ADS-B Spider Antenna

P

Philip Robinson

New Member
Hi All,

I'm using a Spider Antenna that someone built for me and it's fantastic. It's made from 2.5mm electrical wire cut into 5 pieces of 69mm in length, and an SO239 connector.

You also need some M3 Pan Head Bolts, M3 Nylon Nuts and M3 Washers, Webro, WF100 Cable, some F Connectors. You also need an Amp a Diplexer and a DC Block and a PSU.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111885504375?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330758500830?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151932102390?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251616212131?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331752591874?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111790748080?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150879302869?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260897680951?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AE4X2RU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0037ECAJU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Screws+&+Fixings/d90/Nuts+&+Washers/sd920/Nylon+Lock+Nut/p93093

http://www.screwfix.com/p/insulated-crimp-blue-ring-4mm-pack-of-100/83763

I live in the Liverpool area of the UK so all parts were sourced using EBay, Amazon, Screwfix and Toolstation.
If anyone has any questions just ask and if i can help i will.

I enclose a polar diagram of my reception area and antenna.
 

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Great write up. Links to all parts purhase is a great help.

Some notes:

1) The 4 legs of your Spider seem to be bent down by 90 degrees, i.e. these look vertical. Normally the Spider legs are bent to 45 degrees.

2) Using dc voltage blocker with Spider is not essential as Spider does not havea short. It is though no harm havig it as added protection for accidental shorts.

3) The use of TV-Satellite splitter serves as a filter to cut off TV & Mobile phone signals which are below 1000 Mhz. If there are no mobile phone or TV towers nearby, this item is not needed.

4) What is your maximum range?
The range rings are not shown on your polar diagram. It looks to be plotted by VRS. You can enable these rings in VRS settings. These will serve a great help to find out your maximum range in various directions.
 
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I never made the antenna, it as made by a friend. I know the legs are almost vertical and it should be set at a 45 degree angle. The 4mm crimp ring connectors that i purchased are not the strongest and i don't want to try and bend them just in case one might break, but the antenna still works great as it is.

The furthest North i have received is South of Livingston in Scotland, Southwest is Newquay and Torquay, Southeast is Guildford, South is Salisbury and East is the North Sea between Hull and Skegness and Northwest and West are Belfast and near Dublin.

Also Wexford on the Southeast coast of Ireland.

So not bad from Crosby in Liverpool with the Spider antenna in the loft.

I enclose some screen images from Dump 1090.
 

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Hi Philip!

Great coverage for the Spider antenna in the loft! Congratulations.

If possible, try outdoor installation above roof or mast, so that antenna is above the height of surrounding houses and trees. This will enable your antenna to "see" the horizon in most directions, and you will get your maximum possible range. If you dont have hills around, you may get planes up to 200 nautical miles in most directions, and up to 250 nautical miles in your best directions.

The maximum possible range is limited by curvature of earth and also affected by the terrain around antenna location.
You can find maximum possible range for your location by following steps in the FIRST post of this thread:

Click Here: What is the Maximum Range I Can Get?

 
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