VHF/FM splitter

[ghostlymoron]

I've found a stubby aerial stuffed at the back of a locker was quite sufficient for my am/FM/LW radio. In fact I didn't know I had an aerial for over a year wuthnthe boat. They don't need anything sophisticated and would probably work OK with a coat hanger.

 

[Koeketiene]

Search this forum for the many reasons why splitters are a terrible idea.

And you will read lots of ill-informed prejudice from people still stuck in the 19th century. Hardly ever any first hand experience.

Installed a 3-way AIS/VHF/FM splitter a couple of years ago.
Sailing off Harwich, I still hear Oostende Radio on VHF CH16 (often Griz Nez traffic too), see AIS contacts off Sheerness and can listen to all the FM stations I care for.

 

[Salty John]

Active splitters are fine and, if you don't want to use separate antennas for AIS and radio, the only option.

Those cheap passive splitters can only be used for sharing FM receive and VHF, they simply attach the FM aerial to the coax braid or the connector body, you might as well attach the FM aerial to the vhf radio ground or the chassis.

You can use an antenna switch, of course, but you have to be careful to have the antenna directed to the device you're using and you can't use both at the same time. Takes a bit of management.

 

[MartynJS]

Not sure if Nigel M is calling me prejudiced but the photo does not lie. What I inspected was not a splitter under any definition. It simply connected the FM antenna core to the screen of the Marine VHF which is fine for FM reception, if you have any height to the antenna, unless it is shorted as this one was. However; do not put your trust only in what you can receive. Most sets will receive on a piece of wet string but transmission is a different matter as I am sure you know. Without a well matched antenna, the RF will be reflected back to the set, reducing transmit power and causing heat to build up in the transmitter power stage. Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs. My point was that the £25 splitter was not worth buying and could just cause problems.

 

[prv]

Not sure if Nigel M is calling me prejudiced

Don't think Nigel is, but Guapa might have been

Pete

 

[Koeketiene]

Don't think Nigel is, but Guapa might have been

As if I would dare.

There are splitters and then there are splitters. Sometimes you do get what you pay for.
FWIW, we fitted this active splitter: http://www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog...er-5338.html?gclid=CInUuO6_lsMCFdQZtAodCCMAsw
and have not noticed any loss; either receiving are transmitting (VHF or our AIS transceiver).

I just reacted to the sweeping (and IMO incorrect) generalisation that all splitters are bad.

 

[MartynJS]

I agree! An active splitter should do the job properly. Sorry if I jumped the gun on the 'prejudice' thing. I read more into it than was actually there. Time for wine, I think.