ATIS

[T_N_T]

How close to the airport must you be to tune into ATIS?

Depends, as the transmissions are basically like a waffle cone; the further up you go, the further away the broadcast can be picked up. Since most scanners are ground based, you'll still need line of sight with the transmitter (though some altitude helps; if the scanner is higher than the elevation of the transmission, you'll hear it clearer). But if at ground level, you'll generally get the ATIS from 1 - 3 miles out from the field.

BL.

I live in Gallatin,TN, about 28 miles away from KBNA and can't pick up anything with the mobile antenna from the airport. Do you think my big discone antenna would fair any better in picking up anything from KBNA?

[KSYR-pjr]

So it's available at various class airports, but I haven't seen a pattern to which do and which don't..

I don't recall suggesting that there was a pattern.   

But if at ground level, you'll generally get the ATIS from 1 - 3 miles out from the field.

As far as ground-based ATIS reception, I live about 9nm (approx 11 statute miles) from the SYR airport and receive the ATIS here on the ground five by five.  This is with a small ridge between my home and the airport (not direct line of sight).    I use the ATIS all the time to fine-tune my feed's volume. 

Not being a radio wave specialist, it seems logical to me that the ATIS would have the same reception footprint or greater than the approach frequencies for the airport, given that the ATIS actually can be received in the air at a greater distance than approach.  Hence, I would think that if you can receive the approach frequencies (not center) from your scanner on the ground, you should be able to receive that airport's ATIS at a much greater distance than 1 to 3 miles.  Is there something to this I am missing?

[PHL Approach]

I've done a lot of testing when driving towards most airports to see how far out you have to be before you get the ATIS. It always seem that 8 miles is the magic number - especially in flat Florida 

[coolian2]

I'm probably 10 miles from Auckland and i can get the ATIS almost perfectly clearly.

Actually, i'm nearly 40 kilometres away from Whenuapai and i can hear that ATIS very clearly.

[T_N_T]

So it's available at various class airports, but I haven't seen a pattern to which do and which don't..

I don't recall suggesting that there was a pattern.   

But if at ground level, you'll generally get the ATIS from 1 - 3 miles out from the field.

As far as ground-based ATIS reception, I live about 9nm (approx 11 statute miles) from the SYR airport and receive the ATIS here on the ground five by five.  This is with a small ridge between my home and the airport (not direct line of sight).    I use the ATIS all the time to fine-tune my feed's volume. 

Not being a radio wave specialist, it seems logical to me that the ATIS would have the same reception footprint or greater than the approach frequencies for the airport, given that the ATIS actually can be received in the air at a greater distance than approach.  Hence, I would think that if you can receive the approach frequencies (not center) from your scanner on the ground, you should be able to receive that airport's ATIS at a much greater distance than 1 to 3 miles.  Is there something to this I am missing?

Well, I hooked up my huge discone antenna and picked up KBNA's ATIS 28 miles out from the airport, its rough copy, but I can still make out what the computerized voice is saying. Its exactly like JFK's ATIS in that they use the perfect paul voice.