Airnav Radarbox Antenna Install Pics, 115 Feet, 35 Meters

[CYYZGUY]

So below are some of the install pics and views I have from the top of my building.  It took about 1 hour from start to finish for the install.  I now have the maximum possible range that airnav allows and a perfect 360 degree field of view.  I am located a few kilometers from toronto's CYYZ airport and it is great watching the planes land all the way down to the ground, then taxi to the gate.

I seriously doubt anyone else in the world has a permanent install higher then this with a 360 degree view.

cheers



DSC_0696 by CYYZGUY, on Flickr


DSC_0695 by CYYZGUY, on Flickr

The landlord inspecting the setup....


DSC_0690 by CYYZGUY, on Flickr

In this Picture you can see the control tower for CYYZ just to the left of the Hydro Tower


DSC_0684 by CYYZGUY, on Flickr

90 Feet of LMR400 (I have not noticed any loss so far)


DSC_0683 by CYYZGUY, on Flickr


DSC_0682 by CYYZGUY, on Flickr

[RodBearden]

Great stuff - looking forward to seeing your results.

Are you getting ground returns from Downsview or Island Airport?

Rod

[CYYZGUY]

Hi Rod, Downsview airport and the Toronto Island airport generally have small prop aircraft, Dash-8's etc.

None of them here in canada yet are ADS-B equipped.  Occasionally I will see a Bombardier corporate jet coming in and out of downsview, but not too often.  Bombardier aerospace is located at Downsview in case you did not know.

I had so many ADS-B aircraft on my screen last night, I had to put on several filters to narrow it down a bit.   Usually I am just interested in any aircraft within 50 nautical miles of CYYZ. (Which would include downsview and toronto island)  I also see wesjet coming in and out of Hamilton airport as well.

Cheers,

[RodBearden]

More ADS-B aircraft in the future, though - I get lots of bizjets and quite a few light aircraft, including the odd homebuilt, with ADS-B here in Lancashire.

Do you know whether Canada is doing the same as the US in making ADS-B compulsory for flight in controlled airspace by 2020?

Rod

[CYYZGUY]

You can be sure Canada will follow the USA with this.  More and more Air Canada / Westjet aircraft are showing up now.  Before it was just the atlantic route flights showing up, but now I am getting smaller planes, A319, 767's etc, that are doing flights within canada....

Slowly they are all getting equipped.

[Runway 31]

Glex C-GPIW BBA19 is sitting lit up on the ramp at Downsview just now

Alan

[CYYZGUY]

Yeah it looks like he was doing some touch and go's............Just some test flights.......

That was me providing that coverage.

[Bell 407]

You are the envy of a lot of us here on the forum. Congrats on a cool setup.

[AirNav Support]

It does indeed look like a great setup, do you have polar plot of what your getting in terms of reception range?

[CYYZGUY]

I will post a polar diagram in a few days once it has completely filled itself out.  I only did the install Wednesday evening.  But by looking at it so far I can tell you this much, I am located just a few km's from CYYZ, and so far I have range all the way to Pennsylvania to the south in the USA, over to the eastern seaboard and I am getting returns as far away as JFK airport...It truly is a nice 360 degree setup

[neroon79]

You are the envy of a lot of us here on the forum. Congrats on a cool setup.

Indeed!

[CYFC]

Hello Toronto...
Nice location...hate to be overly observant....but those steel supporting clamps supporting the DP antenna, are mounted incorrectly...the DP instructions are that metal clamps are only permitted within the bottom 7 inches of the antenna, and as well, the metal supporting tube, should be within that 7 inch limits as well...otherwise, the antenna pattern, and impedance matching will be off, resulting in lower gain.....I recently burned the front end of my AirNav receiver, so recommend an antistatic/lightening inline protection device be installed....FYI Doug/VE6LFL

[juangelb35]

Hi CYFC

What antenna were You using at the time of burning RB ?

Cheers - Juan

[juangelb35]

Hi CYYZGUY,
Excellent work ! congratulations !
Please do not forget to share the polar diagram ...

Cheers

[CYYZGUY]

Hello Toronto...
Nice location...hate to be overly observant....but those steel supporting clamps supporting the DP antenna, are mounted incorrectly...the DP instructions are that metal clamps are only permitted within the bottom 7 inches of the antenna, and as well, the metal supporting tube, should be within that 7 inch limits as well...otherwise, the antenna pattern, and impedance matching will be off, resulting in lower gain.....I recently burned the front end of my AirNav receiver, so recommend an antistatic/lightening inline protection device be installed....FYI Doug/VE6LFL

Not that I am disagreeing with you, but that metal mast pipe NEEDS to be as secure as possible, it is very windy up there and you need all the metal strapping you can get.  So far I have not had any problems.  Not sure about the 7 Inch rule you are talking about, but noone else commented on it.

Does the install look ok to everyone?

Jason