Md116
Member
Anybody have any good or bad experiences connecting two antennas to one scanner? Example: 1 VHF antenna and 1 UHF antenna. Would they perform better than a single VHF/UHF dual bander?
2 antennas to 1 scanner?
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Are you asking with a diplexer? I ask because I have heard of people trying it with a regular splitter/combiner. I am actually looking at a diplexer for just that purpose. I don't have a dual bander for my needs as of yet.
See here. https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/antenna-for-military-and-civilian-air.381736/
There are cheaper diplexers out there. Just search uhf vhf combiner
I am not sure if a dual bander tuned for your freqs of interest would be better than a diplexer with 2 separate antennas tuned for your freqs of interest. So I will also be watching this thread.
See here. https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/antenna-for-military-and-civilian-air.381736/
There are cheaper diplexers out there. Just search uhf vhf combiner
I am not sure if a dual bander tuned for your freqs of interest would be better than a diplexer with 2 separate antennas tuned for your freqs of interest. So I will also be watching this thread.
Md116
Member
I was thinking about 2 separate antennas and a male BNC plug with dual BNC female plugs. I think maybe that's not the way to go about it though. The only bands I will be monitoring is VHF hi and UHF only.
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wtp
Member
if just receiving, give it a try.
there are no rules, just what works for you.
i have done it with a radio shack 800 antenna and a motorola 150 rubber duck.
with no equipment i could not tell a great difference.
both antennas vertical, each into a 90 BNC, into a tee connector.
experiment and have fun
there are no rules, just what works for you.
i have done it with a radio shack 800 antenna and a motorola 150 rubber duck.
with no equipment i could not tell a great difference.
both antennas vertical, each into a 90 BNC, into a tee connector.
experiment and have fun
The diplexer I linked to introduces only <0.6 db insertion loss. Any other methods will be 6+ db loss.
Md116
Member
Md116
Member
Thanks for the info
That's a duplexer, not a diplexer. Many will argue they're not the same. As I uderstand it, a duplexer is used to connect one antenna to two radios, where a diplexer is used to connect two antennas to one radio. I'm too tired to argue...and dinner is ready!
You are correct i posted the wrong link. I will post the correct one later.That's a duplexer, not a diplexer. Many will argue they're not the same. As I uderstand it, a duplexer is used to connect one antenna to two radios, where a diplexer is used to connect two antennas to one radio. I'm too tired to argue...and dinner is ready!
prcguy
Member
Generally speaking, a diplexer is used to connect a single radio to two antennas of different bands, or two radios on different bands to a single antenna. A duplexer is most often used to connect a transmitter and receiver within the same band to a single antenna. The key point is a diplexer usually crosses over different bands where a duplexer operates within the same band.
That's a duplexer, not a diplexer. Many will argue they're not the same. As I uderstand it, a duplexer is used to connect one antenna to two radios, where a diplexer is used to connect two antennas to one radio. I'm too tired to argue...and dinner is ready!
lu81fitter
Member
I use that "duplexer" from the Antenna Farm. Works just fine.
N5TWB
Member
I did a similar thing with good results back in the 70s in a mobile setting. I had one low band Antenna Specialists loaded 1/4-wave for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and one VHF-Hi A/S 5/8-wave for the area PDs and SOs. Everything was PL-259 based. I still have both of those antennas but not in service.
Ubbe
Member
A dualband antenna are not as good as two single band, if the effective lenghts are the same. What I sometimes experiance while scanning wide frequency ranges are that a single band antenna for 145Mhz might not work as good at 170Mhz as a 445MHz antenna. It's better to use one antenna without filters to one scanner and use another scanner for the other antenna and then find out which frequencies that works best on each antenna/scanner and lock out the ones that works better on the other scanner.
A simple low pass and high pass filter combined works perfect to join two antennas of different bands and the low pass will work down to the lowest shortwave frequency and the high pass up to the GHz range. You can build a diplexer yourself with few components if you don't need sharp edges on the filter curve and don't bother about the 200-300MHz range. A cheap and good working filter are Diplexer 2m 70cm for Ham Radio Transceiver SDR receiver | eBay
/Ubbe
A simple low pass and high pass filter combined works perfect to join two antennas of different bands and the low pass will work down to the lowest shortwave frequency and the high pass up to the GHz range. You can build a diplexer yourself with few components if you don't need sharp edges on the filter curve and don't bother about the 200-300MHz range. A cheap and good working filter are Diplexer 2m 70cm for Ham Radio Transceiver SDR receiver | eBay
/Ubbe
This is the diplexer setup I use in my vehicle. It allows me to use dedicated mono band antennas on various parts of the radio spectrum, as well as multi band antennas at each port. In my case as a Ham, I especially like having HF and 6 meters split, as well as the VHF/UHF separate from the 840 MHz public service bands. In the case of a base station receive only scanner, the diplexers could be housed in a weatherproof container and fed with a single high quality coaxial line. The small insertion loss of the diplexers is more than overcome by the ability to optimize the antennas on each band.
prcguy
Member
You might shop for an Austin "quadplexer' or "pentaplexer" which can have separate inputs for up to five different bands. I have several I picked up off Ebay that combine all sorts of frequencies.
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That's a nice product. It even includes 1 1/4 meters.
Probably higher gain with daul band antenna
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krazybob
Member
You absolutely can do that. If you only have one VHF antenna that you need to connect and 1 UHF for 800 megahertz and that you need to connect you simply purchase a diplexer. I like Diamond.
The diplexer is designed to have one antenna input and 2 antenna outputs. These out pets are usually short pigtails with a pl-259 connector already attached for you. If you're capable you can cut that connector off and install a crimp on so-239 connector. Otherwise, just use an adapter. You needed to be a female port. The same on the other connector.
Once you've done this connect your VHF antenna to the port that covers 100-200 or whatever the range may be. Then you connect your UHF antenna the covers 382 800 or whatever it may be.
I use an mx2000 which covers three bands. This lets me use an antenna for CHP on low band, a VHF antenna or fire, and a 700/800 antenna for the tracking systems. Works beautifully. Negligible insertion loss. I've been doing it this way for about 17 years I suppose.
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