Best way to split antenna

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W5RGP

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What's the best and easiest way to split one antenna to a 996xt and 536hp I want to be able to have both radios on at same time and this is a mobile install

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davenlr

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Use a high quality satellite TV splitter, making sure it covers the frequencies you plan to use. My DirecTv splitter covers 2-2150 MHz. Adding a 2-way splitter will reduce each scanner by 2.5 DB. Since they use F connectors, you will need to replace the BNC on the coax with F, and make an F to BNC jumper cable to go from the splitter to the scanner. This would be the cheapest route. The one listed above, while more expensive, would eliminate the F to BNC conversions. Satellite splitters are 75 ohm, but it is doubtful the difference between 52 and 75 ohm will affect reception to any extent. Ive used them to split to two scanners in the house before, however, Ive never tried the one listed above.

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...0-MHz)&c=Satellite Splitters&sku=874409002404
 
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prcguy

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A perfect two way splitter has a theoretical loss of 3dB not 2.5dB and there are additional losses in most splitters. A wide band DirecTV splitter is more like 4 to 5dB loss in the VHF/UHF range plus a little more for the 50 to 75ohm mismatch.

You can usually find 50 ohm MiniCircuits or other brand splitters (power dividers) on Ebay cheap but you will still have about 3.5dB loss.
prcguy

Use a high quality satellite TV splitter, making sure it covers the frequencies you plan to use. My DirecTv splitter covers 2-2150 MHz. Adding a 2-way splitter will reduce each scanner by 2.5 DB. Since they use F connectors, you will need to replace the BNC on the coax with F, and make an F to BNC jumper cable to go from the splitter to the scanner. This would be the cheapest route. The one listed above, while more expensive, would eliminate the F to BNC conversions. Satellite splitters are 75 ohm, but it is doubtful the difference between 52 and 75 ohm will affect reception to any extent. Ive used them to split to two scanners in the house before, however, Ive never tried the one listed above.

DIRECTV SWS-2 Satellite 2-Way Wide Band MRV Compatible Splitter (2 -2150 MHz) from Solid Signal
 

nyair1

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Feb 20, 2009
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Is this going to give you the same performance as one of the stridsberg MCA202M vhf/uhf multi-couplers?? I have been wanting to hook up both of my radios to my good outdoor antenna, but i don't want any signal loss. I'm mostly scanning milair stuff and i have about a 225 mile range and don't want to lose anything by using one of those cheap splitters. Or am i just better off to put up another outdoor antenna?? The $150 is alittle steep for the mulit-coupler but if its works i guess it would be worth it.
 

W5RGP

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Charlotte Tn
Yea I'll just put another antenna for 100 before spending that kind of money and risking signal loss

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