Combo Splitter Worthwhile to Purchase?

[Rt169Radio]

Hello all, I am looking at feeding two scanners with one antenna using the splitter below instead of adding another antenna to my array. I would be using a Diamond Discone that has about 30 feet of RG8X coax and the coax run between the two scanners would be less then a foot.

But would the signal loss of using this splitter be okay or just as good compared to just adding another antenna? I would be mainly listening to 30mhz through 500mhz.

SP-1300 Combiner/Splitter | Scanner Master

SP-1300 Combiner/Splitter

www.scannermaster.com

 

[737mech]

The comments say no signal loss but the specs say insertion loss 3.5 db to 5.0 db from 100-500. 3.5 is half your signal. Some say it will work, others say you need a multicoupler that has a small amp to make up for the loss. Another way is to add a LNA to boost your signal before the split. Lots of ways to do things. The one you posted is a bit pricey for what it does there are many others out there less expensive. I tried all this way back after I got my second scanner, I'm now up to 11 in the shack. I like the Electroline Drop amps. 8 ports each and built in amps for the loss. Good luck with whatever you try.

 

[Ubbe]

Hello all, I am looking at feeding two scanners with one antenna using the splitter below

You will have nearly 1/4 of the signal strength left with that splitter. If you have a scanner or PC program that indicates dBm signal strenght you can see how much 5dB loss is and if you can accept that.

Usually it's only when receiving far away system that barely open squelch that you have to consider splitter loss.

You can get a $5 CATV splitter and three F-to-BNC adaptors, or whatever you'll need, or pigtails that give lower loss than the Scannermaster device.

/Ubbe

 

[wa8pyr]

I like the Electroline Drop amps. 8 ports each and built in amps for the loss.

I'll second the vote for the Electroline drop amps. I started out with a 4-port (EDA2400) and moved up to an 8-port (EDA2800). I've got six scanners connected through it and it works like a charm.

You can often find the 4-port models on eBay around $25 in good used condition (8-port generally runs around $50-60).

 

[Rt169Radio]

Thanks for the answers! I didn't even know you could use those kind of amps for scanners.

 

[dave3825]

I just got a EDA UG 2802 Zero-Loss 8-port and so far its doing good. Only have 2 dongles hooked up to it at the moment but getting 100 percent decodes on a distant system.

 

[N9JIG]

The SP-1300 is fine for local signals if they are fairly strong but an active multicoupler will provide better results with weaker signals.

I am a huge fan of the Stridsberg line, I have 8 or 9 I think. I have heard many good things about the Electrolines but have not used them myself.

I have used other TV distribution amps and they have worked well also. Remember that the frequency ranges for TV closely match that of scanners so the amps and splitters tend to work well. When I had an 8-port TV distribution amp (Wingard?) years ago I made up custom cables with F connectors on one end and BNC on the other using RG59 for the short jumpers and it worked great.