[time-nuts] GPS antenna splitter recommendation?

[Forrest Christian (List Account)]

I'll second this thought.

I've got one of the symmetricom-branded distribution amplifiers in use here
and it's worked like a charm.   Unfortunately it only works with GPS L1.
 GALILEO seems to be at least mostly in it's passband, GLONASS is not.

As the bands I've needed have started to increase, I'm now trying to figure
out how I'm going to bring in a wider swath of bands.   I've been going to
ask a similar question to the original poster, but with the idea of what
options are out there for a wider bandwidth.   As a result I'm reading this
thread with interest since it seems that a lot of the answers would be
suitable for what I'm hoping to do as well.


On Thu, Apr 30, 2020 at 2:51 PM Bob kb8tq <kb8tq at n1k.org> wrote:

> Hi
>
> The original splitters mentioned most certainly do *NOT* short the DC to
> ground.
> I have used those splitters for decades to power GPS gear. We have used
> them
> in production for runs of thousands of parts ….
>
> Before anybody goes off and spends $1,000 on a splitter, think very hard
> about
> what bands you will need it for over the next few years …. also what
> levels and
> what antenna voltages. This stuff does change and that’s a lot of money to
> sink
> in something that may be a boat anchor in a couple years.
>
> Bob
>
> > On Apr 30, 2020, at 4:36 PM, Arthur Dent <golgarfrincham at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Most of the regular splitters first mentioned are basically transformers
> > with one side if each winding connected to the case ground so they don’t
> > work because they short out the 5 VDC on the receiver’s antenna coax. You
> > have to be aware of the D.C. voltage to power the antenna plus have fake
> > antenna load resistors on the other ports to prevent error messages.
> >
> > The cheapest non-powered splitter is probably the F connector Steren
> 4-way
> > 2.4Ghz splitter made for TV use at $6-$9 each (like eBay # 254474121010).
> > Their model 201-234 passes 1 port and couples the other  3 ports with
> > capacitors. I found I could just pry the back cover off the splitter and
> > solder a 200-330 ohm resistor across each isolated outputs to prevent the
> > receivers on those ports from giving an open antenna alarm. Those
> receivers
> > would still work without the resistors but I couldn’t stand the error
> > message so I installed the load resistors.
> >
> > Mini-Circuits has made dedicated GPS splitters that have built-in amps to
> > compensate for losses and the ones I have work quite well. The 5 port one
> > has a Lucent part number and was made for Telco use with 2 power ports
> and
> > 3 isolated ports to which I added 280 ohm resistors. You will find these
> on
> > eBay occasionally for far less than the HP versions.  One of my GPS
> > antennas goes to a WR Incorporated 8-way externally powered splitter with
> > load resistors built in.
> >
> > So there are a number of options for GPS splitters but they may not be
> that
> > common. However, just today I bought another of the 5 port Mini-Circuits
> > ones on eBay so they do turn up.
> >
> >
> https://oi906.photobucket.com/albums/ac262/rjb1998/GPS%20splitters%202_zpspobtp7cf.jpg
> >
> >
> https://oi906.photobucket.com/albums/ac262/rjb1998/GPS%20splitters_zpsbitr26xx.jpg
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-- 
- Forrest