those "hills" really are.

At least you'll be assured to pick up all of the aircraft side of these comms well with a discone.

Remember -- elevate that antenna!

Coax Sources (of many possible)
http://www.hamradio.com/
http://www.radiobooks.com/products/rf910 .htm
http://radioworks.com/ccoax.html

Discone Sources (of many possible)
http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT9.html
http://www.hamradio.com/
http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.p hp?prodid=MFJ-1866

As for the above, I've always had very good luck with Grove and Ham Radio Outlet. Can't speak for the others.

2007-05-29 14:08:38 by Steven K

Price: $119.99

Compact design fits comfortably in hand; easy-to-read backlit display, lockable keypad for saving settings
Handheld scanner for monitoring police and fire signals, weather transmissions, ham radio bands, and more
Easily locate specific calls with 6 preprogrammed service searches, including public safety, railroad, and marine
Runs on 2 AA alkaline or rechargeable batteries (these can be be recharged while in the scanner)
PC-programmable memory with 200 channels over 10 banks; Close Call RF technology identifies nearby signals

Im looking into getting a scanner, mainly to listen to the aviation frequencies and air traffic controllers and all, just wondering what a good brand would be, also, do i have to be within a certain amount of miles to pick up a good reading?

If your interested in just civilian aviation then just about any of the current and older models of scanners will work.

If your specifically looking for military aviation then you need to be sure you cover the 225-406MHz mil band, other wise you will not hear any military. A lot of older scanners do not cover this. So if mil air is a prime interest be sure it covers this band.

You can hear the aircraft due to their height for quite a way even with just the desktop antenna. Using an outside antenna (AVOID "scantenna and discones! JUNK!!!!) will improve the range for aircraft as well as getting the ground side of the conversation. Aviation ground stations unless you are fairly close are not as well received, but using a good outside antenna as high as possible with good low loss LMR400 coax cable (AVOID RG-58, RG8, RG8x, RG59) will improve your chances of getting the ground stations.

If your close to the airport or an transmitter site for the controllers or between 10-15 miles with a good outside antenna.

If your looking to hear local public safety as well be sure to check if you need digital and/or trunking modes as this requires very specific models and may not meet your needs for mil air monitoring.

2008-11-29 17:42:16 by Andrew

Clearing up! have a box of books, notes charts on aviation, good for a student who plans to study flying
email me- YOU pick up
Also Free Umax scasi card scanner-Free Will work with Wins 95/98
BTW these books relate to those who already have a CPL its mostly dealing with A320

Find Free Magazines on aviation here

http://ebooksick.tradepub.com/?pt=tag&am p;page=aviation

2009-04-12 06:03:52 by snowbird552002