Electroline amps
I too was using a standard 5 port standard CATV splitter with predictable results. Balked at the price of a Stridsburg and looked into the Electroline amps as recommended by 737mech.
Decide purchase two single port EDA 2100 models (reconditioned- $6.00 + 6.15 S&H on ebay). This has been the best $24.30 I've ever invested in the hobby.
Using one amp on my primary scanner, a PRO-163 with a Grove Omni antenna; the other on a BC350C with a home-brew UHF dipole antenna that is used to monitor Monroe County PA just south of me
Further, I decided to utilize an individual antenna, a Larsen NMO 27 cut down to 35mHz and connected to a BC244clt that I use to monitor my community Public Safety Dept. The NMO 27 mag mount is just thrown up on the side of the house and appears adequate for now since it only has to cover a few square miles or so. Maybe a proper counterpoise in the spring.
Any ideas on a counterpoise? Can I run a wire horizontally from the metal mount under the NMO 27's mag base rather than a sheet of metal underneath?
My other two radios are sentimental favorites sharing a single VHF home-brew for now with a CATV splitter; they really didn't need anything special.
Conclusions: Splitting the antennas has improved signal on the un-amped scanners; the Electroline Amps have improved signal strength on the PRO-163 and 350C without intermod or significant noise. However I live in a rural mountain area with no towers nearby so I'm not really expecting intermod. I would recommend the Electroline, this small investment done wonders for me. At $12.15 for the single EDA 2100 it could be a fun experiment at worse or provide significant improvement at best.
This thread was very helpful and insightful, thanks to all for sharing