Scanner antenna splitter
 

Going to have one to two antennas up on a mast feeding several (or more)
scanners down below. Looking for an effective way to split + amplify the
signals so each scanner thinks its got its own antenna. I am pretty new to
this and would appreciate any advice.

Thanks.

"Jason Wagner" wrote in message
...
Going to have one to two antennas up on a mast feeding several (or more)
scanners down below. Looking for an effective way to split + amplify the
signals so each scanner thinks its got its own antenna. I am pretty new
to
this and would appreciate any advice.

Thanks.

Try Stridsberg Engineering. They have 4 and 8 port multi-couplers with built
in amps to negate the splitting loss. They are quite expensive, however they
are top quality and work extremely well.

http://www.stridsberg.com/prod01.htm

Larry

Jason Wagner ...

^ Going to have one to two antennas up on a mast feeding
^ several (or more) scanners down below. Looking for an
^ effective way to split + amplify the signals so each
^ scanner thinks its got its own antenna.

Before you buy anything additional try all the receivers on the one or two
split signals. T-adapters and short lengths of coax from the antennas to the
receivers would be all you need. With the antennas up high and unless you're
trying to receive weak signals, the split signal might still be strong enough
for what you want to receive.

If the signals are not strong enough in that configuration then keep this in
mind when you're looking for something to buy: these are receive-only radios
that do not need to be inductively matched to a transmitter and they do not
need expensive antennas designed for high power output. A duplexer is not
required.

Frank

Before you buy anything additional try all the receivers on the one or two
split signals. T-adapters and short lengths of coax from the antennas to
the
receivers would be all you need. With the antennas up high and unless
you're
trying to receive weak signals, the split signal might still be strong
enough
for what you want to receive.

Thanks Frank. I actually have a cheapie $5 splitter from Radio Shack. I've
got a Pro-2026 and a Pro-2004, both tied to a Radio Shack antenna. Off the
splitter, the 2026 receives fine but the 2004 doesn't get anything at all.
With the antenna straight into the 2006 it picks up juts fine.

Before you buy anything additional try all the receivers on the one or
two
split signals. T-adapters and short lengths of coax from the antennas to
the
receivers would be all you need. With the antennas up high and unless
you're
trying to receive weak signals, the split signal might still be strong
enough
for what you want to receive.

If a simple Tee is used ( I assume we are not talking about a 2 way splitter
as used in MATV/CATV)- local oscillator and perhaps synthesizer noise from
one scanner will be impressed directly on the other scanner. Depending on
the freqs monitored- this can be devastating. In addition, loss to each
scanner may be dramatic at those freqs where the jumpers are odd multiples
of electrical 1/4 wavelength.
If the signals are not strong enough in that configuration then keep this
in
mind when you're looking for something to buy: these are receive-only
radios
that do not need to be inductively matched to a transmitter and they do
not
need expensive antennas designed for high power output. A duplexer is not
required.

Frank

I don't think you mean inductively matched- perhaps impedance matched?

Dale W4OP

Dale Parfitt ...

^ I don't think you mean inductively matched- perhaps
^ impedance matched?

Yea, that other "I" word. Thanks.

Frank

You need to consider that scanners can interact with each other with using a
T connector. A scanner will actually generate it's own RF frequencies.

When I had a T connector installed, I would here pulsing noises on my ICOM
R8500 whenever my PRO-2006 would lock onto a frequency. The pulsing
corresponded to the blinking bank indicator on the PRO-2006. Installing a
Stridsberg MCA204 solved that problem and also improved reception.

--
David M. Hitchner - K5DMH
Baton Rouge, LA

Baton Rouge Area Scanning
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-k5dmh

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For replies, use my callsign @bellsouth.net or @arrl.net.

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"Jason Wagner" wrote in message
...
Going to have one to two antennas up on a mast feeding several (or more)
scanners down below. Looking for an effective way to split + amplify the
signals so each scanner thinks its got its own antenna. I am pretty new
to
this and would appreciate any advice.

Thanks.

David M. Hitchner ...

^ You need to consider that scanners can interact with
^ each other with using a T connector. A scanner will
^ actually generate it's own RF frequencies.

I don't doubt that is true but I haven't experienced it. I generally keep at
least two receivers connected to a single antenna and I've had up to four on
the same antenna. Of the two, one is Sony and the other is RS. The other two
receivers are both RS and they are sometimes on the same antenna too. I have
experienced it though on an RS receiver from a Yaesu radio that's on a
completely separate system, but in close proximity.

Frank