Banten Active VHF/AIS/FM Splitter - Digital Yacht SPL1500 VHF Antenna Splitter

[SteveGorst]

One costs £40 the other £150. My AIS kit is receive only so is there any point in paying more than £40? The £150 version supports transmission so that may be where a lot of the extra cost is involved. I don't really want to go climbing the mast and feed another VHF cable down it if I can get away with the splitter.

 

[pvb]

For receive only, a simple splitter will work. Are you sure that you won't want to fit an AIS transceiver one day?

 

[RichardS]

One costs £40 the other £150. My AIS kit is receive only so is there any point in paying more than £40? The £150 version supports transmission so that may be where a lot of the extra cost is involved. I don't really want to go climbing the mast and feed another VHF cable down it if I can get away with the splitter.

A number of forumites prefer to mount an AIS antenna on the pushpit for reasons you can easily search for, and you might be able to do this for the same cost as a cheap splitter. Personally, I have gone for the splitter option but I have a transceiver so am using a suitable active splitter which works very well. If your cheap splitter is passive rather than active then it might not be as good as a low-level antenna but I've no personal experience.

Richard

 

[SteveGorst]

Thanks guys I will get the £40 one for now then.

 

[BelleSerene]

A number of forumites prefer to mount an AIS antenna on the pushpit for reasons you can easily search for

Aye. On the other hand, you’ll receive AIS signals from vessels further afield (giving yourself better notice) if you use your masthead antenna (plus splitter obviously) for the job, and you’ll also avoid poking yourself in the eye or catching mooring warps on it. You’ll also have a lot less wiring and jiggery pokery to do than if you fit an antenna to your pushpit.