Tech Tips

 Loose BNC whip?  There's a quick and simple fix for those annoying desktop scanner whips with the right-angle BNC connectors that keep falling over.
(1) Disconnect the antenna and observe the seam where the shell of the BNC twists back and forth.
(2) Reattach the antenna firmly into place on the scanner's antenna jack and set it upright as it should be.
(3) Place a small drop of quick-setting glue right on that seam found in step 1 and let it set.
    The antenna is now anchored on the BNC connector so it won't slip, yet it's easy to remove. If you are reluctant to do anything so permanent (although acetone or nail polish remover will dissolve the glue), you can wrap a small piece of PVC electrical tape or even a thin strip of duct tape around that same joint instead of gluing it.

Reception seems weak or goes in and out? Try this. Disconnect the antenna. Look inside the BNC connector on the radio. Locate where the center pin of the antenna inserts and see if the connection looks too wide. if so, take a pair of tweezers and gently squeeze them together. Now, on the antenna. Find the center pin and place your finger on it and slightly wiggle. If the center pin seems loose it needs to be repaired or the antenna replaced.

Is it possible to operate two radios from one antenna? Yes. Is it possible to connect two antennas to one radio? Yes. But there are catches. Two radios from one antenna. This is the easiest task. Purchase a two-way TV splitter from Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, Grove, or any other source; just be sure it is wideband (they are typically marked 5-900 MHz, but operate beyond those limits as well). You will need adapters and short cable runs (RG59/U or RG6/U is fine for this) for the F connectors to attach to your receiver(s) or scanner(s). Naturally, the antenna you attach to the input of the splitter determines the ultimate performance; use the same antenna you would choose for just one radio. Since the signal is divided in half, there will be at least a 3 dB drop in strength at each output port, but for most purposes you won’t notice the difference. 

Two antennas into one radio? This is the toughest challenge because, unless they are properly spaced, they can actually reduce signal strengths! Even when you add a second identical antenna, no matter how superb they are, only a 3 dB improvement is possible. But other factors besides gain come indirectivity and noise reduction, for example. At shortwave it is usually better to erect two antennas pointing in different directions, selecting between them with a common antenna switch (CB, TV, or even a video game switch works well for this). It is still possible to use two antennas simultaneously, however. If they are highly directional and point in different directions, or of two entirely different frequency ranges, so that signal cancellation is unlikely, you can use a splitter again, but "upside down." Instead of a signal splitter, it is now a signal combiner. As with any new antenna system, plan ahead and test the results before permanently mounting everything in place. If all goes well, you will have improved reception; if it doesn’t, it’s summertime, and you got good exercise!