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  • Re: SDR

    From Ray Quinn@1:214/23 to Nigel Reed on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 10:54:36
    Hello Nigel!

    13 Oct 25 12:24, you wrote to me:

    The antenna I use for my SDRs (as mentioned in a previous message)
    is is a 2 meter J-Pole atop a 30 foot tower, along with others. The

    I'd like to get an antenna high up but in the Dallas subrubs it might
    not be such a good idea. First, I'd never be able to get anything else
    on it once its up because, even if it's fold down, there's really no
    room and I wouldn't want to be climing 30 ft in the air at my stage in life!

    Well, the local ham that installed the tower is a professional. He works for the County radio shop where he and his crew maintains all the county repeaters, and the equipment in the fire trucks, sheriff patrol cars and all the different departments, as well as some of the local cities within the county. The tower is currently 3 10' sections affixed to the eaves. There is also a 5 ghz microwave antenna atop the same tower which provides Internet to our repeater site @ 7500' elevation, 37 miles away. I have trouble getting down off the roof myself. I, like you, do not need to be climbing towers.

    I could put something on my chimney but that would require quite a lot
    of coax.

    And some of the coax isn't inexpensive, either. You could probably go with some less-expensive coax since you're not going to be transmitting with it.

    I'll maybe get one of the local hams to take a look and give me their opinion.

    That is always a good place to start. Perhaps your local club.

    73 de W6RAY Ray Quinn
    Visalia, CA DM06ii
    GMRS WRKZ506



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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Nigel Reed on Saturday, October 18, 2025 12:40:53
    Re: SDR
    By: Nigel Reed to All on Fri Oct 10 2025 01:20:20

    I was wondering if anyone else has used SDR...

    I'm not a ham, so I use other people's SDRs via the various receiver web sites. I mostly use KiwiSDR sites as they're more flexible in what you can receive, but WebSDR setups tend to have better reception. There's also OpenSDR, but they seem like a trimmed down KiwiSDR, and there's not many of those.

    As for aircraft monitoring, I use LiveATC.com. Not only can you listen in on airports 'round the world, but you also have access to tons of additional info, including live tracking, airport maps, aircraft specs, et al. Great site.
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Sean Dennis on Saturday, October 18, 2025 12:42:59
    Re: SDR
    By: Sean Dennis to Nigel Reed on Fri Oct 10 2025 13:07:18

    As for being off-topic, I know the moderator and don't think he minds. <G>

    Never met a moderator that does.
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Daryl Stout on Saturday, October 18, 2025 13:14:33
    Re: Re: SDR
    By: Daryl Stout to Nigel Reed on Fri Oct 10 2025 16:55:50

    ...it was a hamfest version of the opening scene with "The Jetsons" cartoon.

    At least George got to keep /some/ money. :)
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Nigel Reed on Saturday, October 18, 2025 13:25:48
    Re: SDR
    By: Nigel Reed to deon on Sat Oct 11 2025 01:04:35

    I can pick up aircraft comms on my old Radio Shack scanner...

    Same here. I have the Realistic 20-119, which lasted about 40 years...before I accidently spilled pop into the top vents. I now do all my aircraft monitoring via LiveATC.com.
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  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to Mortar M. on Sunday, October 19, 2025 01:25:13
    Re: SDR
    By: Mortar M. to Nigel Reed on Sat Oct 18 2025 12:40:53

    I'm not a ham, so I use other people's SDRs via the various receiver web sites. I mostly use KiwiSDR sites as they're more flexible in what you can receive, but WebSDR setups tend to have better reception. There's also OpenSDR, but they seem like a trimmed down KiwiSDR, and there's not many of those.

    You can use SDR without being a ham since it doesn't transmit, but sure, there's plenty out there on the internet to pick up.
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  • From Rug Rat@1:135/250 to Mortar M. on Monday, October 20, 2025 22:05:39
    On Sat 18-Oct-2025 1:25p, Mortar M.@1:124/5016.0 said to Nigel Reed:
    Re: SDR
    By: Nigel Reed to deon on Sat Oct 11 2025 01:04:35

    I can pick up aircraft comms on my old Radio Shack scanner...

    I used to listen to San Diego tower on my way to and from work on the sub band of my Kenwood TMD-700A. That was actually how I found out about 9/11. "No traffic! Maybe I should turn on the radio and see if there is any news."

    Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
    Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to Mortar M. on Sunday, October 19, 2025 12:56:01
    ...it was a hamfest version of the opening scene with "The Jetsons" cartoon.

    At least George got to keep /some/ money. :)

    Not what he meant to happen, though. :P

    Daryl, N5VLZ

    ... I am Lancelot of Borg. Resistance is feudal.
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