Hi. I was interested in getting an amplifier for my ADS B setup, but I honestly have no clue where to start. I know I could get a power inserter and an amplifier, but couldn’t I just use something like this? Let me know your suggestions!
Did you try to adjust the gain? Most of us had better results with the gain lowered, not increased…
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A lot of us have used TV amps. The TV amp that I use is a “Perfect Vision” amp, but I believe they are no longer available. Now there is a Flightaware dongle with a built-in amp to consider. An amp is always best at the antenna, but their built-in version is a pretty good compromise. There is also an available amp specific to ADS-B ( https://store.uputronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=50 ).
OTA HDTV covers, roughly, 500-800MHz. Adsb is 1090 MHz. All that by way of saying a TV preamp is probably not the best. The “perfect vision” referenced above is a satellite TV amp. That’s closer in frequency. I use an RCA D903… another sat amp. I had it before FA came out with one in the dongle.
This is what I got:
ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R … r&_sacat=0
But, like I said, is useless, the antenna height and free LOS is more important than the actual gain.
This is a very broad band amplifier
“0.1-2000MHz RF Wideband Amplifier 30dB low-noise LNA Broadband Module Receiver”.
It will amplify FM, TV (VHF/UHF), Amature Radio, Police, Fire, Ambulance, Taxi, etc etc.
As a result there will be:
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Cross Modulation
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Overload of the DVB-T Dongle which is itself very broad band.
Since ADS-B frequency lies in L-Band (1000 Mhz to 2000 Mhz), use a Satellite Amplifier for L-Band.
Before purchasing ProStick & ProStick Plus with integral amplifier, I used RCA D903 Satellite Amplifier. It is designed for L-Band. It has frequency range of 950 MHz to 2050 MHz, and will not amplify RF Signals substantially below 950 MHz (i.e. will not amplify FM, TV VHF/UHF, Amature Radio, Police, Fire, Ambulance, Taxi, etc)
Services using L-Band (1000 Mhz to 2000 Mhz):
- Aircraft surveillance:
The aircraft L-band ranges from 962–1213 MHz. Aircraft can use Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) equipment at 1090 MHz to communicate position information to the ground as well as between them for traffic information and avoidance. The 1090 MHz frequency (paired with 1030 MHz) is also used by Mode S transponders, which ADS-B augments when operated at this frequency. The TCAS system also utilizes the 1030/1090 MHz paired frequencies. ADS-B information can also be broadcast on the L band frequency of 978 MHz. DME and TACAN systems are also in this frequency band.
- Satellite navigation:
Global Positioning System (GPS) carriers are in the L band, centered at 1176.45 MHz (L5), 1227.60 MHz (L2), 1381.05 MHz (L3), and 1575.42 MHz (L1) frequencies.
- Mobile service:
In Europe, the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) has harmonized part of the L-band (1452–1492 MHz), allowing individual countries to adopt this spectrum for terrestrial mobile/fixed communications networks supplemental downlink (MFCN SDL). By means of carrier aggregation, an LTE-Advanced or UMTS/HSDPA base station could use this spectrum to provide additional bandwidth for communications from the base station to the mobile device; i.e., in the downlink direction.
- Telecommunications use:
Mobile phones operate at 800–900 and 1700–2100 MHz. Iridium Satellite LLC phones use frequencies between 1616 and 1626.5 MHz to communicate with the satellites. Inmarsat and LightSquared terminals use frequencies between 1525 and 1646.5 MHz. Thuraya satellite phones use frequencies between 1525 and 1661 MHz.
- Amateur radio:
The Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union allow amateur radio operations in the frequency range 1,240–1,300 MHz, and amateur satellite up-links are allowed in the range 1,260–1,270 MHz. This is known as the 23-centimeter band by radio amateurs and as the L-band by AMSAT.
- Digital Audio Broadcasting:
In the United States and overseas territories, the L band is held by the military for telemetry, thereby forcing digital radio to in-band on-channel (IBOC) solutions. Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) is typically done in the 1452–1492 MHz range in most of the world, but some countries also use VHF and UHF bands.
WorldSpace satellite radio broadcasts in the 1467–1492 MHz L sub-band.
- Astronomy:
The band also contains the hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen (the hydrogen line, 1420 MHz), which is of great astronomical interest as a means of imaging the normally invisible neutral atomic hydrogen in interstellar space. Consequently, parts of the L-band are protected radio astronomy allocations worldwide.
SOURCE: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L_band
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That description is not true, the small capacitor used on input, at 50 ohm impedance, will not pass signals that low in frequency. And I forgot to say that I had the 1090MHz filter in front of it.
Anyway, as I said, it’s not useful, at lest not if the antenna is high enough. Signals are strong enough, even from 300 km, what’s truly the limiting factor is the horizon blockages.
I’ve had around 30 inline satellite amps running piawares on long cable runs for several years.
PCT-SIA-20 fixed slope 950-2150.
When they specify a 20 db gain, it is at the end of the frequency range. Gain at the ads-b frequency is around 13 which is just what I want (too much gain can swamp things.)
I use the directv power injector (the 21volt model). Can’t use the 29 v? version. It will crisp the amplifier). It also provides protection for the piaware box
be sure the connectors are water tight. Only problem I’ve seen is when a couple of them had water leak burn them up.