TN.Frank Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) I found these on Amazon that'll let us hook a standard Coax style antenna to our dongles. http://www.amazon.com/coaxial-cable-female-right-angle/dp/B00CKG6T9I/ref=pd_cp_pc_3 http://www.amazon.com/coaxial-coax-cable-assembly-female/dp/B00CTJN480/ref=pd_luc_sim_01_04_t_lh?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I like the straight in better then the right angle but you have your choice of either. Edited February 9, 2014 by TN.Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr-Protocol Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I wonder if any antenna will work though. I'm not savvy when it comes to antennas and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry99705 Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 It will work for what they're made for. TV signals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN.Frank Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 There are lots of antennas out there that take a Coax cable or can be adapted to coax easier then the "F" size that the dongle uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbier Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 i got this one off ebay, to use with 2.4GHz 9dBi Straight RP-SMA Male Omni Antenna RP-SMA female jack to MCX male plug RF coaxial adapter http://www.ebay.com/itm/3pcs-RP-SMA-female-jack-to-MCX-male-plug-RF-coaxial-adapter-connector-straight-/161130236997? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr-Protocol Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I'm not sure a wifi antenna will do much, that's what I am wondering as well. We should get a thread together for SDR antennas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN.Frank Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) I'm not sure a wifi antenna will do much, that's what I am wondering as well. We should get a thread together for SDR antennas.Already kind of had one going: https://forums.hak5.org/index.php?/topic/31744-antenna-suggestions/ but didn't get as much input from folks as I'd have liked. Edited February 10, 2014 by TN.Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry99705 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Here you go. Look for whatever usb dongle you have, this will show the frequency range it's capable of. Antennas are tuned for specific frequencies, a wifi antenna works in the 2.4Ghz range, or 2400Mhz. The correct antenna to use for listening to adsb will be tuned for 1090Mhz for commercial systems. The stock antenna is made for terrestrial TV frequencies, which are anywhere from 44Mhz all the way up to 890Mhz. The dongle sold in the hakshop won't be able to properly use a wifi antenna. Will it still work? Sure, but not very well. A coat hanger will work for an antenna, just look at grandpa's tv, it just won't work well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_software-defined_radios Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN.Frank Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 A piece of speaker wire will work as an antenna. Just split it out 3 feet per side, FM is around 6 feet, learned that in Tech School,LOL. For WiFi you're going to need a different dongle. One like they sell with the little WiFi cameras will work, saw that on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8wLpfDeQbM I'd love to eventually have a kit like this guy has with all kinds of little things to adapt or otherwise use SDR in creative ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbier Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I got one of the terrestrial antenna on the roof which I use to watch the free to air channels with the DVB-T standard will give it a try that way  Here you go. Look for whatever usb dongle you have, this will show the frequency range it's capable of. Antennas are tuned for specific frequencies, a wifi antenna works in the 2.4Ghz range, or 2400Mhz. The correct antenna to use for listening to adsb will be tuned for 1090Mhz for commercial systems. The stock antenna is made for terrestrial TV frequencies, which are anywhere from 44Mhz all the way up to 890Mhz. The dongle sold in the hakshop won't be able to properly use a wifi antenna. Will it still work? Sure, but not very well. A coat hanger will work for an antenna, just look at grandpa's tv, it just won't work well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_software-defined_radios  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Pierre Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Would a RC remote antenna fit, work with the normal base. Also a nice laser cut washer help with keeping it up-right ;) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN.Frank Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Hey, I stuck my little stock antenna on a chunk of metal too so it'd stop falling over, LOL. I used the old weight off of a pressure cooker, it's about the size of a half dollar coin and around 1/2" thick so it's heavier enough to keep the antenna stable but small enough to not take up much space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElfnetCommunications Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Normally one would want to have a band related antenna that matches the frequency or band you intend to receive. But if you intent is a broad range reception then look into antennas for scanner radios that run from 30 MHz to 1.3 GHz for starters. Think of a receiver antenna as an ear. The bigger the ear the more it hears. Also the antenna is only half of a radio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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