GPS antenna trick

WA2ZKDWA2ZKD
in Installation, Antennas and Interference
I am currently working to get the kiwiSDR that I provided to a Singapore friend working. It will be SWL-9V. It is a challenge as it is in an apartment which does not allow things outside the windows. I am doing it all by remote control, with a 13 hour time difference PM of my friend.

Initially, it appeared that the GPS puck was not going to be enough just placed on the window sill with a clear view north so we taped it to the glass and it got a bit better. The final fix was to place a piece of aluminum foil on the glass behind it. Easy fix!!

Comments

  • KA7UKA7U
    I have a SWL friend that is apartment locked with the antennas inside the apartment. I will be interested in your final solution for the indoor antenna. My friend is currently using a 1 meter coax loop inside his apartment and while he gets some reception, it is less than ideal. He has tried all sorts of indoor antenna solutions, but the loop so far is his best option.
    Ron
    KA7U
  • WA2ZKDWA2ZKD
    I am thinking about something stuck on the glass...
  • WA2ZKDWA2ZKD
    Ron, look at the Degen/Kaito MS-31 type loop
    KA7U
  • KA7UKA7U
    My friend K7UQ has one of these loops. It does work better than most built in antennas, but it isn't really super duper. An active loop inside is usually very noisy, same with a mini-whip. Taped to the glass is probably as good as it gets. Better to place it remote where an antenna can live.
    Ron
    KA7U
  • bensonbenson
    edited January 2019
    If your friend can have access to the roof of the building there might be better options. I had a similar situation in Taipei and managed to install an active antenna on the roof outside the view of the security cameras..hi.

    Got some good results with an active whip design from the 1970's (Burhans) and a similar mini-whip design (PA0RDT) might work equally well. The building lightning protection ground worked o.k. as counterpoise.

    Initially I used 40 m RG-174 coax and changed to LAN cable later which gave improved EMI suppression. For the latter some small baluns with FT-50J toroids were made. The unused cable pairs were used for 2 orthogonal active loops.

    With the torrential monsoon rains in SIN waterproofing is really a necessity. In Taiwan the typhoons are an additional concern and eventually destroyed my high building rooftop installation blowing away most of it while water came running down the LAN cable even though sealed with self vulcanising tape...

    73, Ben

    PS: sri, quite a bit of thread drift from GPS reception
    Powernumpty
  • WA2ZKDWA2ZKD
    Drift OK, no roof access though.
Sign In or Register to comment.