Stridsberg Engineering

[radionerd13669]

Same thing here, no replies to email but shipped a few days ago. Almost a 1 month turnaround.
It wouldbe nice to get a confirmation on an order.

 

[tvengr]

I have 2 MCA204M's. Both came with JAMECO AC adapters rated at 12vdc @200 mA. Both adapters have the plug attached to plug into the multicoupler. Center pin of connector is plus.

 

[IdleMonitor]

The company has reached out to me this evening and everything has been taken care of and will be resolved. I'm glad this turned out well.

 

[AZMONITOR]

I have 2 MCA204M's. Both came with JAMECO AC adapters rated at 12vdc @200 mA. Both adapters have the plug attached to plug into the multicoupler. Center pin of connector is plus.

When I purchased my four multi-couplers from Scanner Master all of them came with the AC adapter. Did you purchase yours from Scanner Master or from the manufacturer? The ads from both merchants do not address if they come with an AC adapter. Interesting.

 

[west-pac]

When I purchased my four multi-couplers from Scanner Master all of them came with the AC adapter. Did you purchase yours from Scanner Master or from the manufacturer? The ads from both merchants do not address if they come with an AC adapter. Interesting.

I'm guessing Scanner Master has NOS, and new stuff from the manufacturer is what Scanner Master will have in the future. The manufacturer used to send an AC adapter. The manufacturer had a cheaper price than Scanner Master as well.

 

[K7ULS]

The company has reached out to me this evening and everything has been taken care of and will be resolved. I'm glad this turned out well.

did you tell them we were all waiting for them to answer their phone?

 

[trp2525]

With all of the logistical problems of contacting Stridsberg Engineering by either telephone and/or email (as noted in this thread) and getting them to ship orders in a timely fashion, I was wondering if RR members are considering any alternative multicouplers at this time.

In this month's issue (Volume 10 Number 10 October 2023) of The Spectrum Monitor, author Chris Parris posted a positive review of a Cross Country Wireless multicoupler in his "Federal Wavelengths" column. His full column appears on pages 39-44 and the following excerpt from page 44 states the following (see Chris's full "Federal Wavelengths" column in The Spectrum Monitor for a photo of the Cross Country Wireless multicoupler which appears on page 43):

"I wanted to offer a quick review
of a new piece of hardware that some
scanner users might find handy. I
recently purchased a five-output multicoupler
from Cross Country Wireless.
They are manufactured in England and
are available on eBay. The unit is very
nicely built in a metal chassis and is
offered in several versions. One is HF
(50 kHz to 35 MHz), one is VHF/UHF
(45 MHz to 1350 MHz) and the version I purchased does 50 kHz to 1350 MHz.
This is basically an amplified splitter that allows you to connect up to five radios
to a single antenna. The amplifier doesn’t really “boost” the signal much, but it is
enough that there is no signal loss through the multicoupler to the fiver receivers.
This unit is not supplied with any power supply, but any DC wall wart power
supply between 7 and 24 volts with a common 2.5-millimeter coaxial plug can
be used. Some radio users might find this to be a good alternative to the popular
Stridesburg Engineering multicouplers, as the price seems to be a good value.
I have been using the multicoupler to connect my multiple scanners that I
travel with to one antenna, rather than a passive splitter or using multiple antennas.
So far, I have been very happy with the unit and its ability to provide a good signal
to multiple radios. I have used this in a mobile application as well, powering the
unit from the car’s 12-volt DC with no issues.
A quick disclaimer, I was not paid for my review of this product but wanted to
share my experience with the Federal Wavelength readers."

 

[Ubbe]

a positive review of a Cross Country Wireless multicoupler

I couldn't find them on Ebay and their own webpage have their prices deleted and do quotes on requests.
It's specified as having a OP3 of +40dBm and is supposed to be zero gain thru it so will be its input value as well.
Stridsberg has +32dBm for their multicoupler and for some reason, probably due to their front limiting circuit, their preamp has only +24.5dBm with a gain of 18dB that makes it +6.5dBm at its input. A PGA103+ based preamp has a OP3 of +40dBm at a 16dB gain which makes it +24dBm at the input.

I suspect both Stridsberg and Cross Country Wireless to actually incorrectly state the amplifiers output OP3 and not the couplers antenna connector output.

