two VHF radios

[gettinthere]

I'm considering adding a new AIS VHF radio to the boat. I have room to install it next to the existing VHF at the nav station.

Can I use an antenna splitter to feed both radios?

I often monitor 2 channels, like 16 plus 9 for draw bridges or 13 for commercial traffic in crowded areas, so I will make use of both. I'd add a RAM mic at the helm for the second radio.
I'll feed the AIS display to the chartplotter, so it doesn't matter that the base station is at the nav station.

Thnx

 

[Stu Jackson]

Most new radios have multiple scan features. Not sure why you'd need more than one radio to do so. If you're close to incoming signals, I'd opt for a new AIS base station and a good handheld.

 

[JoeWhite]

My boat had an antenna splitter for VHF and the AM/FM radio. It gave much problem and I removed it. I use a separate antenna for the AM/FM radio. Your applications is different and is to split the antenna between 2 VHF radios. I will say that I have not heard of one since you may need to transmit with both even if you are not going to transmit at the same time I do not believe it can be done. I would think you only will use one of the VHF to transmit but monitor with both. So you may consider using a second VHF antenna for the second radio. I have done that and installed the second antenna on the Radar bracket which is mounted on the transom on a pole.

 

[Maine Sail]

I'm considering adding a new AIS VHF radio to the boat. I have room to install it next to the existing VHF at the nav station.

Can I use an antenna splitter to feed both radios?

I often monitor 2 channels, like 16 plus 9 for draw bridges or 13 for commercial traffic in crowded areas, so I will make use of both. I'd add a RAM mic at the helm for the second radio.
I'll feed the AIS display to the chartplotter, so it doesn't matter that the base station is at the nav station.

Thnx

Programmable scan is your friend.. You may want to leave the old one as a back up but just leave the ant disconnected...

 

[gettinthere]

My icom has program scan. don't like it.
Sometimes, I want to hear what is happening on channel A while talking on Channel B. Not very often, but sometimes absolutely.

Try running up the New River in Ft. Lauderdale. A VERY narrow, twisting river with blind corners and strong current. megayachts are towed bow and stern, tour boats are ripping through and you have 5 draw bridges in 1 mile! Gotta have 13 to hear the tow boats and gotta have 9 to request bridge openings. it was a riot!!

I usually only run with one radio and sometimes scan a second channel.

Since I"m considering the new VHF with AIS, I'd like to implement the Icom as my secondary. I wouldn't go out of my way to do this from scratch but with what I already have...

So, will it work?

 

[Skipper]

You can, but it has to be switchable. There are manual and automatic versions:
http://shakespeare-marine.com/accessories.asp

However, the switching of radios connected to the antenna might defeat your stated purpose of listening and transmitting at the same time.

 

[Winkfish]

For what it seems you want it for, why not get a hand held in addition to your fix mounted?

 

[gettinthere]

This comes from the desire to add a new fixed base with ais.

Looks like what I want requires 2 antennas.

Already have 2 hand held vhf's. They always die at the wrong time!

Might add a second antenna. Might retire the old base station icom. Might not do anything!

Thanks all

 

[AnchorDragger]

No Splitter !

Trouble is almost guaranteed if you use a splitter, might even burn up one radio when you transmit with the other. Consider that you are sending 5 or 25 watts into a receiver designed to detect milli-watt signals. Don't do it. An antenna switch would be better but you can destroy some radios by transmitting without the antenna connected. Your best choice is two antennas not located close together.