Splitting a scantenna

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scanrock

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I am about to mount a ST2 to a mast but I want to test it on 2 radios in different location
my question is if I were to install 2 300ohmx75ohm transformers and run 2 LMR400 lead
lines would this affect the reception of the antenna or do I have to use a multicoupler ?
It would be easier to just run 2 lines directly from the antenna any thoughts on this?
 

tonsoffun

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scanrock said:
I am about to mount a ST2 to a mast but I want to test it on 2 radios in different location
my question is if I were to install 2 300ohmx75ohm transformers and run 2 LMR400 lead
lines would this affect the reception of the antenna or do I have to use a multicoupler ?
It would be easier to just run 2 lines directly from the antenna any thoughts on this?

Hi scanrock,
It would probably be easier to run the 1 lenght of LMR400 to a multicoupler then split off of that. Just a question, why would running 2 lines be easier for you?. Are the 2 rooms close to each other and close to the antenna?
 
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N1SQB

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Use a splitter!

Hey Scanrock!
For what its worth, I have the same antenna and I use a splitter at the end of the 40 ft LMR 400 run. The loss is not that significant unless you are using 75-100 ft or more in length. I hardly notice any difference with mine!

Manny
 

scanrock

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Splitting ST2

The 2 radios are on different floors at opposite ends of the house thats why i thought 2 lines would be easier. What type of splitter are you using at the 40ft LMR400 run ? By the way it over a 50' run and this is a test of this antenna deciding if I'm going to replace an existing antenna with good reception and I'm removing the pre-amp from my Ferret due to front end noise on my GRE psr600 something i don't have on my unidens BC780 & 785
 
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N1SQB

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This is what I use:

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/preamps/0973.html

I put a pl-259 to bnc adapter on the end of the coax coming in, then run bnc/bnc jumpers

to my radios. I got the splitter used and cheap. Its tough to suggest anything without looking at your particular needs. What I will tell you though is that

when you past 50 ft and you want to split signal you are working against yourself. First you have the loss due to the long cable run, the some loss at the

splitter. Again, I dont know your specific needs where you are and what kind of signals are you going to be monitoring, what radios are you using ect...

Sounds like you are going to be doing a lot of experimenting!

Manny
 
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scanrock

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r f splitters

scannernut I have 2 of those splitters I bought about 6 years ago when they were a little cheaper they worked great until recently. I think all my problems started when I got the
PSR600. I was running a BC780 , Bc785d ,Pro 2006 and a BC250d . I used the rf splitters to both combine antennas a Austin Ferret and an old center load with 3 ground plane radials I
don't know the name of the antenna. I made a mistake 5 years ago when I added a pre-amp to the Ferret which I was now told by Austin to remove due to weather related issues ; 1 of the radials from my older antenna was removed over the winter so I planned on adding a transmitter this spring so I purchased all new LMR400 coax I have a 9' glen martin guy-less mast to install and bought a scantenna ST2 . I do not know how the Ferret will work without the pre-amp or the ST2 that's why I'm experimenting . Plus being disabled now I can't do the work myself and the reason I have multiple locations around the house where I monitor the radios. The splitters work lousy with the PSR600 the Ferret has too much Front end on this radio so this is whats driving me nuts. I want to test the ST2 with my radios before I install it on my new tower on build my new shack in a different location in my house that's more accessible . So to the original question can I run 2 leads from the ST2 without too much loss those stridesburg multicouplers are expensive
 

scanrock

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r f splitters

scannernut I have 2 of those splitters I bought about 6 years ago when they were a little cheaper they worked great until recently. I think all my problems started when I got the
PSR600. I was running a BC780 , Bc785d ,Pro 2006 and a BC250d . I used the rf splitters to both combine antennas a Austin Ferret and an old center load with 3 ground plane radials I
don't know the name of the antenna. I made a mistake 5 years ago when I added a pre-amp to the Ferret which I was now told by Austin to remove due to weather related issues ; 1 of the radials from my older antenna was removed over the winter so I planned on adding a transmitter this spring so I purchased all new LMR400 coax I have a 9' glen martin guy-less mast to install and bought a scantenna ST2 . I do not know how the Ferret will work without the pre-amp or the ST2 that's why I'm experimenting . Plus being disabled now I can't do the work myself and the reason I have multiple locations around the house where I monitor the radios. The splitters work lousy with the PSR600 the Ferret has too much Front end on this radio so this is whats driving me nuts. I want to test the ST2 with my radios before I install it on my new tower on build my new shack in a different location in my house that's more accessible . So to the original question can I run 2 leads from the ST2 without too much loss those stridesburg multicouplers are expensive
 

frankh

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scanrock said:
scannernut I have 2 of those splitters I bought about 6 years ago when they were a little cheaper they worked great until recently. I think all my problems started when I got the
PSR600. I was running a BC780 , Bc785d ,Pro 2006 and a BC250d . I used the rf splitters to both combine antennas a Austin Ferret and an old center load with 3 ground plane radials I
don't know the name of the antenna. I made a mistake 5 years ago when I added a pre-amp to the Ferret which I was now told by Austin to remove due to weather related issues ; 1 of the radials from my older antenna was removed over the winter so I planned on adding a transmitter this spring so I purchased all new LMR400 coax I have a 9' glen martin guy-less mast to install and bought a scantenna ST2 . I do not know how the Ferret will work without the pre-amp or the ST2 that's why I'm experimenting . Plus being disabled now I can't do the work myself and the reason I have multiple locations around the house where I monitor the radios. The splitters work lousy with the PSR600 the Ferret has too much Front end on this radio so this is whats driving me nuts. I want to test the ST2 with my radios before I install it on my new tower on build my new shack in a different location in my house that's more accessible . So to the original question can I run 2 leads from the ST2 without too much loss those stridesburg multicouplers are expensive
Hey rather than making your Uniden deaf. Maybe install a lower gain antenna solely for your PSR600, and keep the current setup for the other scanners.
 
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