The OP3 value are when an overload signal has created unwanted intermodulation products with other frequencies at the same level as the original signal at the devices output. When reducing the input signal 10dB the output also drops 10dB but intermodulation products drops some 20-30dB with each 10dB drop of the input. With a 50dB reduction of the input the intermodulation frequencies will have disappeared in the noise. For the PGA103+ that will be at a -26dBm level and for the Stridsberg preamp at -43.5dBm This is with a single signal at the input. Each additional signal added at the same level will need the input level to be reduced 3dB. So it could be at a lot lower signal strength level where overload interferencies sets in when using a real antenna connected. For a SDS100 scanner those intermodulation issues sets in below -60dBm using a single source signal.

/Ubbe

 

[AZMONITOR]

Received my fifth multi-coupler today from Scanner Master and I was pleased to see that like the other four units, it came with an AC adapter. Good customer service form Scanner Master and it was shipped promptly. I'm happy.

 

[Theflyingone]

Figure I'd post here before trying something else.

I ordered a 4 port "military grade" multicoupler from them early this year, worked great for a few months, then I noticed everything attached to it acted like it has no antenna. Tried various cabled, ports, going direct from antenna to radio and its clear something is wrong with the multicoupler itself.

I contacted them early August about getting it fixed and no response.

Curious if I should follow up, or maybe just open it up for what could potentially be an easy fix.

 

[buddrousa]

Quick question @Theflyingone
Are you using this with receivers or did you hook up to a transceiver and key the radio?
These are designed for receive only.

 

[Theflyingone]

Quick question @Theflyingone
Are you using this with receivers or did you hook up to a transceiver and key the radio?
These are designed for receive only.

Thanks for the response.

Everything connected to it is/was receive only.

3 sdrs with no tx function.
1 uniden scanner.

 

[sflmonitor]

Figure I'd post here before trying something else.

I ordered a 4 port "military grade" multicoupler from them early this year, worked great for a few months, then I noticed everything attached to it acted like it has no antenna. Tried various cabled, ports, going direct from antenna to radio and its clear something is wrong with the multicoupler itself.

I contacted them early August about getting it fixed and no response.

Curious if I should follow up, or maybe just open it up for what could potentially be an easy fix.

I had something happen to mine a couple of years back. Nothing transmitted through it. I sent it back and they repaired it for free as it was still under warranty. Best I could figure was that a close by lightning strike may have caused it.

 

[VK5XVX]

After numerous times trying to contact Stridsberg asking to initiate a return / warranty, I have had no response so am now writing them off as a bad experience.
Can anybody here recommend a tech in Australia that would be able to diagnose and possibly repair the issue please?

 

[K7ULS]

2 months since I sent it to them blind so he's trying

Morgan said:
Not sure what may have caused it but the voltage reg, as well as the on board amplifier were fried and needed to be/ were replaced.

On Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 09:18:01 PM CST, Mike White <k7uls@yahoo.com> wrote:



Thanks Morgan
Any idea what went awry?

On Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 08:13:47 PM MST, stridsberg@bellsouth.net <stridsberg@bellsouth.net> wrote:



Hey there Mike,

I just finished up with it and have it ready to ship back out to you tomorrow.


Best regards,

Stridsberg Engineering, LLC

On Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 02:20:37 PM CST, Mike White <k7uls@yahoo.com> wrote:


Morgan
How's the warranty repair coming on my preamp?
Michael White K7ULS

 

[K7ULS]

Just received my pre-20 preamp back from Morgan today and he's shipping out a new wall wart as the original was putting out almost 17v. all on his dime except the shipping which I covered.

 

[LA6FRA]

Well, I have the same experience, I bought the multicoupler back in January. Suddenly stops working. There was no lightning activity or anything else, just stopped working. I had connected 4 SDR'S. I try to contact them but no answer. So I ordered a new one the 9th and it has been shipped today, 11th. And suddenly I have just got a replay to my email. It looks things are improving.

 

[wise871]

I've been trying to contact Stridesberg for a few months. I had sent him back my MCA204M and MCA208M a year ago for repair. They only lasted for a few uses before they both stopped working again. Anyone have an idea why they keep dying? I have them plugged into a surge protector along with my radios and they still work perfectly fine.

 

[sflmonitor]

I've been trying to contact Stridesberg for a few months. I had sent him back my MCA204M and MCA208M a year ago for repair. They only lasted for a few uses before they both stopped working again. Anyone have an idea why they keep dying? I have them plugged into a surge protector along with my radios and they still work perfectly fine.

Have you had any lightning strikes nearby? I use a multicoupler at home and had it stop working a couple of years ago. I sent it back and had it repaired. It definitely didn’t take a straight lightning hit and there are no other transmitter antennas anywhere close by. It stopped working shortly after a heavy lightning storm. I now disconnect it when not in use and haven’t had any further issues.

 

[buddrousa]

Is your Antenna System Grounded? If not STATIC DISCHARGE