Reverse Splitter/Combiner

[Swipesy]

I have a Diamond J Discone and a Antenex 800 mhz stick antenna that I would like to run to a Pro 96 scanner. Does anyone know if the Radio Shack VHF/UHF Splitter/Combiner can be used in reverse order, i.e. discone into the vhf port and stick antenna into the uhf port and the in port on the splitter go to the scanner? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[N_Jay]

I have a Diamond J Discone and a Antenex 800 mhz stick antenna that I would like to run to a Pro 96 scanner. Does anyone know if the Radio Shack VHF/UHF Splitter/Combiner can be used in reverse order, i.e. discone into the vhf port and stick antenna into the uhf port and the in port on the splitter go to the scanner? Any help would be appreciated.

Except you will be reciving UHF off some odd combination of the two antennas (mostly the 800 MHZ ant) with probably some loss.

 

[K5MAR]

Try to find an antenna splitter that's rated to 900 MHz 9or better0, the Radio Shack 15-1234 might be a possibility (not sure of it's rating). These work just as well as a combiner as they do as splitters. Another possibility is the RCA 2-way satellite splitter, 40 MHz to 2050 MHz. This is also sold at RS, PN 16-2578. Looking at the RS parts & accessories catalog, it appears that you have several options available.

But beware, the standard cable TV splitters are generally only rated to 500 MHz.

Mark S.

 

[N_Jay]

General splitters are not band specific.

The VHF/UHF splitters usually are.
The problem is the transition is at about 300 MHz (not sharp).

You would want the transition at about 550 to 700 MHz.

 

[Swipesy]

I was looking at the RS 15-1237 which is rate 5-900MHz and shows an VHF and a UHF output. My question is can the inputs and outputs be reversed? That is can the output on the slplitter become the input and the input become the output? Does it matter.

Thanks Mark and M-Jay for your responses

 

[K5MAR]

Yes, the ports can be reversed, I've done so when combining TV antennas.

BUT!

Given the antennas you are planning to use, I'd go with a (as N_Jay says) "general" splitter. The discone is a broadband antenna, and you'd lose a lot of that range plugging it into the VHF port. The UHF port is probably not well suited to 800 MHz operations either. The standard splitter such as the ones previously mentioned are what Grove Enterprises (publishers of Monitoring Times, in case you didn't know) sells, and Grove has been in the scanner radio business for a few years.
Here's a link to their item: http://www.grove-ent.com/SPL2.html

Glad to help, been scanning since 1970, and enjoy sharing info!

Mark S.