[shebeen]

Do they work as well as adding another stick?

It's about the same price as an AM/FM antenna but I'm trying to avoid adding another one.

So do they run both AM/FM and VHF off of a VHF antenna...or do they run both off of an AM/FM antenna....or does it matter?

I have a feeling somebody's gonna tell me both antennas are the exact same, just have different connectors. But I don't know.

I don't want to buy one if the performance of either the AM/FM or VHF is diminished at all.

Thanks.

 

[MakoMike]

John,
I have one hooked up to one of my VHF antennas and it works. Difficult to tell how well, since IMHO AM/FM reception on a boat is problematical to start with.

 

[Koz54]

I have the separator and it works fine for my uses with the AM/FM radio and VHF.

Then again I don?t really use the AM radio at all because whenever the motor was on the interference made it impossible to listen to AM radio and my lovable Mutts

, and I don?t listen to FM radio much at all anymore.

I fixed listening to the Mets problem by installing my XM Delphi
unit on the dash.

It does use an internal FM modulator to get the signal to the radio, but it is static free. I can even set the unit to scroll the Mets score so even while underway and I can?t hear the radio I can see how the game is going.

This post edited by Koz54 03:40 PM 06/02/2008

 

[shebeen]

Thanks guys......

Yup, all I really want to do is listen to the ball games.

Thought about XM but (being a cheapskate) I didn't want to pay for a years service if I was only gonna use it 6 months. Probably end up going that route though.

 

[Koz54]

I really love the XM and use it much more than I ever imagined I would. I have a set up in my vehicles and boat so all I have to do is take the unit itself and pop it in.

Since I got it (about 3 years ago for Christmas) I can count how many times I have listened to FM radio on one hand. Whatever kind of music you are into that moment is there commercial free.

Opie and Anthony air twice a day as they repeat that day?s show in the afternoon. That is great for me because that?s when I can listen to it.

The traffic channels are very detailed and run continuously 24/7. A very good tool.

It is also great on road trips. Virginia Beach, Iowa, Connecticut, and anywhere else there is no need to even change the channel unless you want to.

Not to mention every MLB game is broadcast so that is a big plus for me.

 

[Mad Mahi]

Those separators do work, are cheap, and save the hassle and expense and of adding another "tenna". COULD ALSO JEOPARDIZE YOUR SAFETY OR WORSE!!

You spend any amount of time listening to the types of problems that boaters have with their VHF radios, and you will learn that most of the problems are simple to solve. Clean up a bad connection, replace a bad connector, or remove some corrosion, and most problems are fixed.

You add in another component in the link between your radio and your antenna, and you have one more place for a problem to occur.

And that place is one of those antenna splitters.

If you take one of them apart, whether it is made by Shakespeare, or Radio Sh*t, they are cheap and not made to last in the marine environment.

You want to listen to the game or some tunes? Get one of the automobile replacement antennas and bury it somewhere under your hardtop or in the cabin (Yes, IN the cabin). You will get your FM and most of the nearby AM signals. You can even try the old stereo wire antenna. It works. Better to be safe than sorry!

This post edited by Mad Mahi 10:38 AM 06/03/2008

 

[elnath]

Any passive frequency splitter like the one you are showing will degrade the performance of the antenna. You will lose about 3dB of the signal (about 25%) on average. You are probably better off keeping the VHF "pure" and adding a seperate AM/FM antenna as suggested by Mad Mahi.

 

[shebeen]

Good advice, thank you gents.
Just the information I was looking for.