Electrician's Join Splitters - Four since Christmas

Channel Hopper

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
I pulled out this one earlier, from an 'alleged 'IRS' aerial system since the end of the festive season.

This was the last version I saw, but the one today is even cheaper.

2 Way F-Type Splitter Combiner TV Virgin Cable Sky Satellite Freeview [006992] 5055383469925 | eBay , I thought the Ross ones were bad with Bellng Lee fittings on a plastic case but at least that had some reactive stuff inside.

I doubt there are any inside this one, without burning them in an oven to check the interior, I'm not going to bother.

These are widely sold online for both satellite and terrestrial work, but why are they being used on commercial systems where there is a need for evenly distributed signals serving - in this case - 16 individual apartments ?
 

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TBH, I buy most "basic" media cables from Kenable - relatively "cheap", very rapid & reliable delivery (subject to Royal Mail's local delivery service - which is very good around here) and have had few, if any, faulty items (so far).

OTOH, those splitters are fraught with basic issues, as are the simpler "90 deg" F-connectors - just thrown away 3 of 10 of the latter type because the exposed "male" pin was simply "loose", meaning that there was no solid i/p to o/p connection (BTW: ISTR that those didn't come from Kenable)!
 
Gerry55 said:
Channel Hopper
Can I add my tuppence worth, Kenable_Ltd are an excellent company!
With a good range of products
Click to expand...
I don't doubt the company has a positive credential, however to advertise a device like this as suitable for more than just DC continuity is dangerous.

I could make a reasonable profit selling people a razor blade and strip of insulation tape for 50p, posting them out for another 65p. The resulting connection with the three cables would have a similar signal quotient, saving the buyer three f-plugs in the process.

If I get a spare moment I'll check/post the slope response at UHF and IF frequencies.
 
I wonder if they are even 75 ohms????
 
I've used a couple to split and old composite CCTV camera feed before, but nothing else.
 
Terryl said:
I wonder if they are even 75 ohms????
Click to expand...
No, I imaged the meter in the first post, no more than 0.2 Ohm once I've negated the loss through the test leads.

I would be very surprised if there were coils built into the casing.
 
Do you have an inductance meter by chance??
 
They've no place on commercial systems for sure.
 
Terryl said:
Do you have an inductance meter by chance??
Click to expand...
Good thinking and yes, I do have one of those TC1 multifunction testers in the office.

Will charge up and report back with results.
 
As a direct coupler you could get 75 ohms,(third leg may cause problems with the readings) but the second you connect a 75 ohm load to the third port you would more then likely get 25 ohms on all 3.

And looks way too small to have coils and a ferrite inside.
 
I will try all three combinations, any inductive splitter worth its salt usually has only two in there so the readings should be different.
 
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